That dollar amount results from a 29.9% increase compared to $185.2 billion five years earlier during 2020.
From 2023 to 2024, total international sales for goods exported from Ireland accelerated by 13% from $212.9 billion in 2023.
Geographically the Republic of Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world.
The top 5 customers buying Ireland’s exports in 2023 were the United States of America, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium. Collectively, that quintet of major customers buying Irish exports bought over two-thirds (68.7%) of Ireland’s total shipments in 2024 by value.
Applying a continental lens, more than half (51.2%) of Ireland exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 35.9% was sold to importers in North American. Ireland shipped another 10.8% worth of goods to buyers in Asia.
Smaller percentages went to customers in Africa (0.9%), Latin America (0.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
In addition, 39.5% of Ireland’s export sales went to countries that are also European Union members.
Ireland’s Top Trading Partners
Below is a list showcasing 25 of Ireland’s top trading partners in terms of Irish export sales. That is, countries that imported the most Irish shipments by dollar value during 2024. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total Irish exports.
- United States: US$78 billion (32.4% of Ireland’s total exports)
- Netherlands: $24.8 billion (10.3%)
- United Kingdom: $22.3 billion (9.3%)
- Germany: $21.7 billion (9%)
- Belgium: $18.5 billion (7.7%)
- mainland China: $10.2 billion (4.2%)
- Italy: $7.6 billion (3.1%)
- France: $6.8 billion (2.8%)
- Spain: $5.5 billion (2.3%)
- Canada: $4.4 billion (1.8%)
- Switzerland: $4 billion (1.6%)
- Mexico: $3.8 billion (1.6%)
- Japan: $3.6 billion (1.5%)
- Malaysia: $2.8 billion (1.2%)
- Poland: $1.9 billion (0.8%)
- Portugal: $1.88 billion (0.8%)
- Israel: $1.6 billion (0.7%)
- Sweden: $1.3 billion (0.6%)
- Australia: $1.14 billion (0.5%)
- South Korea: $1.05 billion (0.4%)
- Singapore: $1 billion (0.4%)
- Saudi Arabia: $920.1 million (0.4%)
- Brazil: $802.3 million (0.3%)
- Russia: $777.8 million (0.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $728.1 million (0.3%)
Over nine-tenths (94.4%) of Irish exports in 2024 was delivered to the above 25 trade partners.
The fastest grower among Ireland’s top importers was Israel via its 184.5% upturn. Other leading percentage gains belong to buyers in Brazil (up 87.7%), Spain (up 73.8%), Malaysia (up 71.1%) and the Russian Federation (up 52.6%).
There was a pair of double-digit decliners buying products from Ireland, namely Japan (down -13% from 2023) and Switzerland (down -11.9%).
Countries Causing Biggest Trade Deficits for Ireland
As defined by Investopedia, a country whose total value of all imported goods is higher than its value of all exports is said to have a negative trade balance or deficit.
It would be unrealistic for any exporting nation to expect across-the-board positive trade balances with all its importing partners. Similarly, that export country doesn’t necessarily post a negative trade balance with each individual partner with which it exchanges exports and imports.
In 2024, Ireland incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries.
- France: -US$7.7 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2024)
- Israel: -$2.5 billion
- mainland China: -$2.5 billion
- Taiwan: -$1.8 billion
- Vietnam: -$1.7 billion
- United Kingdom: -$1.3 billion
- Thailand: -$930.4 million
- South Korea: -$741.3 million
- Türkiye: -$662.4 million
- Czech Republic: -$584.1 million
Among Ireland’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, Irish deficits with Vietnam (up 117.6%), Taiwan (up 111%) and Türkiye (up 87.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
In addition, Ireland transitioned from $230.2 million surplus trading with the Czech Republic to recording the deficit listed above.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Ireland’s competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Ireland to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.
Countries Generating Greatest Trade Surpluses for Ireland
Ireland posted an overall US$97.7 billion trade surplus during 2024, swelling by 56.9% from $62.3 billion in black ink one year earlier in 2023.
Based on Investopedia’s definition of net importer, a country whose total value of all imported goods is lower than its value of all exports is said to have a positive trade balance or surplus.
In 2024, Ireland incurred the highest trade surpluses with the following countries.
- United States: US$54.3 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2024)
- Netherlands: $17.6 billion
- Belgium: $15.4 billion
- Germany: $8.6 billion
- Italy: $4.3 billion
- Canada: $3.2 billion
- Spain: $2.8 billion
- Mexico: $2.3 billion
- Malaysia: $2.2 billion
- Japan: $1.2 billion
Among Ireland’s trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, Irish surpluses with Mexico (up 174.9%), Malaysia (up 119.9%) and the United States of America (up 59.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
In addition, Ireland went from incurring a -$269.2 million deficit trading with Spain to recording the multi-billion-dollar surplus listed above.
These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate Ireland’s competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Ireland to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.
Major Irish Companies Servicing International Trade Partners
Ireland placed 19 companies on the Forbes Global 2000 rankings. Below is a sample of the major Irish companies that Forbes included.
- Accenture (computer services)
- Actavis (pharmaceuticals)
- Covidien (medical equipment, supplies)
- CRH (construction materials)
- Ingersoll-Rand (conglomerates)
- Kerry Group (food processing)
- Perrigo (pharmaceuticals)
- Seagate Technology (computer storage devices)
- Shire (pharmaceuticals)
- Smurfit Kappa Group (paper products)
According to global trade intelligence firm Zepol, the following companies are examples of entrepreneurial Irish exporters.
- Armstrong Medical (mercury, inorganic bases, calcium)
- Bolger Engineering (iron/non-alloy steel products, electric motor parts, generators)
- Carlow Brewing (malt beer, acyclic polyhydric alcohols)
- Tratech Ireland (machine tool parts and accessories)
See also Ireland’s Top 10 Imports, Ireland’s Top 10 Major Export Companies and Ireland’s Top 10 Exports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on August 5, 2025
Forbes 2020 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on August 5, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 5, 2025
Investopedia, Net Importer Definition. Accessed on August 5, 2025
Zepol’scompany summary highlights by country. Accessed on August 5, 2025