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 2020. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total UK exports.

1. United States: US$55.6 billion (14.1% of total UK exports)
2. Germany: $41.6 billion (10.5%)
3. Ireland: $27.8 billion (7%)
4. Netherlands: $25.3 billion (6.4%)
5. France: $23.9 billion (6%)
6. China: $18.5 billion (4.7%)
7. Switzerland: $18.4 billion (4.6%)
8. Belgium: $13.7 billion (3.5%)
9. Spain: $11.1 billion (2.8%)
10. Italy: $11 billion (2.8%)
11. Hong Kong: $10.1 billion (2.5%)
12. Canada: $7.6 billion (1.9%)
13. Japan: $7.1 billion (1.8%)
14. Turkey: $6.3 billion (1.6%)
15. United Arab Emirates: $6.1 billion (1.5%)
16. Poland: $5.9 billion (1.5%)
17. Singapore: $5.63 billion (1.4%)
18. Sweden: $5.6 billion (1.4%)
19. Australia: $5.18 billion (1.3%)
20. Norway: $5.17 billion (1.3%)
21. South Korea: $4.9 billion (1.2%)
22. India: $3.9 billion (1%)
23. Saudi Arabia: $3.5 billion (0.9%)
24. Qatar: $3.2 billion (0.8%)
25. Denmark: $3 billion (0.8%)

In 2020, well over four-fifths (83.5%) of overall UK exports were delivered to the above 25 trade partners.

Five among the top 25 importers increased the value of their deliveries from the UK from 2019 to 2020. These gainers were Switzerland (up 17.5%), Canada (up 12.3%), Norway (up 10.7%), South Korea (up 2.3%) and Ireland (up 0.1%).

Leading the decliners were the United Arab Emirates (down -39%), China (down -38.6%), India (down -33.2%), United States (down -24.4%), France (down -23.9%) and Spain (down -18.6%).

Overall, the United Kingdom incurred a -$238.5 billion trade deficit during 2020. 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$57 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2020)
2. Germany: -$32.8 billion
3. Russia: -$21.7 billion
4. Netherlands: -$20.9 billion
5. Belgium: -$15.2 billion
6. Italy: -$12.7 billion
7. Norway: -$8.3 billion
8. Poland: -$8 billion
9. Canada: -$7.5 billion
10. Spain: -$7.4 billion

Among United Kingdom’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, UK deficits with Russia (up 102.3%), China (up 61%) and Poland (up 6.6%) grew from 2019 to 2020.

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.

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. Ireland: US$10.4 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2020)
2. Switzerland: $7 billion
3. United Arab Emirates: $4.5 billion
4. Singapore: $3.1 billion
5. Saudi Arabia: $2.3 billion
6. Qatar: $2.1 billion
7. North Macedonia: $1.2 billion
8. Belarus: $1.1 billion
9. Gibraltar: $713 million
10. Israel: $707.7 million

Among the United Kingdom’s trading partners that generated the greatest positive trade balances, Britain’s surpluses with Belarus (up 1,275%), Qatar (up 61.6%) and Israel (up 37.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2019 to 2020.

In addition, Britain reversed an -$8 billion deficits with Switzerland in 2019 to post a $7 billion surplus for 2020.

These positive cashflow streams 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 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)