IMF's kriterier for en global recession er "en nedgang i det årlige reale globale købekraftskorrigerede BNP per capita". Dette kriterium blev opfyldt i kalenderåret 2009. Det var dermed den fjerde recession på globalt niveau målt over et kalenderår siden anden verdenskrig. De foregående tre var i 1975, 1982 og 1991.<ref name="New IMF Global Recession definition">{{cite news |url = http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/04/22/whats-a-global-recession/ |title = What’s a Global Recession? |publisher = The Wall Street Journal |date = 22. april 2009 |accessdate = 22. november 2015 |first = Bob |last = Davis |archive-date = 10. december 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151210073915/http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/04/22/whats-a-global-recession/ |url-status = ok }}</ref><ref name="IMF WEO 2009">{{cite web |url = http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/01/pdf/text.pdf |title = World Economic Outlook - April 2009: Crisis and Recovery |format = PDF |work = Box 1.1 (page 11-14) |publisher = IMF |date = 24. april 2009 |accessdate = 22. november 2015 |archive-date = 31. december 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101231195910/http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/01/pdf/text.pdf |url-status = ok }}</ref>
Jura Historie Videnskab Humaniora Sikkerhed