Worldwide export sales totaled US$21.513 trillion in 2021 based on International Trade Centre calculations as of July 8, 2022).

That global export metric reflects a 22.5% increase since 2017 when overall exported goods were worth $17.568 trillion. From 2020 to 2021, exports from all countries accelerated in dollar value by an average 22.9%.

In this analysis, we look at the latest statistics surrounding the world’s top exported products to identify the products that most heavily galvanized international sales as well as looking at the most successful export countries.

In 2021, the top 5 most valuable globally exported goods are electronic integrated circuits, crude oil, cars, processed petroleum oils, and phone system devices including smartphones. Combined, those 5 leading exports accounted for almost one fifth (19.9%) of the global value of products sold on international markets.

Note that the product categories are at the four-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level in tariff manuals. This level of more detailed granularity helps analysts to better spot microeconomic trends and opportunities around the globe.

World’s Top Exports Report Card for Products

Below are the 20 export products that attracted the highest dollar value in sales during 2021. Since 2019, electronic integrated circuits and microassemblies have overtaken cars and crude oil for the number one position in terms of overall exports by value.

1. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$1.015 trillion (up 29.4% from 2020)
2. Crude oil: $820.8 billion (up 35.6%)
3. Cars: $710.4 billion (up 10.3%)
4. Processed petroleum oils: $704 billion (up 46.7%)
5. Phone devices including smartphones: $598.7 billion (up 5.6%)
6. Computers, optical readers: $419.4 billion (up 9.5%)
7. Medication mixes in dosage: $417.8 billion (up 3.8%)
8. Automobile parts/accessories: $400.4 billion (up 16.9%)
9. Gold (unwrought): $393.9 billion (down -5.3%)
10. Petroleum gases: $374.6 billion (up 65.1%)
11. Blood fractions (including antisera): $353.3 billion (up 51.6%)
12. Iron ores, concentrates: $217.6 billion (up 54.7%)
13. Computer parts, accessories: $158 billion (up 21.9%)
14. Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays): $153.3 billion (up 14.6%)
15. Insulated wire/cable: $148.2 billion (up 24.5%)
16. Trucks: $141.1 billion (up 26.3%)
17. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $140.6(up 19.4%)
18. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $125.1 (up 34.7%)
19. Electrical converters/power units: $123.4 (up 18.2%)
20. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $122.9 billion (up 48.7%)
21. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $121.1 billion (up 19.4%)

Drilling down into the world’s top 20 exported goods using the 5-year period from 2017 to 2021, the fastest-growing products over that longer period were: iron ores and concentrates (up 132.9%), blood fractions including antisera (up 126.2%), integrated circuits or microassemblies (up 63.2%), machinery for making semi-conductors (up 60.9%) then petroleum gases (up 54.5%).

Two among the 20 major export products declined in value from 2017 to 2021. The 5-year declines were for globally exported cars via a -4.9% reduction and crude oil thanks to a -2.2% downturn.

Searchable List of Globally Exported Products in 2021

The 200 biggest exported products showcased in the automated database below account for 83% of the value for all commodities sold on international markets during 2021.

Focusing on the top 200 most valuable export products, 7 fast-growing commodities posted triple digit gains in value from 2017 to 2021. These increasingly valuable commodities were vulcanized rubber clothing or accessories (up 265.5% from 2017), platinum (up 235.9%), biodiesel (up 165.6%), iron ores and concentrates (up 132.9%), blood fractions including antisera (up 126.2%), specially designed containers (up 119.1%) then precious metal waste or scrap (up 117.6%).

You can change the presentation order in the automated table by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns in the above table. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means 2020 data was unavailable.



 

World’s Top Exports Report Card for Countries

Below are the 20 countries that earned the highest total dollar amounts in export sales for 2021. Shown within parenthesis is the percentage by which each country’s exports increased or declined compared to 2020 metrics.

1. China: $3.026 trillion (up 16.8% from 2020)
2. United States: $1.754 trillion (up 23.1%)
3. Germany: $1.626 trillion (up 17.9%)
4. Japan: $757.5 billion (up 18.2%)
5. Netherlands: $691.8 billion (up 25.5%)
6. Hong Kong: $672.2 billion (up 21.9%)
7. South Korea: $644.4 billion (up 25.7%)
8. Italy: $611 billion (up 22.6%)
9. France: $569.5 billion (up 19.6%)
10. Belgium: $547.5 billion (up 30.5%)
11. Canada: $503.7 billion (up 29.2%)
12. Mexico: $494.6 billion (up 18.6%)
13. Russia: $492.3 billion (up 46%)
14. United Kingdom: $468.1 billion (up 18.3%)
15. Singapore: $457.7 billion (up 22.4%)
16. Taiwan: $447.6 billion (up 29.1%)
17. Vietnam: $406.8 billion (up 44.5%)
18. India: $394.8 billion (up 43.3%)
19. Spain: $391.6 billion (up 25.5%)
20. Switzerland: $380.2 billion (up 19.2%)

By value, the above 20 countries shipped well over two-thirds (71.3%) of total exported products during 2021.

Among the world’s 20 biggest traders on international markets, the fastest-growing exporters from 2020 to 2021 were Russia (up 46%), Vietnam (up 44.5%), India (up 43.3%), Belgium (up 30.5%), Canada (up 29.2%), Taiwan (up 29.1%), South Korea (up 25.7%), Netherlands (up 25.5%), Spain (also up 25.5%) then the United States of America (up 23.1%).

The lowest annual increases among the top 20 belonged to a handful of major economies. These were mainland China (up 16.8% from 2020), Germany (up 17.9%), Japan (up 18.2%), United Kingdom (up 18.3%) and Mexico (up 18.6%).

Searchable List of Exporting Countries in 2021

The automated database below presents export data for all countries, territories and islands in 2021, ranked in descending order by dollar value.

You can also control presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the above columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means no 2020 data was available.

See also China’s Top 10 Exports, United States Top 10 Exports, United Kingdom’s Top 10 Exports and Top Red Meat Exporters Ranked by Dollar Value

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 8, 2022

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 8, 2022

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 8, 2022