ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the empirical evidence on the development of the physical dimension of international trade. Thereby, it is important to notice that the physical dimension includes raw materials as well as semi- and processed commodities. Knowing the physical side of trade we are able to quantify the net resource flows from one group of countries to another. This provides the opportunity to review some assumptions of different trade and development theories. Physical flows are examined mainly within the framework of environmental accounting. To address all movements of materials caused by economic production the concept of ecological rucksacks has been developed. The chapter examines the role of trade within the worldwide gap between high consuming and low consuming countries. It shows that historical and some trade is both widening and narrowing the gap in both industrialised and developing countries. However, the importance of trade for the resource consumption patterns of each country is surprisingly constant, seen in physical terms.
