Chile exported US$103.3 billion worth of products around the globe in 2024. That dollar amount results from a 47.7% gain from $70 billion five years earlier during 2020.
From 2023 to 2024, the overall value of Chilean exports rose by 3% compared to $100.3 billion in 2023.
The 5 best customers for Chile during 2024 comprise a diversified subset of countries: mainland China, United States of America, Japan, Brazil and South Korea. Collectively, that cohort of leading importers approached three-quarters (70.8%) of Chile’s total exports.
Applying a continental lens, well over half (55.4%) of Chile’s exports by value was sold to Asian countries while 20% was sold to importers in North America. Chile shipped another 12.1% worth of goods to buyers in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Smaller percentages went to customers in Europe (11.5%), Africa (0.6%) then Oceania (0.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Chile’s Top Trading Partners
Below is a list showcasing 25 of Chile’s top trading partners, countries that imported the most Chilean shipments by dollar value during 2024. Also shown is each importing country’s percentage of Chile’s total exported products.
- mainland China: US$37.3 billion (36.1% of Chile’s total exports)
- United States: $17.3 billion (16.8%)
- Japan: $8.2 billion (7.9%)
- Brazil: $5.4 billion (5.2%)
- South Korea: $5 billion (4.8%)
- India: $2.6 billion (2.5%)
- Peru: $2.2 billion (2.1%)
- Spain: $2.1 billion (2%)
- Mexico: $1.9 billion (1.8%)
- Netherlands: $1.9 billion (1.8%)
- Canada: $1.3 billion (1.3%)
- Germany: $1.29 billion (1.2%)
- France: $1.19 billion (1.1%)
- Colombia: $1.09 billion (1.1%)
- Switzerland: $1.04 billion (1%)
- Taiwan: $1.02 billion (1%)
- Argentina: $1.01 billion (1%)
- Italy: $944.3 million (0.9%)
- Belgium: $757.2 million (0.7%)
- United Kingdom: $730 million (0.7%)
- Thailand: $687.5 million (0.7%)
- Ecuador: $563.5 million (0.5%)
- Bolivia: $466.6 million (0.5%)
- Costa Rica: $384.2 million (0.4%)
- Sweden: $357.3 million (0.3%)
Well over nine-tenths (93.5%) of Chilean exports in 2024 was delivered to the above 25 trade partners.
From 2023 to 2024, the fastest increases resulting from Chile’s export sales track back to customers in Sweden (up 176.9%), India (up 84.7%), Spain (up 33.7%), Switzerland (up 25.3%) and the United Kingdom (up 24.9%).
Year over year, the severest reductions belonged to buyers in Bolivia (down -44.7% from 2023), Belgium (down -29.3%), Ecuador (down -23.8%), South Korea (down -19.3%) and Taiwan (down -18.8%).
Countries Causing the Greatest Trade Deficits for Chile
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.
Chile incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries.
- Argentina: -US$5.9 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2024)
- Brazil: -$2.2 billion
- Germany: -$1.4 billion
- Paraguay: -$904.2 million
- Vietnam: -$873.5 million
- Italy: -$604 million
- Trinidad/Tobago: -$485.8 million
- Ecuador: -$350.3 million
- Austria: -$301.1 million
- Indonesia: -$291.4 million
Among Chile’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, Chilean deficits with Indonesia (up 58.8%), Argentina (up 28.3%) and Vietnam (up 9.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Chile’s competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Chile to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.
Countries Generating the Greatest Trade Surpluses for Chile
Chile earned an overall US$23.6 billion trade surplus in 2024, growing by 19.3% from Chile’s $19.8 billion surplus one year earlier for 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.
Chile incurred the highest trade surpluses with the following countries.
- mainland China: US$17.9 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2024)
- Japan: $6.3 billion
- South Korea: $3.5 billion
- United States: $2.1 billion
- Netherlands: $1.4 billion
- India: $1.3 billion
- Taiwan: $811.8 million
- Switzerland: $730.7 million
- Canada: $707.5 million
- Costa Rica: $342.8 million
Among Chile’s trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, Chilean surpluses with India (up 1,865%), United States of America (up 1,472%) and Switzerland (up 39.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate Chile’s competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Chile to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.
Chile’s Major Companies
According to Forbes Global 2000 rankings, the following 8 companies are examples of leading Chilean companies.
- AntarChile (investment services)
- BCI-Banco Credito (regional bank)
- Cencosud (food retail)
- CorpBanca (regional bank)
- Falabella (department stores)
- Latam Airlines (airline)
- Quinenco (investment conglomerate)
- SQM Materials (diversified chemicals)
See also Chile’s Top 10 Imports, Chile’s Top 10 Exports, Brazil’s Top 10 Exports and Top South American Export Countries
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on November 23, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on November 23, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on November 23, 2025