United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners

January 29, 2019 by

United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners

by Flagpictures.org

Comprised of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the United Kingdom is a sovereign state situated across from continental Europe’s north-western coast.

The United Kingdom shipped US$442.1 billion worth of products around the globe in 2017 according to the latest statistics from the International Trade Centre as of November 14, 2018. That dollar amount represents a -19.3% decline since 2013 but a 7.4% year-over-year gain from 2016 to 2017.

From a continental perspective, 54.4% of UK exports by value were delivered to other European trade partners while 22.6% were sold to Asian importers. United Kingdom shipped another 15% worth to North America.

Smaller percentages arrived in Africa (2.5%), Oceania led by Australia and New Zealand (1.6%) and Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean (1.4%).

United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners

Top 15

Below is a list showcasing 15 of United Kingdom’s top trading partners in terms of export sales. That is, these are countries that imported the most UK shipments by dollar value during 2017. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total UK exports.

  1. United States: US$59.2 billion (13.4% of total UK exports)
  2. Germany: $46.7 billion (10.6%)
  3. France: $30.4 billion (6.9%)
  4. Netherlands: $27.6 billion (6.2%)
  5. Ireland: $25.1 billion (5.7%)
  6. China: $21.4 billion (4.8%)
  7. Switzerland: $20.3 billion (4.6%)
  8. Belgium: $17.8 billion (4%)
  9. Spain: $13.5 billion (3%)
  10. Italy: $13.2 billion (3%)
  11. United Arab Emirates: $9.6 billion (2.2%)
  12. Turkey: $9.6 billion (2.2%)
  13. Hong Kong: $9.3 billion (2.1%)
  14. South Korea: $7.5 billion (1.7%)
  15. Japan: $7.4 billion (1.7%)

Approaching three-quarters (72%) of UK exports in 2017 were delivered to the above 15 trade partners.

Among these top trade partners, UK exports to Turkey rose in value at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017 via a 55% gain.

In second place were South Korean importers which grew their import purchases from the UK by 25.8%, while China accelerated its UK imports by 17.8%.

Japan’s imports from the UK increased by 15% year over year.

The sole decliner among the top customer for UK exports was the United States via its -3.9% reduction in purchases from the UK.

For a complete listing, see the section Searchable Datalist of Countries Importing UK Exports near the bottom of this article.

Deficits

Overall the United Kingdom incurred a -$199.2 billion trade deficit during 2017, down -11.4% from -$224.9 billion in red ink in 2016.

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.

United Kingdom incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries:

  1. Germany: -US$41.5 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2017)
  2. China: -$38.3 billion
  3. Netherlands: -$24 billion
  4. Norway: -$19.8 billion
  5. Belgium: -$14.4 billion
  6. Italy: -$10.9 billion
  7. Canada: -$8.8 billion
  8. Poland: -$7.1 billion
  9. Spain: -$6.8 billion
  10. Vietnam: -$6.3 billion

Among the UK’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, UK deficits with Norway (up 48.3%), Vietnam (up 41.6%) and Canada (up 21.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017. In addition, the UK’s trade balance with its top export customer, the United States, went from a $4.5 billion surplus in 2016 to -$2.5 billion in red ink for 2017.

These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate United Kingdom’s competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for United Kingdom to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.

Surpluses

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.

United Kingdom incurred the highest trade surpluses with the following countries:

  1. Switzerland: US$6.8 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2017)
  2. United Arab Emirates: $6.8 billion
  3. Ireland: $6.4 billion
  4. Hong Kong: $3.6 billion
  5. Singapore: $3.3 billion
  6. Saudi Arabia: $2.7 billion
  7. Oman: $2.2 billion
  8. South Korea: $2.1 billion
  9. Qatar: $1 billion
  10. Macedonia: $950 million

Among the UK’s trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, UK surpluses with South Korea (up 25,148%), Oman (up 277.9%) and Hong Kong (up 159.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.

These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate United Kingdom’s competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for United Kingdom to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.

Companies

Companies Servicing UK Trading Partners

Ninety-one UK corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000 for 2015. Below is a sample of the major companies headquartered in the UK that Forbes listed:

  • Anglo American (diversified metals, mining)
  • Associated British Foods (food processing)
  • AstraZeneca (pharmaceuticals)
  • BG Group (oil, gas)
  • BP (oil, gas)
  • British American Tobacco (tobacco)
  • Diageo (beverages)
  • GlaxoSmithKline (pharmaceuticals)
  • Imperial Tobacco Group (tobacco)
  • Rio Tinto (diversified metals, mining)
  • Rolls-Royce Holdings (aerospace & defense)
  • SABMiller (beverages)

According to the UK Export Directory, the following are examples of established companies that ship products from the United Kingdom to its trading partners around the globe. Shown within parenthesis is the product category that the UK-based business specializes in.

  • Absolute Battery (UK) Ltd (power supplies, batteries)
  • Advanced Technology Laboratories (UK) Ltd (electronics)
  • Antech UK Hydraulics (hydraulic motors, other machinery)
  • Diamond Offshore (UK) Ltd (drilling equipment)
  • Global Communications UK Ltd (broadcast equipment, satellites)
  • Gold Major Group (jewelry)
  • Johnson Pump (UK) Limited (rotary lobe pumps)
  • Knight Plastics Ltd (plastic injection mouldings)
  • Nippon Oil Exploration UK Ltd (oil, gas)
  • Trumpler UK Ltd (chemicals)


 

Searchable Datalist of Countries Importing UK Exports

You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. The right-most shows the percentage change in value for each importing country since 2016.

RankImporter2017 UK Exports2016-7
1. United States$59.2 billion-3.9%
2. Germany$46.7 billion+6.6%
3. France$30.4 billion+14.9%
4. Netherlands$27.6 billion+8.2%
5. Ireland$25.1 billion+9.6%
6. China$21.4 billion+17.8%
7. Switzerland$20.3 billion+2.6%
8. Belgium$17.8 billion+13%
9. Spain$13.5 billion+3.4%
10. Italy$13.2 billion+0.6%
11. United Arab Emirates$9.6 billion+5.8%
12. Turkey$9.6 billion+55%
13. Hong Kong$9.3 billion+3.7%
14. South Korea$7.5 billion+25.8%
15. Japan$7.4 billion+15%
16. Sweden$6.8 billion+10%
17. Poland$6.4 billion+13.1%
18. Canada$6.2 billion-0.2%
19. Singapore$6.2 billion+0.5%
20. Australia$5.8 billion+8.7%
21. Saudi Arabia$5.4 billion-18.2%
22. India$5.2 billion+18.6%
23. Norway$3.9 billion-6.9%
24. Russia$3.7 billion+6.2%
25. Denmark$3.5 billion+5%
26. Qatar$3.1 billion+21.4%
27. Czech Republic$2.7 billion-5.1%
28. South Africa$2.7 billion+2.6%
29. Austria$2.4 billion-0.9%
30. Oman$2.4 billion+263.1%
31. Brazil$2.3 billion-9%
32. Portugal$2 billion+4.8%
33. Mexico$2 billion+16.4%
34. Hungary$1.9 billion+2.2%
35. Malaysia$1.8 billion+3.8%
36. Finland$1.8 billion-2.4%
37. Thailand$1.6 billion+8.9%
38. Romania$1.6 billion+14.1%
39. Egypt$1.6 billion-5.5%
40. Israel$1.5 billion+3.8%
41. Taiwan$1.5 billion-1.4%
42. Nigeria$1.4 billion+12.5%
43. Greece$1.3 billion+3.5%
44. New Zealand$1.1 billion+17.1%
45. Macedonia$1 billion+14.4%
46. Indonesia$1 billion+39.8%
47. Morocco$994 million-12.4%
48. Pakistan$883.5 million+4.7%
49. Kuwait$796.9 million+16.5%
50. Slovakia$776.3 million+8.7%
51. Chile$772.5 million+26.8%
52. Vietnam$745.9 million+14.4%
53. Lithuania$714.3 million+61.7%
54. Philippines$682.9 million+26.4%
55. Malta$658.7 million+24.3%
56. Bahrain$637 million+28.4%
57. Colombia$588 million+65.1%
58. Bulgaria$587.1 million-12.3%
59. Ukraine$524.6 million+3.9%
60. Iceland$511.6 million-32.3%
61. Angola$493.3 million-1.3%
62. Gibraltar$491.2 million+1.1%
63. Cyprus$489.6 million+12.5%
64. Ghana$489 million-34.8%
65. Lebanon$476 million+4.7%
66. Latvia$456.3 million+42.5%
67. Argentina$448.4 million+10.5%
68. Jordan$447.6 million+25.8%
69. Kenya$443.1 million+5.8%
70. Algeria$429.9 million-23.2%
71. Iraq$419.7 million+39%
72. Slovenia$351.3 million+6.7%
73. Luxembourg$342.4 million+20.9%
74. Estonia$325.8 million+3.5%
75. Ethiopia$310.3 million+26.4%
76. Bangladesh$303.6 million+8.5%
77. Kazakhstan$296.3 million-11.6%
78. Iran$291.6 million+49.9%
79. Azerbaijan$287.7 million-45.1%
80. Senegal$255.8 million+111.1%
81. Croatia$245.1 million+10%
82. Libya$240.5 million+15.2%
83. Sri Lanka$240.4 million-13.5%
84. Peru$230.2 million+7%
85. Uruguay$227.6 million+40.1%
86. Tunisia$193.4 million-21.2%
87. Serbia$192.6 million+8.2%
88. Panama$175.3 million+0.6%
89. Belarus$164.5 million+128.3%
90. Bermuda$146.6 million+389.3%
91. Côte d'Ivoire$143.4 million+25.3%
92. Trinidad/Tobago$139.1 million-19.8%
93. Dominican Republic$129.3 million-7.2%
94. Georgia$126.6 million-8.9%
95. Ecuador$126.2 million+131.9%
96. Tanzania$114.2 million-20.1%
97. Mauritius$105.1 million+14.3%
98. Sudan$101.4 million+9.8%
99. Jamaica$97.5 million+33.9%
100. Costa Rica$88.7 million-1.9%
101. Venezuela$86.1 million-39.2%
102. Brunei Darussalam$82.9 million-34.9%
103. Zambia$77.2 million+24.6%
104. Congo$74.7 million-56.6%
105. Macao, China$68.9 million+22.5%
106. Falkland Is (Malvinas)$58.3 million-8.3%
107. Uganda$56.8 million-10.5%
108. Barbados$56.5 million-11%
109. Cameroon$55.7 million-2.3%
110. Namibia$55.1 million+33.8%
111. Moldova$53.7 million-6.5%
112. Gabon$53.5 million+69.5%
113. Mali$51.8 million+85.3%
114. Cambodia$48.6 million+106.9%
115. Togo$48.2 million-71.1%
116. Turkmenistan$47.7 million-7.4%
117. Yemen$46.8 million-3.8%
118. Cayman Islands$46.2 million-84.2%
119. Guatemala$45.4 million+16.9%
120. Paraguay$42.8 million+8.1%
121. Guyana$40.9 million-7%
122. Sierra Leone$40.2 million+1%
123. Myanmar (Burma)$38.8 million-11.2%
124. Zimbabwe$38.1 million+4%
125. Uzbekistan$38 million-13.3%
126. Botswana$37.9 million-43.7%
127. Bahamas$37.7 million+13.8%
128. Aruba$36.1 million+49.1%
129. Bosnia/Herzegovina$35.2 million+18.6%
130. Gambia$34.7 million+23.1%
131. Mongolia$34 million+347.2%
132. Madagascar$33.9 million+68.8%
133. Equatorial Guinea$32.5 million+15.4%
134. Cuba$32 million-6.6%
135. Seychelles$30.7 million+6.5%
136. British Virgin Islands$30.1 million-47.3%
137. Democr. Rep. Congo$29.3 million+9.8%
138. Papua New Guinea$29.2 million-54.7%
139. Mozambique$28.6 million+50.2%
140. Guinea$28.3 million-2.5%
141. El Salvador$27.7 million+6.6%
142. Afghanistan$27.1 million+25.6%
143. Faroe Islands$26.7 million+104.8%
144. Saint Lucia$25.5 million-1.6%
145. Bolivia$24.4 million+3.2%
146. Albania$24.2 million+1.9%
147. Benin$22.9 million-17.6%
148. Antigua/Barbuda$21.6 million-0.2%
149. Haiti$21.2 million+20.7%
150. Belize$20.6 million+5%
151. Saint Helena$20.2 million-9.5%
152. Liberia$18.9 million+4.3%
153. Mauritania$18.8 million+48.6%
154. New Caledonia$18.3 million+18.5%
155. Maldives$18.2 million-5.2%
156. Fiji$18.1 million+33.9%
157. Malawi$17.8 million-4%
158. Montenegro$17.6 million-19.7%
159. Samoa$16.9 million+7,135%
160. St Vincent/Grenadines$16 million+9.8%
161. Somalia$15.2 million+37.2%
162. Suriname$14.3 million-15.8%
163. Honduras$14.1 million-7.6%
164. Armenia$14 million-17.7%
165. Djibouti$13.6 million+10.9%
166. Curaçao$13.5 million-26.8%
167. Nepal$13.2 million-5%
168. Grenada$13 million+18.9%
169. Burkina Faso$13 million+5.9%
170. Laos$11.8 million+52.5%
171. Rwanda$11.8 million+19.5%
172. Syrian Arab Republic$11.5 million+60.6%
173. Dominica$10.7 million-9.8%
174. Andorra$10.1 million-11%
175. Chad$9.4 million+169.8%
176. Saint Kitts/Nevis$9.4 million+16.1%
177. French Polynesia$9.1 million-9%
178. Nicaragua$8.6 million-11.5%
179. Niger$8.5 million+65%
180. Kyrgyzstan$8.1 million+58.2%
181. St Maarten (Dutch)$8 million+202%
182. Palestine$7.3 million-28.3%
183. US Minor Outlying Is$4.7 million+0.2%
184. Greenland$4.3 million+36.7%
185. Turks/Caicos Islands$3.8 million+3%
186. Sao Tome/Principe$3.7 million+1,748%
187. Swaziland$3.7 million-9.9%
188. Burundi$3.7 million+32.9%
189. South Sudan$3.1 million+42.2%
190. Cabo Verde$2.7 million-48.9%
191. Bonaire/St Eustatius/Saba$2.6 million-70.7%
192. Montserrat$2 million-90.2%
193. Bhutan$1.9 million+8.2%
194. Niue$1.8 million+14,558%
195. Central African Republic$1.7 million-39.6%
196. Comoros$1.5 million+16.6%
197. Eritrea$1.4 million-45.7%
198. Lesotho$1.2 million-55.1%
199. Tonga$1.2 million+126.9%
200. Tajikistan$1.2 million-50.6%
201. Marshall Islands$1.2 million+97.9%
202. Pitcairn$1 million+399%
203. French S./Antarctic Terr$995,000+23%
204. Guinea-Bissau$931,000-27.7%
205. Vanuatu$929,000+80.7%
206. Northern Mariana Islands$737,000-52.9%
207. Anguilla$719,000-71.7%
208. Solomon Islands$573,000-9.2%
209. Micronesia$394,000+738.3%
210. Timor-Leste$292,000-37.2%
211. North Korea$280,000+300%
212. Cocos (Keeling) Islands$272,000-12.5%
213. Kiribati$206,000+1371.4%
214. Palau$163,000-53.3%
215. British Indian Ocean Terr$44,000-89.1%
216. Cook Islands$39,000-69%
217. Christmas Island$37,000no 2013 data
218. Nauru$37,000-79.6%
219. Wallis/Futuna Islands$30,000-16.7%
220. Western Sahara$28,000+16.7%
221. Norfolk Island$5,000no 2013 data
222. St. Pierre/Miquelon$5,000-84.8%
223. Tuvalu$5,000-92.5%


 
See also United Kingdom’s Top 10 Imports, United Kingdom’s Top 10 Exports, UK’s Major EU Exports, United Kingdom’s Top 10 Major Export Companies and European Union’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Imports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on November 14, 2018

Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on November 14, 2018

Investopedia, Net Importer Definition. Accessed on November 14, 2018

Forbes 2015 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on November 14, 2018

UK Export Directory, Import/Export Catalog for Sourcing from the United Kingdom. Accessed on November 14, 2018



Filed Under: Europe, Import News, Top partners, Trade partners