From 2019 to 2020, the value of international aerospace exports also slipped by -35.6%.
The 5 biggest exporters of aerospace products are the United States, France, Germany, United Kingdom and Canada. Collectively, that cohort generated roughly three-quarters (74.6%) of globally exported aerospace goods in 2020. Such a high percentages suggests a relatively concentrated set of international aerospace suppliers.
From a continental perspective, exporters in Europe sold the highest dollar value worth of aerospace products onto international markets at 43% of the worldwide total. Close behind at 42.2% are North American suppliers while 12.1% worth originated from Asia.
Smaller percentages were sourced from Latin America (1.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.8%) led by Australia, and Africa (0.7%).
For research purposes, the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 88 for aircraft and spacecraft, satellites and related goods.
Aerospace Exports by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of aerospace products during 2020.
- United States: US$80.9 billion (37.5% of exported aerospace products)
- France: $29.1 billion (13.5%)
- Germany: $28.2 billion (13.1%)
- United Kingdom: $13.2 billion (6.1%)
- Canada: $9.6 billion (4.5%)
- Singapore: $5.5 billion (2.6%)
- Spain: $5.1 billion (2.3%)
- Italy: $4.2 billion (1.9%)
- Ireland: $3.6 billion (1.7%)
- Japan: $3 billion (1.4%)
- Thailand: $2.6 billion (1.2%)
- China: $2.5 billion (1.1%)
- Brazil: $2.4 billion (1.1%)
- Malaysia: $2.22 billion (1%)
- Israel: $2.19 billion (1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 90% of global aerospace products exported in 2020.
Two among the top exporters grew their international sales of aerospace products since 2019, namely Thailand (up 214.4%) and Malaysia (up 4.5%).
Those countries that posted declines in the sales of their exported aerospace products were led by: France (down -45.7%), United States (down -40.5%), China (down -37.1%), Brazil (down -35.9%) and Germany (down -34.7%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for aircraft and spacecraft during 2020. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s aircraft exports and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- United States: US$52.3 billion (net export surplus down -48.2% since 2019)
- France: $16 billion (down -51.3%)
- Germany: $14.3 billion (down -43.8%)
- United Kingdom: $5.2 billion (down -31.3%)
- Canada: $3.5 billion (up 53.4%)
- Spain: $2.1 billion (down -33.8%)
- Italy: $1.5 billion (down -27.7%)
- Israel: $1.5 billion (up 318.8%)
- Thailand: $1.5 billion (reversing a -$1.3 billion deficit)
- Malaysia: $532.8 million (reversing a -$969.3 million deficit)
- Brazil: $430.9 million (down -82.2%)
- Mexico: $411.6 million (down -34.6%)
- Kuwait: $294.5 million (reversing a -$16.4 million deficit)
- Czech Republic: $267.2 million (up 48.2%)
- Sweden: $206.3 million (reversing a -$287.8 million deficit)
The United States of America generated the highest surplus in the international trade of aerospace goods. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms the strong U.S. competitive advantage for this technology-based product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for aircraft during 2020. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s aerospace import purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- Ireland: -US$11.4 billion (net export deficit down -38.8% since 2019)
- China: -$7.1 billion (down -54.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$3.8 billion (up 143.2%)
- Turkey: -$2.9 billion (up 23%)
- Saudi Arabia: -$2.2 billion (down -19.6%)
- Taiwan: -$1.24 billion (down -43%)
- Japan: -$1.18 billion (down -69.4%)
- Australia: -$1.1 billion (up 162.2%)
- Singapore: -$998.2 million (down -74.6%)
- Hungary: -$877.4 million (up 31.3%)
- Norway: -$798.2 million (down -8.9%)
- Hong Kong: -$651.9 million (down -46.4%)
- Qatar: -$633.2 million (down -46.7%)
- South Korea: -$628.3 million (down -47.4%)
- Colombia: -$627.3 million (down -46.2%)
Ireland incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of aircraft and spacecraft in 2020. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights Ireland’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for aeropace-supplier countries that help satisfy the powerful Irish demand.
Companies
Aircraft Exporting Companies
Below are global aerospace conglomerates that represent the largest players in the worldwide aerospace market trade. Shown within parenthesis is the country where the company is headquartered.
- Airbus (France)
- Boeing (United States)
- Finmeccanica (Italy)
- General Electric (United States)
- Lockheed Martin (United States)
- Northrop Grumman (United States)
- Raytheon (United States)
- Rolls Royce (United Kingdom)
- Safran (France)
- United Technologies (United States)
Searchable List of Aerospace Exporting Countries in 2020
The 100 key exporters in the following automated database sold 99.98% of globally aerospace products during 2020.
| Rank | Exporter | Aerospace Exports (US$) | 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States | $80,936,266,000 | -40.5% |
| 2. | France | $29,068,865,000 | -45.7% |
| 3. | Germany | $28,221,030,000 | -34.7% |
| 4. | United Kingdom | $13,208,846,000 | -28.4% |
| 5. | Canada | $9,648,053,000 | -14.4% |
| 6. | Singapore | $5,509,256,000 | -30.8% |
| 7. | Spain | $5,069,659,000 | -25.3% |
| 8. | Italy | $4,156,664,000 | -13.5% |
| 9. | Ireland | $3,618,300,000 | -28% |
| 10. | Japan | $3,021,393,000 | -33.4% |
| 11. | Thailand | $2,605,505,000 | +214.4% |
| 12. | China | $2,457,068,000 | -37.1% |
| 13. | Brazil | $2,398,161,000 | -35.9% |
| 14. | Malaysia | $2,224,152,000 | +4.5% |
| 15. | Israel | $2,188,020,000 | -10.8% |
| 16. | Netherlands | $1,699,545,000 | -24.8% |
| 17. | Switzerland | $1,610,122,000 | -25% |
| 18. | South Korea | $1,574,724,000 | -34.8% |
| 19. | Australia | $1,361,244,000 | -26.6% |
| 20. | India | $1,219,690,000 | -18.3% |
| 21. | Kuwait | $1,047,330,000 | 0% |
| 22. | Austria | $1,018,101,000 | -29% |
| 23. | Morocco | $950,112,000 | -10.2% |
| 24. | Turkey | $900,428,000 | -24.8% |
| 25. | Poland | $899,718,000 | -25.4% |
| 26. | Hong Kong | $732,635,000 | -22.5% |
| 27. | Belgium | $715,926,000 | -42% |
| 28. | Mexico | $571,458,000 | -31.9% |
| 29. | Czech Republic | $524,927,000 | -27.3% |
| 30. | Portugal | $461,672,000 | -40.4% |
| 31. | Vietnam | $449,558,000 | -30% |
| 32. | Sweden | $426,539,000 | -32% |
| 33. | Philippines | $407,324,000 | -47.8% |
| 34. | Taiwan | $389,156,000 | -15.6% |
| 35. | Kazakhstan | $375,592,000 | +15.1% |
| 36. | Finland | $361,560,000 | +85.5% |
| 37. | Norway | $344,014,000 | -43.9% |
| 38. | Qatar | $309,617,000 | -22.4% |
| 39. | United Arab Emirates | $308,566,000 | -89.9% |
| 40. | Romania | $306,550,000 | -28.3% |
| 41. | Denmark | $273,995,000 | -11.2% |
| 42. | South Africa | $270,607,000 | -32.7% |
| 43. | Tunisia | $193,381,000 | -55.1% |
| 44. | Nigeria | $165,554,000 | +136.5% |
| 45. | Malta | $156,605,000 | -4.7% |
| 46. | Falkland Is (Malvinas) | $123,093,000 | +159761% |
| 47. | Luxembourg | $105,328,000 | -22.6% |
| 48. | Slovenia | $98,080,000 | -41.8% |
| 49. | Ukraine | $81,941,000 | +16.8% |
| 50. | Sri Lanka | $77,653,000 | +71.6% |
| 51. | Hungary | $77,065,000 | +16% |
| 52. | Jordan | $69,837,000 | -71.6% |
| 53. | Bulgaria | $69,779,000 | +47.7% |
| 54. | Latvia | $69,058,000 | +41.9% |
| 55. | Indonesia | $46,528,000 | -64.4% |
| 56. | Myanmar | $46,090,000 | +280.7% |
| 57. | Lithuania | $43,326,000 | -20.7% |
| 58. | Greece | $42,402,000 | +40.4% |
| 59. | Slovakia | $32,591,000 | +90.6% |
| 60. | Colombia | $27,352,000 | -55.5% |
| 61. | Oman | $26,970,000 | +107% |
| 62. | Bolivia | $26,894,000 | +18.6% |
| 63. | New Zealand | $26,845,000 | -14.9% |
| 64. | Congo | $24,853,000 | +78.7% |
| 65. | Bangladesh | $24,307,000 | -63.4% |
| 66. | Croatia | $23,640,000 | -40.8% |
| 67. | Cyprus | $22,302,000 | +1534% |
| 68. | Kyrgyzstan | $20,601,000 | +22.8% |
| 69. | Ecuador | $18,544,000 | -54% |
| 70. | Moldova | $18,146,000 | +626.7% |
| 71. | Guyana | $17,286,000 | +3% |
| 72. | Ivory Coast | $15,981,000 | -68.5% |
| 73. | Pakistan | $15,510,000 | -75.9% |
| 74. | Niger | $15,190,000 | +3717% |
| 75. | Egypt | $14,158,000 | 0% |
| 76. | Lebanon | $12,776,000 | -8.1% |
| 77. | Cameroon | $11,851,000 | +3086% |
| 78. | Serbia | $11,098,000 | -2% |
| 79. | Belarus | $9,869,000 | 0% |
| 80. | Papua New Guinea | $9,852,000 | -44.8% |
| 81. | Iceland | $9,284,000 | -94% |
| 82. | Brunei Darussalam | $7,872,000 | -81.8% |
| 83. | Namibia | $7,729,000 | -44% |
| 84. | French Polynesia | $7,725,000 | +79.9% |
| 85. | Costa Rica | $7,442,000 | +257.4% |
| 86. | El Salvador | $6,743,000 | +10274% |
| 87. | Uzbekistan | $6,428,000 | -70.9% |
| 88. | Cayman Islands | $6,417,000 | +327% |
| 89. | Uganda | $6,398,000 | -13.3% |
| 90. | Estonia | $6,029,000 | -41.1% |
| 91. | Bahrain | $5,584,000 | -79.5% |
| 92. | Chile | $5,434,000 | -68.4% |
| 93. | Mauritius | $5,422,000 | -14.8% |
| 94. | Guatemala | $5,277,000 | +201.9% |
| 95. | Gabon | $5,058,000 | +440.4% |
| 96. | Peru | $3,726,000 | -61.2% |
| 97. | Sao Tome/Principe | $3,652,000 | +4705% |
| 98. | Senegal | $3,607,000 | +9.4% |
| 99. | Zimbabwe | $3,584,000 | -83.6% |
| 100. | Democratic Rep. Congo | $3,520,000 | -73.9% |
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns above. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2019 data was available.
See also United States Top 10 Exports, America’s Top Trading Partners and Aircraft Parts Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 28, 2021
Fire Support Aerospace and Defense Marketing, Top 100 Aerospace Companies — 2016. Accessed on July 28, 2021
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on July 28, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 28, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 28, 2021
