That dollar amount results from a 54.3% increase compared to $169.7 billion five years earlier during 2020.
Year over year, the overall value of Turkish exports slowed to a 2.5% gain from $255.4 billion in 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the Turkish lira depreciated by -29.8% from 2023 to 2024. Türkiye’s weaker local currency makes its exports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively less expensive for international buyers.
Türkiye’s biggest export products by value in 2024 were refined petroleum oils, cars, jewelry, automotive parts or accessories, and trucks. In aggregate, those major exports account for 19.1% of overall exports sales from Türkiye. That percentage suggests a relatively diversified range of exported goods.
Historically recognized as a go-to exporter for rugs, Türkiye also ranks among the leading nations for exporting trucks and jewelry.
Türkiye’s Best International Trade Customers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 52.5% of products exported from Türkiye was bought by importers in: Germany (7.8% of the Turkish total), United States of America (6.2%), United Kingdom (5.8%), Iraq (5%), Italy (4.9%), France (3.8%), Spain (3.7%), Netherlands (3.3%), Russia (also 3.3%), United Arab Emirates (3.2%), Romania (3%) and Poland (2.4%).
From a continental perspective, 57.1% of Türkiye’s exports by value was delivered to European countries while 24.8% was sold to importers in Asia. Türkiye shipped another 8.3% worth of goods to buyers in Africa.
Smaller percentages went to customers located in North America (7.5%), Latin America (1.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.7%) led by Australia, Marshall Islands and New Zealand.
Given Türkiye’s population of 85.8 million people, its total $261.9 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $3,050 for every resident in the Middle Eastern country. That per-capital amount exceeded the average $2,950 for 2023.
Türkiye’s Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Turkish global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Türkiye.
- Vehicles: US$32.4 billion (12.4% of total exports)
- Machinery including computers: $25.6 billion (9.8%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $16.5 billion (6.3%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $16.4 billion (6.3%)
- Gems, precious metals: $13 billion (5%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $10.9 billion (4.2%)
- Iron, steel: $10.2 billion (3.9%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $10.1 billion (3.9%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $9.8 billion (3.8%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $7.4 billion (2.8%)
Türkiye’s top 10 exported product categories generated under three-fifths (58.2%) of the overall value of the country’s global shipments.
Iron and steel was the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 15% since 2023.
In second place for improving export sales was electrical machinery and equipment via a 7.3% advance.
Türkiye’s shipments of vehicles posted the third-fastest gain in value, up by 5.2%.
The leading decliner among Türkiye’s top 10 export categories was unknit and non-crocheted clothing and accessories which fell -8.1% year over year.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section below.
Searchable List of Türkiye’s Most Valuable Export Products
The following searchable table displays 100 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Türkiye during 2024. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2023.
These 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$169.9 billion or 64.9% by value for all products exported from Türkiye during 2024.
Products Generating the Greatest Trade Surpluses for Türkiye
The following types of Turkish product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: US$8.4 billion (Down by -6.5% since 2023)
- Articles of iron or steel: $5.7 billion (Down by -6.5%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $5.4 billion (Down by -15.3%)
- Fruits, nuts: $4.9 billion (Up by 18.2%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: $3.9 billion (Down by -3.2%)
- Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $3.4 billion (Up by 17%)
- Textile floor coverings: $2.8 billion (Up by 3.9%)
- Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $2.55 billion (Down by -4.5%)
- Cereal/milk preparations: $2.47 billion (Up by 4.3%)
- Arms, ammunition: $2.2 billion (Up by 48.5%)
Türkiye has highly positive net exports in the international trade of clothing and accessories. In turn, these cashflows indicate Türkiye’s strong competitive advantages under the related product categories.
Products Causing the Biggest Trade Deficits for Türkiye
Overall Türkiye incurred a -US$82.2 billion deficit on all products for 2024. That amount reflects a -22.7% decrease from the -$106.4 billion in red ink one year earlier during 2023.
Below are exports from Türkiye that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Türkiye’s goods trail Turkish importer spending on foreign products.
- Mineral fuels including oil: -US$49.1 billion (Down by -7% since 2023)
- Machinery including computers: -$14 billion (Down by -10.8%)
- Iron, steel: -$13.5 billion (Down by -12%)
- Gems, precious metals: -$11.8 billion (Down by -41.6%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$10.8 billion (Down by -13.8%)
- Organic chemicals: -$8.5 billion (Up by 6.2%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$4.8 billion (Up by 6.5%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: -$4.7 billion (Down by -16.6%)
- Pharmaceuticals: -$3.2 billion (Up by 13.5%)
- Copper: -$3.1 billion (Down by -2.4%)
Türkiye has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under the mineral fuels including oil category, historically for processed petroleum oils, coal and petroleum gases.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Türkiye’s competitive disadvantages in the international fossil fuel market, but also represent key opportunities for Türkiye to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations.
Türkiye’s Major Export Companies
Based on Forbes Global 2000 rankings, the following companies are examples of leading Turkish companies.
- Koç Group (industrial conglomerate)
- Sabanci Holding (automotive, banking)
- Turkcell (mobile phones)
- Enka (construction services)
- Anadolu Efes (brewery, non-alcoholic drinks)
Global trade intelligence firm Zepol lists the following firms exporting from Türkiye.
- Anadolu Dokum San (cast iron/steel articles)
- Cevikler Dis Ticaret (monumental/building stone)
- Evimteks Dis Tic Ve Paz (woven fabrics, facial tissues)
- MCE Cargo (steam condensers, plywood)
- Ulus Metal San Ve Tic (chain sprockets, transmission components, auto parts)
In macroeconomic terms, Türkiye’s total exported goods represent 7.6% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2024 ($3.457 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 7.6% for exports to overall GDP per PPP in 2024 trails the 7.7% one year earlier. Those percentages suggest a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Türkiye’s total economic performance.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Türkiye’s unemployment rate averaged 9.255% for 2024, down from the average 9.4% jobless rate one year earlier according to International Monetary Fund statistics.
Türkiye’s capital city is Ankara.
See also Top Turkish Trade Balances, Türkiye’s Top Trading Partners and Türkiye’s Top 10 Imports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: Country Profiles. Accessed on April 1, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on April 1, 2025
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on April 1, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 1, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 1, 2025
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on April 1, 2025
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on April 1, 2025
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Türkiye. Accessed on April 1, 2025
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on April 1, 2025
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Turkish Lira to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on April 1, 2025
Zepol’s Company summary highlights by country. Accessed on April 1, 2025