A country's Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, is the total monetary or market value of all the goods and services produced within that country's borders during a specified period of time. GDP is usually calculated annually, but it can be calculated per quarter as well. The US government, for example, releases both a GDP estimate for each quarter as well as the entire year. Because GDP provides a broad measurement of a country's production, it is often thought of as being a scorecard for a country's economic health.