The overall dollar value of exported chemicals rose by an average 31% for all exporting countries since 2018 when chemical shipments were valued at $587.1 billion.
Year over year, the combined total comprising exported organic and inorganic chemicals increased by 18.6% compared to $648.4 billion for 2021.
The world’s 5 biggest exporters of organic and inorganic chemicals combined are mainland China, United States of America, Germany, Ireland and South Korea. Collectively, these leading countries generated 45.2% of all international sales for exported chemicals during 2022.
The primary difference between organic and inorganic chemicals is technical. Specifically, a carbon atom is a must-have component of organic chemicals whereas inorganic chemicals contain no carbon atoms.
Exported organic chemicals were valued at $540.2 billion during 2022 (70.2% of the global total) while worldwide shipments of inorganic chemicals raked in much less cash from global customers at $229 billion (29.8%).
For research purposes, the respective 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are 28 for inorganic chemicals and 29 for organic chemicals.
Chemical Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of chemicals during 2022 encompassing both organic and inorganic chemicals:
- China: US$141.3 billion (18.4% of total exported chemicals)
- United States: $67.9 billion (8.8%)
- Germany: $49.5 billion (6.4%)
- Ireland: $48.5 billion (6.3%)
- South Korea: $40.4 billion (5.2%)
- Belgium: $38 billion (4.9%)
- Switzerland: $31.8 billion (4.1%)
- Netherlands: $31.1 billion (4%)
- Japan: $27.7 billion (3.6%)
- India: $25.1 billion (3.3%)
- France: $20.5 billion (2.7%)
- Saudi Arabia: $18.9 billion (2.5%)
- United Kingdom: $15.6 billion (2%)
- Singapore: $14.6 billion (1.9%)
- Taiwan: $13.4 billion (1.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped about three-quarters (75.9%) of globally exported chemicals in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing chemicals exporters since 2018 were: mainland China (up 76.7%), Switzerland (up 49.3%), Ireland (up 43.7%) and Germany (up 37.2%).
A trio of major suppliers posted declines in their exported chemicals sales over that 5-year timespan, namely Singapore (down -16.4% from 2018), Belgium (down -8.9%) and Taiwan (down -2%).
Exports of Organic Chemicals
The following list showcases the top 15 exporters of organic chemicals in 2022.
- China: US$101.9 billion (18.9% of exported organic chemicals)
- United States: $51.1 billion (9.5%)
- Ireland: $46.4 billion (8.6%)
- Germany: $34.3 billion (6.3%)
- Belgium: $31.8 billion (5.9%)
- Switzerland: $31 billion (5.7%)
- South Korea: $24.7 billion (4.6%)
- Netherlands: $24.1 billion (4.5%)
- India: $21.9 billion (4%)
- Japan: $17.3 billion (3.2%)
- Saudi Arabia: $16.3 billion (3%)
- France: $15 billion (2.8%)
- Singapore: $13.9 billion (2.6%)
- United Kingdom: $12.6 billion (2.3%)
- Taiwan: $10.9 billion (2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 83.9% of globally exported organic chemicals in 2022. Total export sales for organic chemicals rose by 21.5% from 2018.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of organic chemicals since 2018 were: mainland China (up 70.4%), Ireland (up 24.9%), United States of America (up 18.5%) and United Kingdom (up 14.1%).
A pair of major suppliers posted declines in their sales of exported organic chemicals, namely Taiwan (down -7.6% from 2021) and Japan (down -5.9%).
Exports of Inorganic Chemicals
The following list highlights the leading 15 exporters of inorganic chemicals in 2022.
- China: US$39.4 billion (17.2% of exported inorganic chemicals)
- United States: $16.8 billion (7.4%)
- South Korea: $15.6 billion (6.8%)
- Germany: $15.3 billion (6.7%)
- Japan: $10.42 billion (4.5%)
- Chile: $10.39 billion (4.5%)
- Democratic Republic of Congo: $8.2 billion (3.6%)
- Australia: $7.2 billion (3.1%)
- Netherlands: $7 billion (3.1%)
- Russia: $6.3 billion (2.7%)
- Belgium: $6.2 billion (2.7%)
- France: $5.48 billion (2.4%)
- Canada: $5.45 billion (2.4%)
- Brazil: $5.2 billion (2.3%)
- Trinidad and Tobago: $3.74 billion (1.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 71% of globally exported inorganic chemicals in 2022. Total export sales for inorganic chemicals accelerated by 60.9% from 2018.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of inorganic chemicals since 2018 were: Chile (up 334.5%), Trinidad and Tobago (up 119.5%), South Korea (up 101.2%) and mainland China (up 95.2%).
Australia posted the most modest gain compared to 2021 via its 12.4% advance.
Major Chemicals Companies
According to Chemical & Engineering News, the following companies are major players in global chemical sales. The entries are listed in alphabetical order.
- BASF (Germany)
- Bayer (Germany)
- Dow Chemical (United States)
- DuPont (United States)
- ExxonMobil (United States)
- Formosa Plastics (Taiwan)
- Ineos (Switzerland)
- LyondellBasell Industries (United States)
- SABIC (Saudi Arabia)
- Sinopec (China)
See also Lithium Ion Batteries Exports by Country, Uranium Exports by Country, Top Importers of Laptop Computers Ranked by Dollar Value, Gold Exports by Country Plus Average Prices and Silver Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on August 13, 2023
Chemical & Engineering News, Volume 93 Issue 30, pp. 14-26. Accessed on August 13, 2023
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on August 13, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 13, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 13, 2023
