Written By Shahzad Akram
Countries around the world depend on imports and exports by air, sea and road routes in order to transport goods through their borders and into other countries. Healthy trade keeps economies booming.
Pretty much everything we have around us, from pens to furniture if not manufactured from the UK will have been transported in from another country, even some items which are manufactured in the UK may have components and parts imported from other countries. The list of products imported and exported is endless, everything from clothes, cars, food, petroleum, electronic products and more.
We take a look at the world’s largest exporters, their products and the busiest ports and shipping routes in each country.
World’s 10 Largest Exporters
China leads the list of the world’s largest exporter. Interestingly, of the top 10 leading exporting countries, 4 are from Asia, 5 from Europe and 1 from North America.
| NO | COUNTRY | YEARLY EXPORTS VALUE | DATE OF INFORMATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHINA | $2.64 Trillion | 2019 |
| 2 | UNITED STATES | $2.52 trillion | 2019 |
| 3 | GERMANY | $1.81 trillion | 2019 |
| 4 | FRANCE | $969 billion | 2019 |
| 5 | JAPAN | $904 billion | 2019 |
| 6 | UNITED KINGDOM | $879 billion | 2019 |
| 7 | NETHERLANDS | $755 billion | 2019 |
| 8 | SOUTH KOREA | $669 billion | 2019 |
| 9 | SINGAPORE | $645 billion | 2019 |
| 10 | ITALY | $632 billion | 2019 |
World’s 10 Largest Importers
The United States is the world's largest importer of goods, followed by China and Germany. Overall out of the world's 10 largest importers, 4 countries are in Europe, 4 are in Asia and 1 from North America and 1 from Central America.
| NO. | COUNTRY | YEARLY IMPORT VALUE | DATE OF INFORMATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UNITED STATES | $2.40 trillion | 2020 |
| 2 | CHINA | $2.05 trillion | 2020 |
| 3 | GERMANY | $1.11 trillion | 2020 |
| 4 | FRANCE | $1.02 billion | 2019 |
| 5 | JAPAN | $634 billion | 2020 |
| 6 | UNITED KINGDOM | $631 billion | 2020 |
| 7 | NETHERLANDS | $596 billion | 2020 |
| 8 | INDIA | $478 billion | 2019 |
| 9 | SOUTH KOREA | $467 billion | 2020 |
| 10 | MEXICO | $467 billion | 2020 |
The World’s Top 10 Largest Exporters In Detail
CHINA
With the second-largest economy in the World, China is the leader in exports. China exported nearly $2.64 trillion worth of goods in 2019. China’s major exported goods are electronics and other machinery and major imported goods are electronics including integrated circuits and other computer components.
China’s Most Exported Products:
Electrical and other machinery, including computers and telecommunications equipment, apparel
Furniture
Textiles
Most Imported Products:
Electrical and other machinery, including integrated circuits, computer components
Oil and mineral fuels
Optical and medical equipment
Busiest Ports:
Out of the top 10 busiest container ports in the world, seven are located in China. Shanghai which is the busiest container port in the world. Shenzhen, which is the 3rd busiest. In 4th position is Ningbo-Zhoushan in Northeast China and in 5th position is the Port of Guangzhou.
Fun Fact About China - DID YOU KNOW…
The mortar that was used to bind the stones in the Great Wall of China, was made of sticky rice.
UNITED STATES
The United States is the world’s largest economy and the world’s second-largest exporter of goods. The top 5 destinations for exports from the United States are: Canada, Mexico, China, Japan and the United Kingdom.
Most Exported Products:
Capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment)
Organic chemicals
Automobiles,
Medicines
Most Imported Products:
Industrial supplies
Automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys
Computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery
Busiest Ports:
Ports in the United States with the highest volume of goods exported and imported are:
Los Angeles, California (top imports: furniture, automobile parts.)
Long Beach, California (top imports: crude oil, electronics.)
New York and New Jersey (top imports: Petroleum, appliances.)
Fun Fact About The USA - DID YOU KNOW…
Every day 100 acres of Pizza are served in the United States.
GERMANY
Germany is the 3rdlargest exporter worldwide, in addition to being the largest economy in Europe and the world’s 4th largest economy. The top 5 trading partners with Germany in 2020 were: United States, France, China, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Most Exported Products:
Motor vehicles
Machinery
Chemicals
Most Imported Products:
Machinery
Data processing equipment
Vehicles
Busiest Ports:
Hamburg (machinery and equipment, chemicals)
Bremerhaven (automobiles)
Fun Fact About Germany - DID YOU KNOW…
Berlin, the capital of Germany, is 9 times bigger than Paris and has more bridges than Venice.
FRANCE
France is the 4th largest exporter and the world’s 7th largest economy. The biggest industries in France are: energy, manufacturing and transport. The top export destinations for products made in France are: Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the United States.
Most Exported Products
Machinery and Transportation equipment
Aircraft
Plastics
Most imported products
Machinery and equipment
Vehicles
Crude Oil
Busiest ports
Le Havre (top imports: coal, construction materials, crude oil)
Marseille - Fos (top imports: crude oil)
Fun Fact About France - DID YOU KNOW…
Louis XIX is the shortest reigning monarch in history. He was the King of France in 1830 for 20 minutes.
APAN
Japan is the 5thlargest exporter in the world and the world’s third largest economy. It also has the world’s third largest automobile manufacturing industry and the largest electronics goods industry. The countries to which Japan exported the most goods to in 2020 were: the United States, China, South Korea and Taiwan.
Most Exported Products:
Motor vehicles
Iron and Steel products
Semiconductors
Most Imported Products:
Petroleum
Liquid Natural Gas
Clothing
Busiest Ports:
Nagoya (top exports: finished vehicles, auto parts)
Tokyo (top exports: chemicals, machinery)
Fun Fact About Japan - DID YOU KNOW…
Over 90% of all mobile phones sold in Japan are waterproof, as Japanese teenagers use their mobiles even when in the shower.
UNITED KINGDOM
The United Kingdom is the 6th largest exporter in the world and the 5th largest economy worldwide. The United Kingdom’s top trading partners are: the United States, Germany, Netherlands, France and the Republic of Ireland.
Most Exported Products:
Manufactured goods
Fuels
Chemicals
Food
Most imported products:
Manufactured goods
Machinery
Fuels
Foodstuffs
Busiest ports:
Felixstowe (number 1 port for imports in the UK)
Southampton (number 1 export port in UK)
Fun Fact About United Kingdom - DID YOU KNOW…
300 languages are spoken in London, more than any other city in the world.
NETHERLANDS
The Netherlands is the 7th largest exporter in the world and the countries overall economy is the 17th biggest in the world. The leading destinations for Dutch exports are: Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, France and Italy.
Most Exported Products
Machinery and transport equipment
Chemicals
Mineral fuels
Most imported products
Machinery and transport equipment
Chemicals
Fuels
Busiest ports
Rotterdam (top imports: coal, iron ore)
Amsterdam (top imports: cocoa, iron ore, oil products)
Fun Fact About The Netherlands - DID YOU KNOW…
17% of the present-day landmass of the Netherlands consists of land reclaimed from sea or lakes.
SOUTH KOREA
South Korea is the 8thlargest exporter of goods in the world. Its economy is the 11th largest in the world and the 4th largest in Asia. Major economic sectors include shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing and electronics. South Korea’s top trading partners in terms of exports in 2017 were: China, the United States, Vietnam, Japan and Taiwan.
Most Exported Products:
Semiconductors
Petrochemicals
Automobile/Auto parts
Most Imported Products:
Crude oil/Petroleum products
Semiconductors
Natural Gas
Busiest Ports:
Busan (top exports: integrated circuits, cars)
Fun Fact About South Korea - DID YOU KNOW…
South Korea has the fastest Internet speeds in the world, a record it has held for the past 12 years. 100% of South Koreans’ have Broadband access.
SINGAPORE
Singapore is 9th biggest exporter in the world. It has the 4th largest GDP Per capita in the world and is the 16th largest economy in Asia. The top export destination for Singapore goods are China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, United States and Indonesia.
Most Exported Products
Integrated circuits
Refined Petroleum
Gold
Most imported products
integrated circuits
Refined petroleum
Crude Petroleum
Gold
Gas turbines
Busiest ports
Port of Singapore
Fun Fact About Singapore - DID YOU KNOW…
In addition to its main island, the nation of Singapore includes 63 additional islands, most of which are uninhabited.
TALY
Italy is 10th biggest exporter in the world. It has the 3rd largest economy in the Eurozone in addition to being the 8th largest economy in the world. The top export destination for Italian goods are Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the United States.
Most Exported Products
Engineering products
Textiles and clothing
Production machinery
Most imported products
Engineering products
Chemicals
Transport equipment
Energy products
Minerals and nonferrous Metals
Busiest ports
Port of Gioia Tauro (top imports: crude oil)
Port of Genoa (top imports: steel products)
Fun Fact About Italy- DID YOU KNOW…
There are more people of Italian ancestry living outside of Italy, than in the country itself, with 32 million people in Brazil, 25 million people in Argentina, 17 million people in the United States having Italian ancestry.
Shahzad Akram
I'm an expert in international trade and global economies with a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in the import and export dynamics of various countries. My expertise is grounded in comprehensive knowledge of trade statistics, economic indicators, and the functioning of major ports and shipping routes.
In the provided article by Shahzad Akram, the focus is on the global trade landscape, highlighting the top exporters, importers, and key details about their trade activities. Let's break down the concepts and information presented in the article:
World’s 10 Largest Exporters:
-
China:
- Export Value: $2.64 Trillion (2019)
- Major Exports: Electronics, machinery, textiles.
- Major Imports: Electronics, integrated circuits, oil.
- Busiest Ports: Seven out of the top 10 busiest container ports globally are in China.
-
United States:
- Export Value: $2.52 Trillion (2019)
- Major Exports: Capital goods, organic chemicals, automobiles, medicines.
- Major Imports: Industrial supplies, automobiles, computers.
- Busiest Ports: Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York, and New Jersey.
-
Germany:
- Export Value: $1.81 Trillion (2019)
- Major Exports: Motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals.
- Major Imports: Machinery, data processing equipment, vehicles.
- Busiest Ports: Hamburg, Bremerhaven.
-
France:
- Export Value: $969 Billion (2019)
- Major Exports: Machinery, aircraft, plastics.
- Major Imports: Machinery, vehicles, crude oil.
- Busiest Ports: Le Havre, Marseille - Fos.
-
Japan:
- Export Value: $904 Billion (2019)
- Major Exports: Motor vehicles, iron and steel products, semiconductors.
- Major Imports: Petroleum, liquid natural gas, clothing.
- Busiest Ports: Nagoya, Tokyo.
-
United Kingdom:
- Export Value: $879 Billion (2019)
- Major Exports: Manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, food.
- Major Imports: Manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs.
- Busiest Ports: Felixstowe, Southampton.
-
Netherlands:
- Export Value: $755 Billion (2019)
- Major Exports: Machinery, chemicals, mineral fuels.
- Major Imports: Machinery, chemicals, fuels.
- Busiest Ports: Rotterdam, Amsterdam.
-
South Korea:
- Export Value: $669 Billion (2019)
- Major Exports: Semiconductors, petrochemicals, automobiles/auto parts.
- Major Imports: Crude oil/petroleum products, semiconductors, natural gas.
- Busiest Ports: Busan.
-
Singapore:
- Export Value: $645 Billion (2019)
- Major Exports: Integrated circuits, refined petroleum, gold.
- Major Imports: Integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold.
- Busiest Ports: Port of Singapore.
-
Italy:
- Export Value: $632 Billion (2019)
- Major Exports: Engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery.
- Major Imports: Engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy products.
- Busiest Ports: Port of Gioia Tauro, Port of Genoa.
These details provide a comprehensive overview of the leading exporters, their key products, and the busiest ports, reflecting the intricate web of global trade and its impact on diverse economies.
