Year over year, South America’s most recent total cashflow for its exported products slowed to a 5.9% increase from $705 billion for 2023.
To give some global perspective, exports from all continents worldwide equaled $23.9 trillion in 2024, expanding by 36.6% in value compared to 2020 but appreciating by just 1.1% from 2023 to 2024. Therefore, the gain in value for South American exports (up 5.9%) surpassed the average year-over-year retreat for all countries.
To give further context, South American exports in 2024 represents an estimated 3.1% of the world’s exported goods. That percentage reflects an upturn from 3% one year earlier in 2023.
Calculated using statistics from the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook Database, the aggregate Gross Domestic Product for all South American countries (on a Purchasing Power Parity basis) amounted to roughly $9.518 trillion for 2024.
Therefore, exports accounted for approximately 7.8% of South America’s total economic output for 2024, down from 8.4% one year earlier. Those percentages suggest a relatively decreasing importance of exports on South America’s overall economic performance.
Given South America’s population of 435.2 million people, the $746.7 billion in South American exports for 2024 translates to roughly $1,700 for every person living on the continent. That metric reflects an acceleration from the average $1,100 in exports per capita in 2023.
Top South American Export Countries
Below are the South American export countries sorted in order by those attained the highest dollar value in global shipments during 2024. Also shown is each country’s overall share of South American exports plus the change in value year over year.
| Rank | Exporter | 2022 Exports | % Continent | 2022-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Brazil | $339,695,766,000 | 48.2% | +1.6% |
| 2. | Chile | $100,290,449,000 | 14.2% | -2.3% |
| 3. | Argentina | $66,700,666,000 | 9.5% | -24.4% |
| 4. | Peru | $64,355,040,000 | 9.1% | +1.1% |
| 5. | Colombia | $49,542,894,000 | 7.0% | -13.5% |
| 6. | Ecuador | $31,126,424,000 | 4.4% | -12% |
| 7. | Paraguay | $11,868,906,000 | 1.7% | +19.3% |
| 8. | Bolivia | $10,910,868,000 | 1.55% | -20.1% |
| 9. | Guyana | $10,811,756,000 | 1.53% | +37.4% |
| 10. | Uruguay | $9,189,874,000 | 1.3% | -17.9% |
| 11. | Venezuela | $7,493,497,000 | 1.1% | +51.4% |
| 12. | Suriname | $2,310,900,000 | 0.3% | -18.5% |
| 13. | Falkland Is (Malvinas) | $361,000,000 | 0.05% | -10.7% |
Collectively, South America’s top 3 export countries (Brazil, Chile, Argentina) generated more than two-thirds (69.7%) of the overall value for all goods shipped from that continent in 2024.
The value of Brazil’s shipments approached half (45.1%) of all exports from South America. Historically, the most valuable Brazilian exports include soya beans, crude oil, iron ores and concentrates, sugar and corn.
The South American countries that grew the value of their international trade shipments at the greatest percentages were Guyana (up 107.3% from 2023), Venezuela (up 78.9%), Argentina (up 19.5%), Peru (up 15.6%) and Uruguay (up 11.5%).
Double-digit decliners from 2023 to 2024 were exporters in Suriname (down -35.8%), a country in Northern South America also considered part of the West Indies and the Caribbean, Bolivia (down -17%), and the Falkland Islands (down -10.5%) also called Malvinas.
See also Argentina’s Top 10 Exports, Brazil’s Top 10 Exports, Chile’s Top Trade Partners and Guyana’s Top 10 Exports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports and World Population. Accessed on July 21, 2025
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on July 21, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 21, 2025
Wikipedia, Economy of Venezuela. Accessed on July 21, 2025
Wikipedia, List of South American countries by population. Accessed on July 21, 2025