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Foreign trade figures of the United Kingdom

Foreign Trade in Figures

The United Kingdom is one of the main players in international commerce, with foreign trade representing 64% of its GDP in 2023 (World Bank). The country is the 6th largest importer and 15th exporter of goods in the world, and the second-largest exporter and the largest importer of commercial services (WTO). In 2022, the country mainly exported cars, mechanical power generators, medicinal & pharmaceutical products, and crude oil; whereas imports were led by cars, refined oil, crude oil, mechanical power generators (intermediate), and medicinal & pharmaceutical products (data ONS). Since 2018, the value of UK imports and exports has risen, but volatile price inflation has impacted trade. After adjusting for inflation, both imports and exports are actually lower than in 2018.

The EU as a whole is the main trading partner of the United Kingdom: in 2023, it accounted for 42% of UK exports of goods and services and 52% of imports (data House of Commons). At a country level, the UK mainly exported towards the United States (13.8%), Germany (7.6%), Netherlands (7.1%), Switzerland (6.8%), China (6.6%), and France (5.6%); with imports coming chiefly from China (12.5%), the United States (12.0%), Germany (9.5%), France (5.1%), and Norway (4.1% - data Comtrade). In order to diversify its business partners, the UK has 39 active free trade agreements with nations and trade blocs.

The country has a structural trade deficit, even though it has a large surplus in the services sector. According to WTO data, in 2023, the United Kingdom imported USD 791.3 billion worth of goods (-3.9% y-o-y) and exported USD 520.7 billion (-2.3% y-o-y); in the same year, exports of services stood at USD 584.2 billion (+15.3% y-o-y), against USD 393.9 billion in imports (+22.4% y-o-y). The overall trade balance was estimated to be negative by 0.6% of GDP by the World Bank (compared to -1.7% one year earlier). According to preliminary estimates from the ONS, after adjusting for inflation, total annual imports of goods and services increased by GBP 5.8 billion (0.7% y-o-y) to GBP 858.2 billion in 2024, while total annual exports decreased by GBP 4.5 billion (0.6%) to GBP 798.6 billion in 2024.

 
Foreign Trade Values 20202021202220232024
Imports of Goods (million USD) 638,251695,115823,592791,544815,973
Exports of Goods (million USD) 399,529472,147546,151525,016512,840
Imports of Services (million USD) 213,973239,924305,393358,701398,654
Exports of Services (million USD) 393,589456,575506,293583,118644,628

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20202021202220232024
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 58.858.668.965.062.4
Trade Balance (million USD) -165,636-222,966-258,722-259,122-288,729
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) 13,847-6,976-58,862-36,248-41,224
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) -15.95.813.0-1.22.7
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) -11.83.212.6-0.4-1.2
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 29.129.435.333.131.8
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 29.729.233.632.030.6

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 2025 (e)2026 (e)2027 (e)2028 (e)2029 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) -0.41.01.21.21.1
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) 1.81.21.11.11.1

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
The United Kingdom is a member of the following international economic organisations: IMF, Commonwealth, G-5, G-8, G-10, G-20, ICC, WHO, OECD, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates the United Kingdom click here. International organisation membership of the United Kingdom is also outlined here.
Free Trade Agreements
The complete and up-to-date list of Free Trade Agreements signed by the United Kingdom can be consulted here.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2024
United States 14.1%
China 9.1%
Germany 7.5%
Netherlands 6.5%
Switzerland 5.7%
See More Countries 57.0%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2024
China 12.2%
United States 11.4%
Germany 9.4%
France 4.8%
Italy 3.9%
See More Countries 58.3%

Source: Comtrade, 2025. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

508.7 bn USD of products exported in 2024
Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought...Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought or not further worked than semi-manufactured or in powder form 12.9%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 7.0%
Turbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbinesTurbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbines 6.8%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 3.7%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 3.2%
See More Products 66.4%
809.2 bn USD of products imported in 2024
Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought...Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought or not further worked than semi-manufactured or in powder form 9.5%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 7.0%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 3.8%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 3.3%
Turbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbinesTurbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbines 2.8%
See More Products 73.7%

Source: Comtrade, 2025. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

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Latest Update: October 2025