The United Kingdom's total Exports in 2024 were valued at US$508.68 Billion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. The United Kingdom's main export partners were: the United States, China and Germany. The top three export commodities were: Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers; Pearls, precious stones, metals, coins and Vehicles other than railway, tramway. Total Imports were valued at US$809.19 Billion. In 2024, The United Kingdom had a trade deficit of US$300.51 Billion.

The United States was the leading country for exports from the United Kingdom in 2024, with 16.1 percent of all UK exports going to this market. Germany was the second-largest export market for the UK in this year, followed by the Netherlands, with these countries accounting for 8.8 and 7.7 percent of UK exports respectively. During this year, cars were the most valuable goods commodity exported from the UK, while general business services were the most valuable type of service exported from the UK. UK imports most from Germany Although the United States was the largest export market, Germany was the country from which the UK imported the highest share of goods, with 12.5 percent of the UK’s imports coming from the country in 2024. The United States was the second-largest source of imports for the UK, with ten percent originating from there in 2024, with China a close third at 9.8 percent of UK imports. The main types of trade goods imported from the rest of the world in the UK included cars, oil, and mechanical power generators. The Balance of Trade In the fourth quarter of 2024, the United Kingdom had an overall trade deficit of over 11.5 billion pounds. Although service exports from the UK to the rest of the world amounted to more than 119.9 billion pounds, the UK imported far more goods than it exported, resulting in a goods trade deficit of 55.4 billion pounds, bringing down the overall trade balance. As of 2023, the UK was behind only the U.S. when it came to the overall size of the trade deficit.

This page displays a table with United Kingdom Exports By Country. in U.S. dollars, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

In 2024, the United States was the leading export partner for the service exports from the United Kingdom, valued at almost 137 billion British pounds in 2024. Germany was the UK's second highest-export partner for services this year, at 29 billion pounds.

Monthly export country-by-commodity data on the UK's trade in goods, including trade by all countries and selected commodities, non-seasonally adjusted.

This page displays a table with United Kingdom Exports By Country,exports By Country in U.S. dollars, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

In the first quarter of 2025, the value of exports from the United Kingdom amounted to approximately 227 billion British pounds, while imports to the country amounted to around 238 billion pounds, resulting in a trade deficit of around 10.6 billion pounds in this quarter. During this time period, the value of UK exports was highest in the fourth quarter of 2022, with the value of imports peaking in the third quarter of 2022. The UK's main trade partners Despite the UK leaving the EU in 2020 following the Brexit referendum of 2016, Europe remains the main destination for UK exports, with almost half of UK exports heading there in 2023. During the same year, just over 60 percent of imports came from European countries, compared with around 17.9 percent from countries in Asia, and 11.8 percent from the Americas. In terms of individual countries, the United States was the UK's leading export partner for both goods and services from the UK, while Germany was the main source of UK goods imports, and the U.S. for service imports. It is as yet unclear how the return of Donald Trump to the White House will impact UK/US trade relations, should the President follow through with threats made on the campaign trail to increase trade tariffs. Brexit rethink under Starmer? Although generally more pro-European than the previous government, the new Labour government, led by Keir Starmer, does not plan to rejoin the European Union, or the Single Market. Public opinion, while gradually turning against Brexit recently, has not coalesced around a particular trading relationship. In late 2023, a survey indicated that while 31 percent of British adults wanted to rejoin the EU, a further 30 percent wanted to simply improve relations with the EU, instead of rejoining. Just 11 percent of respondents wanted to join the single market but not the EU, while 10 percent were happy with the relationship as it was. At the start of 2025, after several months in office, the new government has not signalled any major change in direction regarding on this, but has broadly signalled it wants a better relationship with the EU.

Experimental dataset providing a breakdown of UK trade in goods by industry, country and commodity on a balance of payments basis. Data are subject to disclosure control.

Experimental dataset providing a breakdown of UK trade in services by industry, country and service type on a balance of payments basis. Data are subject to disclosure control.

Cars were the most valuable type of commodity exported from the United Kingdom in 2024, with exports of this commodity valued at approximately 32.9 billion British pounds. Mechanical power generators were the second-most valuable commodity in 2024, with an export value of around 32.7 billion pounds in this year. By comparison, the most valuable import commodity was also cars, amounting to over 38.4 billion British pounds. The next most valuable import commodity was medicinal and pharmaceutical products at over 27.2 million pounds in this year. UK main trading partners Although the share of both imports and exports from the European Union has been declining recently, the single market is still by far the UK's main trading partner. In terms of individual countries, the United States was the main export partner in 2024 at 16.1 percent of all exports, while Germany was the UK's main import partner with 12.5 percent of imports coming from there in 2024. A main argument of the Leave vote, was that the UK should seek to improve up its trade with the rest of the world, outside of Europe. The success of this 'Global Britain' strategy, depends on the UK significantly scaling up its trade with other continents, with countries outside of Europe still responsible for far less trade than European ones. Brexit and EU trade At the start of 2021, the United Kingdom exited both the European Single Market and the European Customs Union, with the UK's trading relationship with the EU now determined by a new Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). Although the TCA continued tariff and quota-free goods trade between the EU and UK, a number of customs checks came into force, increasing trade friction between the two parties. The status of Northern Ireland in the initial agreement was also different from the rest of the UK. Goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain were initially subject to customs checks, to prevent customs checks occurring at the border with the Republic of Ireland. In February 2023, it was announced that under a new EU-UK agreement called the Windsor Framework, some goods entering Northern Ireland from Britain will be subject to fewer checks.

International trade is one of the most pressing topics on the UK’s Brexit checklist. With no definitive EU deal in immediate sight, it is not just the UK-EU trade that is at stake, but also the continuity of a number of trade agreements with third countries that take effect automatically with EU membership. It is fair to say that this uncertainty surrounding the UK’s international trade will not help the fluctuations experienced in the UK’s goods export as displayed in this statistic.

UK exports in and outside the EU

Since 2008, the UK ships more goods to non-EU countries than EU27. Nevertheless, even with its shrinking share in UK exports, the EU market accounts for the largest proportion of UK trade. This becomes more apparent when we look at the UK’s export trade partners as individual countries.

Trade balance swings

The UK is among the top exporting economies in the world, yet the country’s trade balance seems to be widening. In the first quarter of 2019, the UK’s trade deficit was the largest since 2016. This was down to increasing import activity, as export of trade goods still continued to improve over this period of time.

Quarterly estimates of total trade, trade in goods, and trade in services by country, seasonally adjusted.

This statistics displays the trade balance (exports minus imports) of the United Kingdom with countries outside the European Union annually from 1999 to 2023. UK exports to non-EU countries were higher than imports in 2023, with the trade balance measuring approximately at 75 billion British pounds.

Quarterly estimates of service type by partner country, non-seasonally adjusted.

Over the period in consideration, it was reported that Ireland was the main importer of baked goods from the United Kingdom (UK), with approximately 120 thousand tons of recorded import in 2024. In that year, the United States imported approximately 15.4 thousand tons of baked goods from the United Kingdom.

Key information about United Kingdom Total Exports

• United Kingdom Total Exports recorded 46.0 USD bn in Dec 2024, compared with 49.1 USD bn in the previous month
• UK Total Exports data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1996 to Dec 2024, with an averaged value of 35.6 USD bn
• The data reached an all-time high of 56.2 USD bn in May 2013 and a record low of 18.8 USD bn in Aug 1996

• In the latest reports, UK Total Exports grew 24.7 % YoY in Dec 2024
• Total Imports recorded 65.4 USD bn in Dec 2024, which registered an increase of 2.7 % year on year
• UK Trade Balance recorded a deficit of 19.4 USD bn in Dec 2024

Historical chart and dataset showing U.K. exports by year from 1970 to 2023.

This statistic shows the value of Northern Ireland exports to other countries within the European Union (excluding the Republic of Ireland) in 2020, by country. That year, Germany was Northern Ireland's biggest EU export market, with an export value of 540 million British pounds, followed by the Netherlands and France.

Cider exported from the United Kingdom to Canada was valued at around six million British pounds in 2023, followed by the U.S. accounting for approximately 3.5 million British pounds worth of UK exports.