Germany2019 Economic Complexity : 1.92, Rank 4 of 146
2019 Product Exports | Imports: $1.44T | $1.16T, 3 of 225 | 3 of 225
2019 Per Capita Product Exports | Imports: $17.3k | $14k, 17 of 219 | 21 of 219
2018 Service Exports | Imports : $236B | $245B, 3 of 125 | 3 of 125
Overview In 2019 Germany was the number 4 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 3 in total exports, the number 3 in total imports, the number 18 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 4 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI).
Exports The top exports of Germany are Cars ($145B), Vehicle Parts ($62.9B), Packaged Medicaments ($56.8B), Planes, Helicopters, and/or Spacecraft ($31.8B), and Blood, antisera, vaccines, toxins and cultures ($29.8B), exporting mostly to United States ($131B), France ($115B), China ($107B), Netherlands ($87.7B), and United Kingdom ($86B).
In 2019, Germany was the world's biggest exporter of Cars ($145B), Vehicle Parts ($62.9B), Packaged Medicaments ($56.8B), Centrifuges ($13.7B), and Electrical Control Boards ($13.7B)
Imports The top imports of Germany are Cars ($75B), Vehicle Parts ($41.1B), Packaged Medicaments ($30.5B), Crude Petroleum ($29.4B), and Refined Petroleum ($23.5B), importing mostly from Netherlands ($106B), China ($96.9B), France ($76.2B), Belgium ($68.9B), and Poland ($68.4B).
In 2019, Germany was the world's biggest importer of Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds ($17.9B), Ball Bearings ($4.4B), Cheese ($4.37B), Large Flat-Rolled Stainless Steel ($3.71B), and Oxygen Amino Compounds ($3.3B)
Location Germany borders Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland by land and Sweden and United Kingdom by sea.
May, 2021
Overview In May 2021 Germany exported €109B and imported €97.7B, resulting in a positive trade balance of €11.2B. Between May 2020 and May 2021 the exports of Germany have increased by €29B (36.3%) from €79.9B to €109B, while imports increased by €24.3B (33%) from €73.4B to €97.7B.
Trade In May 2021, the top exports of Germany were Motor cars and motor caravans (€8.66B), Pharmaceutical products (€7.54B), Chassis, bodies, engines etc. for motor... (€6.61B), Machinery for electricity production, distribution (€5.65B), and Other machinery (€4.22B). In May 2021 the top imports of Germany were Pharmaceutical products (€5.86B), Petroleum oil and petroleum gases (€4.86B), Estimations for non-response (€4.74B), Motor cars and motor caravans (€4.52B), and Machinery for electricity production, distribution (€4.41B).
Origins In May 2021 the exports of Germany were mainly from Baden-Württemberg (€17.7B), North Rhine-Westphalia (€16.5B), Bavaria (€14.9B), Lower Saxony (€7.31B), and Hesse (€5.67B), while imports destinations were mainly North Rhine-Westphalia (€20.5B), Bavaria (€16.8B), Baden-Württemberg (€16.4B), Hesse (€10.4B), and Lower Saxony (€8.11B).
Destinations In May 2021, Germany exported mostly to United States (€9.09B), China (€8.4B), France (€8.37B), Netherlands (€7.94B), and Poland (€6.21B), and imported mostly from China (€10.4B), Netherlands (€8.5B), United States (€5.95B), Poland (€5.61B), and Italy (€5.49B).
Growth In May 2021, the increase in Germany's year-by-year exports was explained primarily by an increase in exports to United States (€2.62B or 40.5%), France (€2.24B or 36.5%), and Poland (€2.1B or 51.3%), and product exports increase in Motor cars and motor caravans (€4.22B or 94.9%), Chassis, bodies, engines etc. for motor... (€2.79B or 73%), and Machinery for electricity production, distribution (€1.67B or 41.9%). In May 2021, the increase in Germany's year-by-year imports was explained primarily by an increase in imports from Netherlands (€1.82B or 27.3%), Poland (€1.63B or 41%), and Belgium (€1.61B or 59.8%), and product imports increase in Petroleum oil and petroleum gases (€2.34B or 92.7%), Motor cars and motor caravans (€1.88B or 71.2%), and Chassis, bodies, engines etc. for motor... (€1.51B or 70%).
EXPORT GROWTH (May 2020 - May 2021): €29B, (36.3%)
IMPORT GROWTH (May 2020 - May 2021): €24.3B, (33%)
MAIN EXPORTER (May 2021): Baden-Württemberg, €17.7B
MAIN DESTINATION (May 2021): United States, €9.09B
This section shows exports and imports data at subnational level for Germany. Click any date in the line plot, any subnational region in the geomap, or any product, destination or origin country to explore the exports or imports behavior of Germany over time.
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Top Export (2019): Cars, $145B
Top Destination (2019): United States, $131B
In 2019, Germany exported a total of $1.44T, making it the number 3 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Germany have changed by -$9.72B from $1.45T in 2014 to $1.44T in 2019.
The most recent exports are led by Cars ($145B), Vehicle Parts ($62.9B), Packaged Medicaments ($56.8B), Planes, Helicopters, and/or Spacecraft ($31.8B), and Blood, antisera, vaccines, toxins and cultures ($29.8B). The most common destination for the exports of Germany are United States ($131B), France ($115B), China ($107B), Netherlands ($87.7B), and United Kingdom ($86B).
Top Import (2019): Cars, $75B
Top Origin (2019): Netherlands, $106B
In 2019 Germany imported $1.16T, making it the number 3 trade destination in the world. During the last five reported years the imports of Germany changed by $31.1B from $1.13T in 2014 to $1.16T in 2019.
The most recent imports of Germany are led by Cars ($75B), Vehicle Parts ($41.1B), Packaged Medicaments ($30.5B), Crude Petroleum ($29.4B), and Refined Petroleum ($23.5B). The most common import partners for Germany are Netherlands ($106B), China ($96.9B), France ($76.2B), Belgium ($68.9B), and Poland ($68.4B).
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2018 - 2019)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2018 - 2019)
Germany Exports Services (2018): $236B
Germany Imports Services (2018): $245B
In 2018, Germany exported $236B worth of services. The top services exported by Germany in 2018 were Miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services ($64.4B), Computer and information services ($37.2B), Travel ($33.5B), Sea transport ($29.2B), and Royalties and license fees ($23.7B).
The top services imported by Germany in 2018 were Travel ($75.5B), Miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services ($67.5B), Computer and information services ($32.5B), Sea transport ($17.8B), and Royalties and license fees ($15.6B).
The top product import tariffs by their MFN Ad Valorem value for Germany are Sugar beet (178%) and Whey (173%).
Click any of the products in the bar chart to see the specific Ad Valorem Duty Rates by partner country.
*The tariffs applied to imports for Germany are:
Germany has a high level of specialization in Electric Locomotives (7.45), Felt Machinery (5.19), Artificial Textile Machinery (5.09), Hops (5), and Cermets (4.53). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Germany observed and expected exports in each product.
The highest complexity exports of Germany according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Photo plate, film, exposed or developed, except cine (2.76), Machining centre, single/multistation transfer machine (2.42), Machines nes having individual functions (2.05), Machine-tools for shaping metals, nes (2.03), and Tool plates, tips, etc, sintered metal carbide, cermet (2.03). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.
The top export opportunities for Germany according to the relatedness index, are Photo Lab Equipment (0.54), Vegetable Parchment (0.53), Photographic Chemicals (0.53), Armored vehicles (0.52), and Aluminium Gas Containers (0.52). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Germany is not specialized in.
The product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products it is currently specialized in.
The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk and the strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is a predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower emissions.
During the last 20 years Germany's economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the 2nd to the 4th position in the ECI rank.
These economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.