United Kingdom2019 Economic Complexity : 1.46, Rank 13 of 146
2019 Product Exports | Imports: $446B | $664B, 10 of 225 | 4 of 225
2019 Per Capita Product Exports | Imports: $6.68k | $9.94k, 36 of 219 | 28 of 219
2018 Service Exports | Imports : $202M | $309M, 2 of 125 | 4 of 125
Overview In 2019 United Kingdom was the number 6 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 10 in total exports, the number 4 in total imports, the number 23 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 13 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI).
Exports The top exports of United Kingdom are Cars ($39.4B), Gas Turbines ($25.6B), Gold ($24B), Crude Petroleum ($22.6B), and Packaged Medicaments ($19B), exporting mostly to United States ($64.7B), Germany ($44.3B), China ($29.8B), Netherlands ($29.4B), and France ($29.1B).
In 2019, United Kingdom was the world's biggest exporter of Hard Liquor ($8.11B), Brochures ($2.45B), Antiques ($1.09B), Stainless Steel Ingots ($460M), and Railroad Ties ($190M)
Imports The top imports of United Kingdom are Gold ($65B), Cars ($47.3B), Crude Petroleum ($23.3B), Refined Petroleum ($20.9B), and Broadcasting Equipment ($16.7B), importing mostly from Germany ($86B), China ($63.6B), United States ($51B), Netherlands ($48.5B), and France ($38.2B).
In 2019, United Kingdom was the world's biggest importer of Gold ($65B), Platinum ($6.83B), Unpackaged Medicaments ($2.34B), Self-Propelled Rail Transport ($1.57B), and Preserved Meat ($901M)
Location United Kingdom borders Ireland by land and by sea.
June, 2021
Overview In June 2021 United Kingdom exported £29.3B and imported £43.8B, resulting in a negative trade balance of £14.5B. Between June 2020 and June 2021 the exports of United Kingdom have increased by £4.99B (20.5%) from £24.3B to £29.3B, while imports increased by £5.49B (14.3%) from £38.3B to £43.8B.
Trade In June 2021, the top exports of United Kingdom were Gold (£2.28B), Commodities not elsewhere specified (£1.88B), Packaged Medicaments (£1.84B), Cars (£1.59B), and Gas Turbines (£1.34B). In June 2021 the top imports of United Kingdom were Gold (£5.97B), Cars (£2.36B), Crude Petroleum (£1.46B), Gas Turbines (£1.21B), and Telephones (£932M).
Origins In June 2021 the exports of United Kingdom were mainly from London Heathrow Airport (£5.53B), Dover (£3.77B), Southampton (£2.22B), Immingham (£2.11B), and London Stansted Airport (£1.76B), while imports destinations were mainly N/A.
Destinations In June 2021, United Kingdom exported mostly to United States (£3.53B), Germany (£2.68B), Belgium (£2.09B), Netherlands (£2.09B), and France (£1.73B), and imported mostly from China (£5B), Germany (£4.64B), United States (£4.13B), Netherlands (£2.56B), and Switzerland (£2.28B).
Growth In June 2021, the increase in United Kingdom's year-by-year exports was explained primarily by an increase in exports to Belgium (£1.25B or 148%), Hungary (£849M or 942%), and Netherlands (£735M or 54.1%), and product exports increase in Gold (£1.04B or 84.2%), Commodities not elsewhere specified (£882M or 88%), and Packaged Medicaments (£657M or 55.4%). In June 2021, the increase in United Kingdom's year-by-year imports was explained primarily by an increase in imports from Switzerland (£1.7B or 292%), China (£939M or 23.1%), and United States (£760M or 22.6%), and product imports increase in Crude Petroleum (£755M or 107%), Petroleum Gas (£577M or 392%), and Cars (£528M or 28.8%).
EXPORT GROWTH (June 2020 - June 2021): £4.99B, (20.5%)
IMPORT GROWTH (June 2020 - June 2021): £5.49B, (14.3%)
MAIN EXPORTER (June 2021): London Heathrow Airport, £5.53B
MAIN DESTINATION (June 2021): United States, £3.53B
This section shows exports and imports data at subnational level for United Kingdom. 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 United Kingdom over time.
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Top Export (2019): Cars, $39.4B
Top Destination (2019): United States, $64.7B
In 2019, United Kingdom exported a total of $446B, making it the number 10 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of United Kingdom have changed by -$44.8B from $491B in 2014 to $446B in 2019.
The most recent exports are led by Cars ($39.4B), Gas Turbines ($25.6B), Gold ($24B), Crude Petroleum ($22.6B), and Packaged Medicaments ($19B). The most common destination for the exports of United Kingdom are United States ($64.7B), Germany ($44.3B), China ($29.8B), Netherlands ($29.4B), and France ($29.1B).
In 2019 United Kingdom imported $664B, making it the number 4 trade destination in the world. During the last five reported years the imports of United Kingdom changed by -$13.5B from $678B in 2014 to $664B in 2019.
The most recent imports of United Kingdom are led by Gold ($65B), Cars ($47.3B), Crude Petroleum ($23.3B), Refined Petroleum ($20.9B), and Broadcasting Equipment ($16.7B). The most common import partners for United Kingdom are Germany ($86B), China ($63.6B), United States ($51B), Netherlands ($48.5B), and France ($38.2B).
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2018 - 2019)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2018 - 2019)
United Kingdom Exports Services (2018): $202M
United Kingdom Imports Services (2018): $309M
In 2018, United Kingdom exported $202M worth of services. The top services exported by United Kingdom in 2018 were Sea transport ($67.9M), Other personal, cultural, and recreational services ($67.9M), and Miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services ($66.3M).
The top services imported by United Kingdom in 2018 were Insurance services ($176M), Business travel ($66.3M), and Merchanting and other trade-related services ($66.3M).
United Kingdom has a high level of specialization in Railroad Ties (12.9), Antiques (12.8), Hard Liquor (9.7), Stainless Steel Ingots (9.5), and Sculptures (8.4). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between United Kingdom observed and expected exports in each product.
The highest complexity exports of United Kingdom according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Measuring or checking instruments nes (1.93), Equipment using X-rays, alpha, beta, gamma rays (1.84), Bar or rod of stainless steel, hot rolled, coiled (1.78), Instruments to check or measure electricity, radiation (1.77), and Microscopes except optical, diffraction apparatus (1.73). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.
The top export opportunities for United Kingdom according to the relatedness index, are Enzymes (0.34), Zirconium (0.34), Medical Instruments (0.34), Laboratory Glassware (0.34), and Cutting Blades (0.34). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom's economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the 6th to the 13th 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.