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.
November, 2021
Overview In November 2021 United Kingdom exported £29.9B and imported £47.8B, resulting in a negative trade balance of £17.9B. Between November 2020 and November 2021 the exports of United Kingdom have increased by £1.58B (5.58%) from £28.3B to £29.9B, while imports decreased by £-562M (-1.16%) from £48.3B to £47.8B.
Trade In November 2021, the top exports of United Kingdom were Commodities not elsewhere specified (£2.1B), Cars (£1.99B), Gas Turbines (£1.69B), Gold (£1.34B), and Packaged Medicaments (£1.32B). In November 2021 the top imports of United Kingdom were Petroleum Gas (£3.01B), Gold (£2.85B), Cars (£2.57B), Crude Petroleum (£1.92B), and Telephones (£1.44B).
Origins In November 2021 the exports of United Kingdom were mainly from London Heathrow Airport (£5.91B), Dover (£3.92B), Southampton (£2.09B), Immingham (£1.3B), and East Midlands Airport (£1.24B), while imports destinations were mainly London Heathrow Airport (£6.74B), Felixstowe (£3.76B), Southampton (£2.64B), and Hull (£1.68B).
Destinations In November 2021, United Kingdom exported mostly to United States (£3.77B), Netherlands (£2.71B), Germany (£2.52B), France (£1.79B), and Switzerland (£1.55B), and imported mostly from China (£6.6B), Germany (£4.65B), World (£3.98B), United States (£3.47B), and Netherlands (£3.11B).
Growth In November 2021, the increase in United Kingdom's year-by-year exports was explained primarily by an increase in exports to Switzerland (£1.05B or 207%), Netherlands (£1.03B or 61.2%), and Unknown (£501M or 29.5M%), and product exports increase in Gold (£799M or 148%), Commodities not elsewhere specified (£736M or 54.1%), and Gas Turbines (£484M or 40%). In November 2021, the decrease in United Kingdom's year-by-year imports was explained primarily by an decrease in imports from Germany (£-1.04B or -18.3%), Australia (£-833M or -82.2%), and United States (£-630M or -15.4%), and product imports decrease in Gold (£-2.9B or -50.5%), Telephones (£-673M or -31.9%), and Unpackaged Medicaments (£-287M or -71.3%).
EXPORT GROWTH (November 2020 - November 2021): £1.58B, (5.58%)
IMPORT GROWTH (November 2020 - November 2021): £-562M, (-1.16%)
MAIN EXPORTER (November 2021): London Heathrow Airport, £5.91B
MAIN DESTINATION (November 2021): United States, £3.77B
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 a country currently specializes in.
The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk vs strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is 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 greenhouse 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.