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United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners

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United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners
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Comprised of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the United Kingdom is a sovereign state situated across from continental Europe’s north-western coast.

The United Kingdom shipped US$459.4 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2021.

That dollar amount reflects a 4% increase since 2017 and a 16.1% acceleration from one year earlier in 2020 when UK total exports were worth $395.7 billion.

More data on UK exports by country, the EU and continent are described below.

United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners

Top 25

Below is a list showcasing 25 of United Kingdom’s top trading partners in terms of export sales. That is, these are countries that imported the most UK shipments by dollar value during 2021. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total UK exports.

  1. United States: US$59.9 billion (13% of total UK exports)
  2. Switzerland: $39.5 billion (8.6%)
  3. Germany: $38.8 billion (8.4%)
  4. Netherlands: $34.3 billion (7.5%)
  5. France: $25.6 billion (5.6%)
  6. Ireland: $22.2 billion (4.8%)
  7. China: $20.9 billion (4.5%)
  8. Belgium: $19.7 billion (4.3%)
  9. Italy: $12 billion (2.6%)
  10. Spain: $10.6 billion (2.3%)
  11. Hong Kong: $9.8 billion (2.1%)
  12. United Arab Emirates: $7.9 billion (1.7%)
  13. Japan: $7.6 billion (1.6%)
  14. Singapore: $7.1 billion (1.6%)
  15. Canada: $7 billion (1.5%)
  16. South Korea: $6.5 billion (1.4%)
  17. Turkey: $6.3 billion (1.4%)
  18. India: $6.1 billion (1.3%)
  19. Sweden: $6 billion (1.3%)
  20. Australia: $5.8 billion (1.3%)
  21. Poland: $5.3 billion (1.2%)
  22. Norway: $4.2 billion (0.9%)
  23. Saudi Arabia: $4.1 billion (0.9%)
  24. Russia: $3.8 billion (0.8%)
  25. Denmark: $3.2 billion (0.7%)

In 2021, over four-fifths (81.5%) of overall UK exports were delivered to the above 25 trade partners.

Sweden increased its purchases from the United Kingdom from 2020 to 2021 at the slowest rate, up in value by 6.9%. Among the other 24 countries, gains ranged from a minimum of 7.3% for France up to 115.4% for Switzerland.

Deficits

Overall, the United Kingdom incurred a -$238.5 billion trade deficit during 2021. That percentage represents a 6.4% expansion from -$224.2 billion in red ink one year earlier.

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.

United Kingdom incurred the highest trade deficits with the following countries.

  1. China: -US$70.2 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2021)
  2. Germany: -$36.3 billion
  3. Russia: -$21 billion
  4. Italy: -$13.7 billion
  5. Belgium: -$11.3 billion
  6. Spain: -$9.8 billion
  7. Turkey: -$8.8 billion
  8. Netherlands: -$8.62 billion
  9. South Africa: -$8.56 billion
  10. Poland: -$8.5 billion

Among the UK’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, British deficits with Turkey (up 71.1%), South Africa (up 42.2%) and Spain (up 31.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.

These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate United Kingdom’s competitive disadvantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for United Kingdom to develop country-specific strategies to strengthen its overall position in international trade.

Surpluses

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.

United Kingdom earned the highest trade surpluses with the following countries.

  1. Switzerland: US$28.5 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2021)
  2. United Arab Emirates: $5.6 billion
  3. Singapore: $5.2 billion
  4. Hong Kong: $3.7 billion
  5. Ireland: $2.94 billion
  6. Saudi Arabia: $2.93 billion
  7. Australia: $2.2 billion
  8. North Macedonia: $1.8 billion
  9. Egypt: $662.5 million
  10. Ethiopia: $516.4 million

Among the United Kingdom’s trading partners that generated the greatest positive trade balances, British surpluses with Switzerland (up 310.3%), Egypt (up 82.5%) and Singapore (up 70.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.

In addition, Britain reversed an -$5 billion deficit with Australia in 2020 and -$4.7 billion in red ink for Hong Kong during 2020.

The positive cashflow streams for 2021 clearly indicate United Kingdom’s competitive advantages with the above countries, but also represent key opportunities for United Kingdom to develop country-specific strategies to optimize its overall position in international trade.

Companies

Companies Servicing UK Trading Partners

Roughly 90 UK corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major companies headquartered in the UK that appear on the Forbes lists.

  • Anglo American (diversified metals, mining)
  • Associated British Foods (food processing)
  • AstraZeneca (pharmaceuticals)
  • BG Group (oil, gas)
  • BP (oil, gas)
  • British American Tobacco (tobacco)
  • Diageo (beverages)
  • GlaxoSmithKline (pharmaceuticals)
  • Imperial Tobacco Group (tobacco)
  • Rio Tinto (diversified metals, mining)
  • Rolls-Royce Holdings (aerospace & defense)
  • SABMiller (beverages)

According to the UK Export Directory, the following are examples of established companies that ship products from the United Kingdom to its trading partners around the globe. Shown within parenthesis is the product category that the UK-based business specializes in.

  • Absolute Battery (UK) Ltd (power supplies, batteries)
  • Advanced Technology Laboratories (UK) Ltd (electronics)
  • Antech UK Hydraulics (hydraulic motors, other machinery)
  • Diamond Offshore (UK) Ltd (drilling equipment)
  • Global Communications UK Ltd (broadcast equipment, satellites)
  • Gold Major Group (jewelry)
  • Johnson Pump (UK) Limited (rotary lobe pumps)
  • Knight Plastics Ltd (plastic injection mouldings)
  • Nippon Oil Exploration UK Ltd (oil, gas)
  • Trumpler UK Ltd (chemicals)


 

UK Exports to EU Countries

By value, the United Kingdom’s exports to all 27 EU members in 2021 represents 42.3% of worldwide UK shipments during 2021. That percentage compares to 47.3% one year earlier in 2020.

Below are the top 10 EU customers for Britain’s exported goods during 2021.

  1. Germany: US$38.8 billion (8.4% of total UK exports)
  2. Netherlands: $34.3 billion (7.5%)
  3. France: $25.6 billion (5.6%)
  4. Ireland: $22.2 billion (4.8%)
  5. Belgium: $19.7 billion (4.3%)
  6. Italy: $12 billion (2.6%)
  7. Spain: $10.6 billion (2.3%)
  8. Sweden: $6 billion (1.3%)
  9. Poland: $5.3 billion (1.2%)
  10. Austria: $2.3 billion (0.5%)

Expanding the focus to all 27 EU members, the fastest-growing customers for UK exports from 2020 to 2021 were Luxembourg (up 141.8%), Belgium (up 44.3%), Netherlands (up 35.5%) and Lithuania (up 28.2%).

The greatest reductions among all EU importers of goods from the UK belong to Cyprus (down -37.3%), Croatia (down -36.9%), Malta (down -25.7%), Bulgaria (down -24.7%), Ireland (down -20.2%) and Portugal (down -17.6%).

UK Exports to Non-EU Member European Countries

The United Kingdom shipped US$51.7 billion worth of goods to the following 17 recognized geographic entities in Europe that are not members of the European Union.

That dollar amount represents 11.2% of Britain’s global exports during 2021. It also reflects a 70.5% gain from $30.3 billion in international sales one year earlier.

Below, you will find Europe’s top 12 non-EU importers buying goods from the UK. Collectively, these main customers accounted for the bulk of purchases from Europe’s non-EU countries.

  1. Switzerland: US$39.5 billion (8.6% of total UK exports)
  2. Norway: $4.2 billion (0.9%)
  3. Russia: $3.8 billion (0.8%)
  4. North Macedonia: $2.1 billion (0.4%)
  5. Ukraine: $834.8 million (0.2%)
  6. Iceland: $408.7 million (0.1%)
  7. Kazakhstan: $332.7 million (0.1%)
  8. Serbia: $244.7 million (0.1%)
  9. Belarus: $132.1 million (0.03%)
  10. Moldova: $32.3 million (0.1%)
  11. Albania: $30.3 million (0.1%)
  12. Faroe Islands: $21.5 million (0.005%)

Among the above non-EU European entities, the fastest-growing customers for UK exports from 2020 to 2021 were Switzerland (up 115.4%), Albania (up 96.5%), Ukraine (up 62.1%), North Macedonia (up 48.2%), Russia (up 38.4%) and Kazakhstan (up 31.2%).

Reductions among all non-EU importers of goods from the UK belong to Belarus (down -89%), Faroe Islands (down -42.3%) and Norway (down -18.6%).

Top 5 Continents for Buying UK Exports

Applying a continental lens and based on 2020 data, 96% of exports by value from the United Kingdom were sold to importers located on the 5 continents below.

  1. Europe: US$218 billion (55.1% of total UK exports)
  2. Asia: $83 billion (21%)
  3. North America: $64.5 billion (16.3%)
  4. Africa: $8.4 billion (2.1%)
  5. Oceania: $6.1 billion (1.5%)

The most modest percentage decline among continents was -8.2% for purchases for shipments from the UK to Oceania led by Australia.

The second-smallest reduction was -10.2% in year-over-year slippage for UK export customers in Europe.

Other continental percentage decreases were -21.4% for North America, -24.2% for Asia and -24.3% for Africa.

See also United Kingdom’s Top 10 Imports, United Kingdom’s Top 10 Exports, UK’s Major EU Exports, United Kingdom’s Top 10 Major Export Companies and European Union’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
British Exporters, Database of British Products & Verified British Exporters. Accessed on March 9, 2022

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on March 9, 2022

Forbes Global 2000, The World’s Largest Public Companies. Accessed on March 9, 2022

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 9, 2022

Investopedia, Net Importer Definition. Accessed on March 9, 2022