The United Kingdom shipped US$512.8 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.
That dollar amount results from a 27.4% increase from $402.6 billion five years earlier for 2020 but a -1.3% setback versus $519.7 billion in 2023.
More data on UK exports by country, the EU and continent are described below.
United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners
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 2024. Also shown is each import country’s percentage of total UK exports.
- United States: US$71.3 billion (13.9% of total UK exports)
- mainland China: $46.6 billion (9.1%)
- Germany: $38.8 billion (7.6%)
- Netherlands: $33.7 billion (6.6%)
- Ireland: $29.3 billion (5.7%)
- Switzerland: $28.8 billion (5.6%)
- France: $28.5 billion (5.6%)
- Belgium: $21.6 billion (4.2%)
- United Arab Emirates: $12.3 billion (2.4%)
- Hong Kong: $11.9 billion (2.3%)
- Spain: $11.9 billion (2.3%)
- Italy: $11.2 billion (2.2%)
- India: $8.7 billion (1.7%)
- Poland: $8.4 billion (1.6%)
- Singapore: $8.1 billion (1.6%)
- Türkiye: $7.8 billion (1.5%)
- Japan: $7.6 billion (1.5%)
- Canada: $6.8 billion (1.3%)
- Sweden: $6.2 billion (1.2%)
- Australia: $5.6 billion (1.1%)
- Saudi Arabia: $5.1 billion (1%)
- South Korea: $4.8 billion (0.9%)
- Norway: $4.1 billion (0.8%)
- Azerbaijan: $3.8 billion (0.7%)
- Denmark: $3.4 billion (0.7%)
In 2024, over four-fifths (83.1%) of overall UK exports was delivered to the above 25 trade partners.
Increasing purchases from the United Kingdom by the greatest percentages were buyers in Azerbaijan (up 568.4% from 2023), mainland China (up 36.6%), United Arab Emirates (up 34%), Japan (up 10.9%) then Sweden (up 9.7%).
The severest decliners in demand among the UK’s most valuable customers for its exported products belong to India (down -30.5% from 2023), Hong Kong (down -26.1%), South Korea (down -21.5%), Switzerland (down -18.8%), Ireland (down -14.3%) and Canada (down -11.3%).
Top 5 Continents for Buying UK Exports
Applying a continents-based lens, exports by value from the United Kingdom were sold to importers located in the continental entities below.
- Europe: US$248.8 billion (50.6% of total UK exports)
- Asia: $136.9 billion (27.9%)
- North America: $80.1 billion (16.3%)
- Africa: $11.4 billion (2.3%)
- Latin America minus Mexico but including the Caribbean: $7.5 billion (1.5%)
- Oceania: $6.8 billion (1.4%)
UK Exports to EU Countries
By value, the United Kingdom’s exports to all 27 EU members in 2024 represents 43.1% of worldwide UK shipments during 2024. That percentage surpasses the 42.5% one year earlier in 2023.
The total value of EU purchases from the UK declined by -4.2% from $221.1 billion in 2023 to $211.8 billion for 2024.
Below are the top 10 EU customers for Britain’s exported goods during 2024, paying for 37.6% of all UK spending on imported products for the year.
- Germany: US$38.8 billion (7.6% of total UK exports)
- Netherlands: $33.7 billion (6.6%)
- Ireland: $29.3 billion (5.7%)
- France: $28.5 billion (5.6%)
- Belgium: $21.6 billion (4.2%)
- Spain: $11.9 billion (2.3%)
- Italy: $11.2 billion (2.2%)
- Poland: $8.4 billion (1.6%)
- Sweden: $6.2 billion (1.2%)
- Denmark: $3.4 billion (0.7%)
Expanding the focus to all 27 EU members, the fastest-growing customers for UK exports were Malta (up 58.3% from 2023), Lithuania (up 36.7%), Bulgaria (up 18.8%), Romania (up 14.1%) and Sweden (up 9.7%).
The greatest slippage among all EU importers of goods from the UK belongs to buyers in Estonia (down -20.5% from 2023), Ireland (down -14.3%), Cyprus (down -9.9%), Netherlands (down -9.3%) and the Czech Republic (down -8.2%).
UK’s Major Trade Deficits by Country
The United Kingdom incurred an overall -US$303.1 billion trade deficit during 2024. That dollar amount results from an 11.4% expansion from -$272.2 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.
- mainland China: -US$52.6 billion (country-specific trade deficit in 2024)
- Germany: -$37.5 billion
- Norway: -$25.1 billion
- Italy: -$20.8 billion
- United States of America: -$20.7 billion
- Canada: -$18 billion
- Spain: -$14.5 billion
- United Kingdom: -$11.8 billion
- Poland: -$11.5 billion
- South Africa: -$11.1 billion
Among the United Kingdom’s trading partners that cause the greatest negative trade balances, the United Kingdom’s deficits with Canada (up 183.9%), South Africa (up 58.4%) and Italy (up 14.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
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.
UK’s Major Trade Surpluses by Country
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 at the expense of the following countries.
- Switzerland: US$9.4 billion (country-specific trade surplus in 2024)
- Ireland: $9.1 billion
- United Arab Emirates: $8.7 billion
- Hong Kong: $8.7 billion
- Netherlands: $7.4 billion
- Singapore: $3.9 billion
- Azerbaijan: $3.8 billion
- Saudi Arabia: $3.3 billion
- Belgium: $3.2 billion
- Qatar: $2.5 billion
Among the United Kingdom’s trading partners that generated the greatest positive trade balances, the UK’s surpluses with Azerbaijan (up 1,319%), United Arab Emirates (up 41.9%) and Saudi Arabia (up 41.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
The positive cashflow streams for 2024 clearly indicate United Kingdom’s competitive advantages with the above countries but also represent key opportunities for the 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)
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 10, 2025
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on March 10, 2025
Forbes Global 2000, The World’s Largest Public Companies. Accessed on March 10, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 10, 2025
Investopedia, Net Importer Definition. Accessed on March 10, 2025