The overall dollar value of exported chemicals rose by an average 28.6% for all exporting countries since five years earlier in 2019 when chemical shipments were valued at $539.5 billion.
Year over year, the combined total comprising exported organic and inorganic chemicals shrank by -10.1% compared to $772 billion for 2022.
The world’s 5 biggest exporters of organic and inorganic chemicals combined are mainland China, United States of America, Ireland, Switzerland and Germany. Collectively, these leading countries generated 44.5% of all international sales for exported chemicals during 2023.
The primary difference between organic and inorganic chemicals is technical. Specifically, a carbon atom is a must-have component of organic chemicals whereas inorganic chemicals contain no carbon atoms.
Exported organic chemicals were valued at $495.9 billion during 2023 (71.5% of the global total) while worldwide shipments of inorganic chemicals raked in much less cash from global customers at $198.1 billion (28.5%).
For research purposes, the respective 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefixes are 28 for inorganic chemicals and 29 for organic chemicals.
Chemical Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of chemicals during 2023 encompassing both organic and inorganic chemicals:
- mainland China: US$112.2 billion (16.2% of total exported chemicals)
- United States: $66.7 billion (9.6%)
- Ireland: $47.7 billion (6.9%)
- Switzerland: $41 billion (5.9%)
- Germany: $41 billion (5.9%)
- South Korea: $37.6 billion (5.4%)
- Belgium: $34.5 billion (5%)
- Netherlands: $26.1 billion (3.8%)
- Japan: $23.7 billion (3.4%)
- India: $22.7 billion (3.3%)
- France: $20.3 billion (2.9%)
- United Kingdom: $15.4 billion (2.2%)
- Singapore: $15.2 billion (2.2%)
- Saudi Arabia: $14.3 billion (2.1%)
- Italy: $10.7 billion (1.5%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped over three-quarters (76.3%) of globally exported chemicals in 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing chemicals exporters since 2019 were: Switzerland (up 82.1%), mainland China (up 52.5%), South Korea (up 43.7%) and France (up 37.0%).
Two major suppliers that posted declines in their exported chemicals sales over the 5-year timespan were: Saudi Arabia (down -5.4% from 2019) and Japan (down -1.8%).
Exports of Organic Chemicals
The following list showcases the top 15 exporters of organic chemicals in 2023.
- mainland China: US$77.9 billion (15.7% of exported organic chemicals)
- United States: $51.7 billion (10.4%)
- Ireland: $44.6 billion (9%)
- Switzerland: $40.3 billion (8.1%)
- Belgium: $29.8 billion (6%)
- Germany: $28 billion (5.6%)
- South Korea: $21.2 billion (4.3%)
- Netherlands: $20.2 billion (4.1%)
- India: $19.5 billion (3.9%)
- France: $15.3 billion (3.1%)
- Japan: $14.8 billion (3%)
- Singapore: $14.6 billion (2.9%)
- United Kingdom: $13.6 billion (2.7%)
- Saudi Arabia: $12.6 billion (2.5%)
- Spain: $8.5 billion (1.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 83.2% of globally exported organic chemicals in 2023. Total export sales for organic chemicals rose by 20.1% from 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of organic chemicals since 2019 were: mainland China (up 37.2%), Switzerland (up 30.2%), Spain (up 23.7%) and the United Kingdom (up 7.5%).
Those countries that posted declines in their sales of exported organic chemicals were led by: Saudi Arabia (down -22.2% from 2019), Germany (down -19%), Netherlands (down -16.4%), South Korea (down -14.3%) and Japan (down -14.2%).
Exports of Inorganic Chemicals
The following list highlights the leading 15 exporters of inorganic chemicals in 2023.
- mainland China: US$34.3 billion (17.3% of exported inorganic chemicals)
- South Korea: $16.4 billion (8.3%)
- United States: $15 billion (7.6%)
- Germany: $13 billion (6.6%)
- Chile: $10.2 billion (5.1%)
- Japan: $8.87 billion (4.5%)
- Australia: $6.3 billion (3.2%)
- Netherlands: $6 billion (3%)
- Canada: $5.7 billion (2.9%)
- Russia: $5.2 billion (2.6%)
- France: $5.1 billion (2.6%)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo: $4.9 billion (2.5%)
- Belgium: $4.7 billion (2.4%)
- Kazakhstan: $4.4 billion (2.2%)
- Brazil: $4.2 billion (2.1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 72.8% of globally exported inorganic chemicals in 2023. Total export sales for inorganic chemicals accelerated by 56.7% from 2019.
Among the above countries, the growth exporters of inorganic chemicals since 2019 were: Germany (up 32.3%), Kazakhstan (up 21.3%), South Korea (up 4.5%) and Canada (up 3.6%).
Those countries that posted declines in their sales of exported inorganic chemicals were led by: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (down -39.4% from 2019), Belgium (down -23.2%), Brazil (down -18.6%), Russia (down -18.5%) and the Netherlands (down -15.5%).
Major Chemicals Companies
According to Chemical & Engineering News, the following companies are major players in global chemical sales. The entries are listed in alphabetical order.
- BASF (Germany)
- Bayer (Germany)
- Dow Chemical (United States)
- DuPont (United States)
- ExxonMobil (United States)
- Formosa Plastics (Taiwan)
- Ineos (Switzerland)
- LyondellBasell Industries (United States)
- SABIC (Saudi Arabia)
- Sinopec (China)
See also Lithium Ion Batteries Exports by Country, Uranium Exports by Country, Top Importers of Laptop Computers Ranked by Dollar Value, Gold Exports by Country Plus Average Prices and Silver Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on August 17, 2024
Chemical & Engineering News, Volume 93 Issue 30, pp. 14-26. Accessed on August 17, 2024
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on August 17, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 17, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 17, 2024