Overall, the dollar cost of crude oil bought by all importing countries has flatlined up by 1.9% since 2016 when crude oil purchases were valued at $670.4 billion. Year over year, total crude oil imports fell in value by -36% from $1.067 trillion for 2019.
The top 4 importers of this fossil-fuel commodity (China, United States, India, South Korea) accounted for 53.7% of the overall value of imported crude petroleum purchased on international markets in 2020.
Analyzing metrics at the continent level, Asian countries bought the highest dollar worth of imported crude oil during 2020 with purchases costing $391.9 billion or 57.4% of the worldwide total. In second place were European nations at 25.4% while 13.2% worth of crude oil imports were delivered to North America.
Smaller percentages of crude went to Africa (1.7%), Latin America (1.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.9%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for crude oil is 2709.
Crude Oil Imports by Country
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of crude oil during 2020.
- China: US$176.3 billion (25.8% of imported crude oil)
- United States: $81.6 billion (12%)
- India: $64.6 billion (9.5%)
- South Korea: $44.5 billion (6.5%)
- Japan: $43.5 billion (6.4%)
- Germany: $27.4 billion (4%)
- Netherlands: $22 billion (3.2%)
- Spain: $18.2 billion (2.7%)
- Thailand: $17.6 billion (2.6%)
- Italy: $16.2 billion (2.4%)
- United Kingdom: $15.6 billion (2.3%)
- Singapore: $14.4 billion (2.1%)
- Taiwan: $12.6 billion (1.8%)
- France: $12 billion (1.8%)
- Belgium: $9.8 billion (1.4%)
Based on total cost, the listed 15 countries purchased 84.5% of all crude oil imported in 2020.
All the above countries spent less on crude oil during 2020 due to falling prices. These declines were due to a myriad of factors including lower prices for the commodity, the global pandemic and the resulting economic slowdown, and growing sales of electric vehicles as wells as developing solar and wind-power technologies.
Leading the expenditure declines from 2019 to 2020 on imported crude oil were France (down -50.8%), Belgium (down -46.2%), Italy (down -44.5%), Taiwan (down -40.8%), Singapore (down -40.6%), Japan (down -40.5%), Spain (down -38.3%) and the United States (down -38.3%).
China
Crude Oil Imports into China
Almost half (49.2%) of China’s overall crude oil imports came from member countries of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which China imported the highest dollar value worth of crude oil during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplier from 2019 to 2020.
China’s top 3 suppliers of crude oil are Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iraq. Combined, those key providers generated 42.3% of total Chinese imports of crude petroleum.
- Saudi Arabia: US$28.1 billion (down -30% from 2019)
- Russia: $27.3 billion (down -25.2%)
- Iraq: $19.2 billion (down -19.2%)
- Angola: $13.9 billion (down -38.7%)
- Brazil: $13.9 billion (down -24.9%)
- Oman: $12.8 billion (down -21.9%)
- United Arab Emirates: $9.7 billion (up 33%)
- Kuwait: $9 billion (down -16.9%)
- United States: $6.3 billion (up 89.5%)
- Norway: $4.3 billion (up 780%)
- Malaysia: $3.7 billion (down -33.4%)
- Colombia: $3.5 billion (down -35.6%)
- Congo: $3 billion (down -45.4%)
- United Kingdom: $2.2 billion (down -65.9%)
- Gabon: $2.1 billion (down -40.5%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 90.1% of all Chinese crude oil imports in 2020.
Among the above countries, the 3 growth suppliers of crude oil to China from 2019 to 2020 were: Norway (up 780%), United States (up 89.5%) and United Arab Emirates (up 33%).
Leading the declines in the value of their crude oil supplied to Chinese importers were United Kingdom (down -65.9%), Congo (down -45.4%), Gabon (down -40.5%) and Angola (down -38.7%).
Overall, the value of Chinese crude oil imports fell by an average -26.1% from all supplying countries since 2019 when crude oil purchases were valued at $238.7 billion.
USA
Crude Oil Imports into the United States
Just 19.3% of America’s overall crude oil imports came from member countries of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the US imported the highest dollar value worth of crude oil during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
America’s top 3 suppliers of crude oil are Canada, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Combined, those key providers generated over three-quarters (76.8%) of total US imports of crude petroleum.
- Canada: US$46.2 billion (down -30.3% from 2019)
- Mexico: $8.9 billion (down -27%)
- Saudi Arabia: $7.6 billion (down -34.4%)
- Colombia: $3.5 billion (down -46.2%)
- Iraq: $3.2 billion (down -54%)
- Ecuador: $2.7 billion (down -37.6%)
- Brazil: $1.7 billion (down -55.2%)
- Russia: $1.4 billion (down -59.4%)
- Nigeria: $1.2 billion (down -72.9%)
- Trinidad/Tobago: $648.2 million (down -29.6%)
- Guyana: $558.8 million (no 2019 data%)
- Argentina: $527.7 million (down -35.7%)
- Angola: $469.5 million (down -38.5%)
- United Kingdom: $457.9 million (down -70.4%)
- Ghana: $403.3 million (down -30.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 97.4% of all American crude oil imports in 2020.
Among the above countries, there were no growth suppliers of crude oil to the United States since 2019.
Leading the decliners in the value of their crude oil supplied to American importers were: Nigeria (down -72.9%), United Kingdom (down -70.4%), Russia (down -59.4%), Brazil (down -55.2%) and Iraq (down -54%).
Overall, the value of American crude oil imports depreciated by an average -38.3% from all supplying countries since 2019 when crude oil purchases were valued at $132.4 billion.
India
Crude Oil Imports into India
Over three-quarters (76.7%) of India’s overall crude oil imports came from member countries of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which India imported the highest dollar value worth of crude oil during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
India’s top 3 suppliers of crude oil are Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Combined, those key providers generated over half (54.4%) of total Indian imports of crude petroleum.
- Iraq: US$14.9 billion (down -31.1% from 2019)
- Saudi Arabia: $12.5 billion (down -39.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $7.8 billion (down -19.8%)
- Nigeria: $5.3 billion (down -44.4%)
- United States: $3.7 billion (down -20.2%)
- Kuwait: $3.3 billion (down -34.3%)
- Venezuela: $2.3 billion (down -59.3%)
- Mexico: $2.2 billion (down -41.4%)
- Angola: $1.4 billion (down -50.1%)
- Qatar: $1.3 billion (up 11.1%)
- Kazakhstan: $1.3 billion (down -15.8%)
- Brazil: $1.2 billion (up 19.3%)
- Oman: $944.6 million (up 2.8%)
- Russia: $927.2 million (down -36.5%)
- Malaysia: $914.8 million (down -47.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 92.6% of all Indian crude oil imports in 2020.
Among the above countries, there were 3 growth suppliers of crude oil to India from 2019 to 2020 namely Brazil (up 19.3%), Qatar (up 11.1%) and Oman (up 2.8%).
Leading the countries that experienced declines in the value of their crude oil supplied to Indian importers were: Venezuela (down -59.3%), Angola (down -50.1%), Malaysia (down -47.7%), Nigeria (down -44.4%) and Mexico (down -41.4%).
Overall, the value of Indian crude oil imports retreated by an average -36.7% from all supplying countries since 2019 when crude oil purchases were valued at $101.9 billion.
South Korea
Crude Oil Imports into South Korea
Over two-thirds (68.8%) of South Korea’s overall crude oil imports came from member countries of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which South Korea imported the highest dollar value worth of crude oil during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
South Korea’s top 3 suppliers of crude oil are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United States Combined, those key providers generated almost three-fifths (57.7%) of total Korean imports of crude petroleum.
- Saudi Arabia: US$14.6 billion (down -26.5% from 2019)
- Kuwait: $5.4 billion (down -45.3%)
- United States: $5.4 billion (down -40%)
- United Arab Emirates: $3.6 billion (down -39.6%)
- Iraq: $3.5 billion (down -53.3%)
- Qatar: $2.6 billion (down -37.7%)
- Russia: $2.4 billion (down -48.3%)
- Mexico: $2.2 billion (down -22.6%)
- Kazakhstan: $768.8 million (down -34.9%)
- Brazil: $657.3 million (no 2019 data)
- Australia: $545.1 million (up 9.5%)
- Nigeria: $508.8 million (up 108.2%)
- Algeria: $423.4 million (down -9%)
- United Kingdom: $383.4 million (up 81.4%)
- Norway: $378 million (up 404%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 97.3% of all South Korean crude oil imports in 2020.
Among the above countries, there were 4 growth suppliers of crude oil to South Korea from 2019 to 2020 namely: Norway (up 404%), Nigeria (up 108.2%), United Kingdom (up 81.4%) and Australia (up 9.5%).
Countries that experienced the severest declines in the value of their crude oil supplied to Korean importers included: Iraq (down -53.3%), Russia (down -48.3%), Kuwait (down -45.3%) and the United States (down -40%).
Overall, the value of South Korea’s crude oil imports fell by an average -36.7% from all supplying countries since 2016 when crude oil purchases were valued at $70.2 billion.
Searchable List of crude oil Importing Countries in 2020
The 100 key importers in the database below bought virtually all (99.996%) of crude petroleum oil imported during 2020.
| Rank | Importer | Crude Oil Imports (US$) | 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | China | $176,321,269,000 | -26.1% |
| 2. | United States | $81,629,598,000 | -38.3% |
| 3. | India | $64,579,748,000 | -36.7% |
| 4. | South Korea | $44,461,676,000 | -36.7% |
| 5. | Japan | $43,509,685,000 | -40.5% |
| 6. | Germany | $27,424,195,000 | -32.7% |
| 7. | Netherlands | $22,039,997,000 | -35.3% |
| 8. | Spain | $18,214,889,000 | -39.3% |
| 9. | Thailand | $17,643,217,000 | -20.8% |
| 10. | Italy | $16,165,051,000 | -44.5% |
| 11. | United Kingdom | $15,608,774,000 | -36.4% |
| 12. | Singapore | $14,385,067,000 | -40.6% |
| 13. | Taiwan | $12,624,769,000 | -40.8% |
| 14. | France | $12,022,981,000 | -50.8% |
| 15. | Belgium | $9,836,653,000 | -46.2% |
| 16. | Canada | $8,563,755,000 | -40% |
| 17. | Poland | $7,909,788,000 | -33.9% |
| 18. | Greece | $7,012,749,000 | -33.1% |
| 19. | Sweden | $5,450,138,000 | -33% |
| 20. | South Africa | $5,033,029,000 | -43.1% |
| 21. | Australia | $4,790,869,000 | -44.4% |
| 22. | Malaysia | $4,604,511,000 | -28.7% |
| 23. | Portugal | $3,891,415,000 | -28.4% |
| 24. | Egypt | $3,806,581,000 | +30.9% |
| 25. | Belarus | $3,728,502,000 | -43.3% |
| 26. | Israel | $3,724,675,000 | -37.7% |
| 27. | Finland | $3,430,289,000 | -40.9% |
| 28. | Indonesia | $3,391,684,000 | -40.5% |
| 29. | Brazil | $2,613,734,000 | -43.8% |
| 30. | Lithuania | $2,456,221,000 | -44.3% |
| 31. | Austria | $2,413,767,000 | -42.9% |
| 32. | Romania | $2,272,505,000 | -44.6% |
| 33. | Pakistan | $2,267,400,000 | -42.1% |
| 34. | Chile | $2,219,746,000 | -45.8% |
| 35. | Czech Republic | $2,147,228,000 | -42.6% |
| 36. | Slovakia | $1,839,326,000 | -19.8% |
| 37. | New Zealand | $1,541,303,000 | -45.1% |
| 38. | Panama | $1,539,561,000 | -63.7% |
| 39. | Denmark | $1,511,559,000 | -37.4% |
| 40. | Bulgaria | $1,507,965,000 | -52.2% |
| 41. | Hungary | $1,505,113,000 | -47.7% |
| 42. | Brunei Darussalam | $1,455,680,000 | +25.6% |
| 43. | Philippines | $1,346,246,000 | -61.2% |
| 44. | Ireland | $1,090,286,000 | -17.8% |
| 45. | Norway | $976,116,000 | -36.8% |
| 46. | Switzerland | $956,374,000 | -26.9% |
| 47. | Ivory Coast | $856,662,000 | -42.3% |
| 48. | Serbia | $836,349,000 | -17.4% |
| 49. | Peru | $774,419,000 | -68.7% |
| 50. | Uruguay | $731,598,000 | -26.1% |
| 51. | United Arab Emirates | $672,881,000 | -77.3% |
| 52. | Vietnam | $664,440,000 | -82.6% |
| 53. | Croatia | $586,503,000 | -39% |
| 54. | Gibraltar | $542,423,000 | +134.2% |
| 55. | Togo | $535,856,000 | +1,217,755% |
| 56. | Senegal | $441,619,000 | +9.4% |
| 57. | Saint Lucia | $428,112,000 | 0% |
| 58. | Ukraine | $394,920,000 | -4.2% |
| 59. | Bahamas | $376,327,000 | +55.1% |
| 60. | Tunisia | $312,279,000 | +1,600% |
| 61. | Zambia | $235,603,000 | -53.3% |
| 62. | Uzbekistan | $194,978,000 | +93.9% |
| 63. | Nicaragua | $164,345,000 | -38.5% |
| 64. | Dominican Republic | $161,783,000 | -73% |
| 65. | Jamaica | $155,760,000 | -75.5% |
| 66. | Ecuador | $148,161,000 | +14,454% |
| 67. | Ghana | $126,599,000 | +308,678% |
| 68. | Papua New Guinea | $83,041,000 | -33.9% |
| 69. | Azerbaijan | $58,679,000 | -69.3% |
| 70. | Colombia | $25,025,000 | -82.6% |
| 71. | Sri Lanka | $23,145,000 | 0% |
| 72. | US Minor Outlying Is | $21,110,000 | 0% |
| 73. | Estonia | $16,490,000 | +9,011% |
| 74. | Marshall Islands | $9,219,000 | +17,294% |
| 75. | Kazakhstan | $4,371,000 | -60.8% |
| 76. | Botswana | $3,593,000 | +51,229% |
| 77. | Georgia | $2,717,000 | -52% |
| 78. | Tajikistan | $2,656,000 | -62.1% |
| 79. | Namibia | $2,324,000 | +277.3% |
| 80. | Russia | $628,000 | +675.3% |
| 81. | Guatemala | $349,000 | +47.9% |
| 82. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $223,000 | -34.8% |
| 83. | Kyrgyzstan | $200,000 | -60.2% |
| 84. | Lesotho | $158,000 | +327% |
| 85. | Latvia | $146,000 | -90.6% |
| 86. | Mozambique | $65,000 | -69.5% |
| 87. | Myanmar | $60,000 | +5,900% |
| 88. | Algeria | $58,000 | 0% |
| 89. | Maldives | $56,000 | 0% |
| 90. | Ethiopia | $45,000 | +50% |
| 91. | Fiji | $36,000 | -97.7% |
| 92. | Luxembourg | $33,000 | -95.2% |
| 93. | Guyana | $18,000 | +5.9% |
| 94. | Zimbabwe | $15,000 | +25% |
| 95. | Costa Rica | $14,000 | +16.7% |
| 96. | Bangladesh | $14,000 | 0% |
| 97. | Angola | $13,000 | -7.1% |
| 98. | Equatorial Guinea | $13,000 | 0% |
| 99. | Eswatini | $13,000 | -61.8% |
| 100. | Uganda | $11,000 | +37.5% |
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below.
See also Crude Oil Exports by Country, China’s Top Trading Partners and Largest Oil and Gas Export Companies
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 18, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 18, 2021
Investopedia, Net Importer Definition. Accessed on June 18, 2021
Wikipedia, Big Oil. Accessed on June 18, 2021
