Year over year, the total cost of Germany’s imported goods rose 10.5% from $1.423 billion in 2021.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2022, Germany uses the euro which depreciated by -12.1% against the US dollar since 2018 and diluted by -12.3% from 2021 to 2022. The weaker European Union currency in 2022 made Germany’s imports paid for in stronger US dollars in 2022 relatively more expensive than in 2021 when converted starting from euros.
German imports represent 7% of total global imports which totaled an estimated $22.432 trillion one year earlier in 2021.
Domestically, the inflation rate for Germany’s average consumer prices was 8.455% in 2022.
Germany’s 5 biggest imported products by value in 2022 were petroleum gases, cars, crude oil, blood fractions including antisera, and automobile parts or accessories. Collectively, that quintet of leading imports represents 18.3% of Germany’s total spending on imported goods during 2022.
Applying a continental lens, almost two-thirds (64.4%) of Germany’s total imports by value in 2022 were purchased from fellow European countries. Trade partners in Asia satisfied 26.6% of import purchases by Germany while another 7.7% worth of goods originated from North America.
Smaller percentages came from customers in Africa (2.3%), Latin America (1.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia.
Given Germany’s population of 83.3 million people, its total $$1.572 trillion in 2022 imports translates to roughly $18,900 in yearly product demand from every person in the European republic. That per-capita amount exceeds the average $17,100 one year earlier in 2021.
Germany’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Germany’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Germany.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$209 billion (13.3% of total imports)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $199.8 billion (12.7%)
- Machinery including computers: $173.8 billion (11.1%)
- Vehicles: $137 billion (8.7%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $79.5 billion (5.1%)
- Organic chemicals: $66.4 billion (4.2%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $56.9 billion (3.6%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $47.1 billion (3%)
- Iron, steel: $39.6 billion (2.5%)
- Gems, precious metals: $37.8 billion (2.4%)
Germany’s top 10 imports accounted for 64.6% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The fastest-growing top categories from 2021 to 2022 were organic chemicals (up 64.3%), mineral fuels including oil (up 63.9%), then the imported metals iron and steel (up 11.9%).
The severest decliner for Germany was the gems and precious metals product category via a -5.1% reduction from 2021 led by silver and gold.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more detailed view of imported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the adjacent virtual folder tabs by product category.
Germany’s Best Mineral Fuels Imports
In 2022, German importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Petroleum gases: US$77.5 billion (up 63.3% from 2021)
- Crude oil: $62.3 billion (up 54.6%)
- Processed petroleum oils: $33.3 billion (up 50.6%)
- Electrical energy: $13 billion (up 132.1%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $12.9 billion (up 144.6%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $1.3 billion (up 66.2%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $1.3 billion (down -6%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $451.9 million (up 19.9%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $427.5 million (up 39.3%)
- Peat: $99.9 million (down -14.5%)
Among these import subcategories, German purchases of coal including solid fuels made from coal (up 144.6%), electrical energy (up 132.1%) then coke and semi-coke (up 66.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among German businesses and consumers.
Germany’s Best Electronics Imports
In 2022, German importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical equipment including consumer electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$25.9 billion (down -0.1% from 2021)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $23.3 billion (up 35.4%)
- Electric storage batteries: $17.4 billion (up 36.5%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $14 billion (up 7.6%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $11.8 billion (up 16.7%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $11.1 billion (up 35.1%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $9.9 billion (up 1.9%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $9.1 billion (up 7.6%)
- Electric motors, generators: $6.8 billion (up 6.1%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $6.3 billion (down -12.9%)
Among these import subcategories, German purchases of electric storage batteries (up 36.5%), electronic integrated circuits and microassemblies (up 35.4%) then solar power diodes or semi-conductors (up 35.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among German businesses and consumers.
Germany’s Best Machinery Imports
In 2022, German importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$29 billion (down -13.2% from 2021)
- Turbo-jets: $12.6 billion (up 14.7%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $8.1 billion (down -10.4%)
- Printing machinery: $8.07 billion (down -4.6%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $7.9 billion (up 0.5%)
- Piston engine parts: $6.3 billion (down -4.3%)
- Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $6.1 billion (up 3.7%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $6 billion (up 1.6%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $5.7 billion (down -1.7%)
- Machinery parts: $5.3 billion (up 3.7%)
Among these import subcategories, German purchases of turbo-jets (up 14.7%), transmission shafts, gears and clutches (up 3.7%) then machinery parts (up 3.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among German businesses and consumers.
Germany’s Best Vehicles Imports
In 2022, German importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$67.8 billion (up 0.4% from 2021)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $39.5 billion (up 3.7%)
- Trucks: $7.9 billion (up 8%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $4.4 billion (up 16.1%)
- Trailers: $3.22 billion (down -1.2%)
- Tractors: $3.2 billion (up 9.8%)
- Motorcycles: $3.15 billion (down -2.1%)
- Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $1.2 billion (up 24.9%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $861.6 million (down -28.2%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $596.8 million (down -29.9%)
Among these import subcategories, German purchases of bicycles plus other non-motorized cycles (up 24.9%), motorcycle parts or accessories (up 16.1%) then tractors (up 9.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among German businesses and consumers.
See also Germany’s Top 10 Exports, Germany’s Top Trading Partners, Top German Trade Balances and Germany’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on April 3, 2023
Imported Consumer Products, Germany’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products. Accessed on April 3, 2023
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on April 3, 2023
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on April 3, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 3, 2023
