The Netherlands exported US$725.5 billion worth of products around the world in 2024, falling by -2.2% year over year.
That dollar amount also results from a 31.6% advance compared to $551.4 billion five years earlier during 2020.
Applying a continental lens, over three-quarters (76.2%) of Netherlands’ exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 12.3% was sold to importers in Asia. The Netherlands shipped another 6.8% worth of goods to customers in North America.
Smaller percentages went to buyers in Africa (2.1%), Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean (1.8%) then Oceania led by Australia and New Zealand (0.7%).
Also, the value of exports from the Netherlands sold to fellow European Union members equaled 66.2% of overall Netherlands’ export sales, down from 69.2% one year prior.
Netherlands Top Trading Partners
Below is a list showcasing 25 of Netherlands top trading partners, countries that imported the most Dutch shipments by dollar value during 2024. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total Dutch exports.
- Germany: US$160.8 billion (22.2% of total Dutch exports)
- Belgium: $85.9 billion (11.8%)
- France: $56.5 billion (7.8%)
- United Kingdom: $44.9 billion (6.2%)
- United States: $41.5 billion (5.7%)
- Italy: $29.6 billion (4.1%)
- Spain: $24.6 billion (3.4%)
- mainland China: $22.3 billion (3.1%)
- Poland: $22.1 billion (3%)
- Sweden: $14.5 billion (2%)
- South Korea: $10.2 billion (1.4%)
- Denmark: $9.7 billion (1.3%)
- Switzerland: $9.6 billion (1.3%)
- Ireland: $9.2 billion (1.3%)
- Czech Republic: $9.2 billion (1.3%)
- Austria: $8.7 billion (1.2%)
- Türkiye: $8.6 billion (1.2%)
- Norway: $7 billion (1%)
- Taiwan: $6.7 billion (0.9%)
- Finland: $6.1 billion (0.8%)
- Japan: $5.9 billion (0.8%)
- Portugal: $5.1 billion (0.7%)
- Hungary: $5 billion (0.7%)
- Saudi Arabia: $4.8 billion (0.7%)
- United Arab Emirates: $4.7 billion (0.6%)
Well over four-fifths (84.5%) of Dutch exports in 2024 was delivered to the above 25 trade partners.
Recording double-digit increases in spending on exports from the Netherlands were Saudi Arabia (up 16.7% from 2023), United Arab Emirates (up 15.7%), mainland China (up 14.5%), United States of America (up 11.3%) then Portugal (up 11.1%).
The severest decliners were based in Taiwan (down -22.5% from 2023), Sweden (down -9.7%), Switzerland (down -5.9%), France (down -5.5%) and another fellow-EU member Germany (down -4.6%).
Countries Causing Worst Trade Deficits for the Netherlands
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.
Netherlands incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries.
- mainland China: -US$33.4 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2024.)
- United States: -$23.2 billion
- Norway: -$8.5 billion
- Vietnam: -$8.3 billion
- Ireland: -$6 billion
- Thailand: -$5.3 billion
- Brazil: -$5.02 billion
- India: -$4.99 billion
- Malaysia: -$4.6 billion
- Hong Kong: -$4.4 billion
Among the Netherlands’ trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, Dutch deficits with Thailand (up 95.6%), Ireland (up 45.4%) and India (up 37.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Netherlands’ competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Netherlands to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.
Countries Generating Biggest Trade Surpluses for the Netherlands
The Netherlands earned an overall US$86.9 billion trade surplus in 2024, a positive trade balance that expanded by 10.8% over the $78.4 billion surplus recorded 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.
Netherlands earned the highest trade surpluses with the following countries.
- Germany: US$54.9 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2024)
- France: $34.3 billion
- Belgium: $23.7 billion
- United Kingdom: $15.5 billion
- Italy: $13.3 billion
- Spain: $12.7 billion
- Poland: $7.1 billion
- Austria: $4.92 billion
- South Korea: $4.88 billion
- Sweden: $4.2 billion
Among the Netherlands’ trading partners that generate the greatest positive trade balances, Dutch surpluses with Poland (up 21.2%), United Kingdom (up 20.7%) and Spain (up 11.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These positive cashflow streams clearly indicate Netherlands’ competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for Netherlands to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.
Netherlands’ Major Exports Companies
Twenty-seven Dutch corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major Dutch export companies headquartered in the Netherlands that Forbes included.
- Ageas (diversified insurance)
- Akzo Nobel (diversified chemicals)
- ASM International N.V. (semiconductors)
- ASM International N.V. (semiconductors)
- ASML Holding (semiconductors)
- DSM (diversified chemicals)
- Gemalto (electronics)
- Gemalto (electronics)
- Heineken Holding (beverages)
- Lyondell Basell Industries (diversified chemicals)
- NXP Semiconductors (semiconductors)
- Philips (industrial conglomerate)
- Royal Dutch Shell (oil, gas)
- Unilever (food processing)
According to IMPORTERS.com listings for Dutch suppliers, the following are also examples of relatively smaller companies that ship products from the Netherlands. Shown within parenthesis are products that the Dutch business provides.
- Bless Ya, Inc (young girls apparel)
- Ciparo (paper, plastics)
- Daqso International (toiletries, cosmetics, perfumes)
- Floorkinderkleding (children clothing)
- Holland Metals & Raw Materials (non-ferrous metals, steel scrap)
- King-Boats (inflatable craft)
- Lagwo Trading Inc NV (crude oil, petroleum)
- Powerview Technology BV (surveillance products)
- Raisina Exports (dried fruits, nuts)
- Shipside Tax Free Cars BV (automobiles)
See also Netherlands Top 10 Imports, Netherlands Top 10 Major Export Companies and Netherlands Top 10 Exports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on August 1, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on August 1, 2025
IMPORTERS.com The Online Market for G20 Importers, Netherlands Import Export Directory. Accessed on August 1, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 1, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 1, 2025
Wikipedia, List of Companies of the Netherlands. Accessed on August 1, 2025
Wikipedia, Netherlands. Accessed on August 1, 2025