Over **** of the United Kingdom's exports went to countries in Europe in 2024. European countries were collectively the main import market for the UK, with **** percent originating from there. Trade to countries in the Asia-Pacific region accounted for **** percent of imports and **** percent of exports.
The UK trade in numbers contains the latest published UK trade and investment statistics. It draws on a number of statistical sources including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Trade statistics are derived from a number of sources and can be presented in different ways. The UK’s trade statistics are primarily provided by ONS releases, including the ONS monthly UK trade, ONS UK quarterly trade by partner country, and ONS UK balance of payments. These releases set out the UK’s economic relationship with other countries and illustrate the UK’s bilateral trade on top exports and imports for goods and services.
In addition, the UK trade in numbers depicts foreign direct investment, regional trade statistics, and the UK’s position in global rankings for exports and imports of goods and services.
The statistic shows the main import partners for the United Kingdom in 2023. In 2023, the United Kingdom's main import partner was China, accounting for 13 percent of all imports.
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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.
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Monthly import country-by-commodity data on the UK's trade in goods, including trade by all countries and selected commodities, non-seasonally adjusted.
This statistic shows the United Kingdom's main export partners in 2023. In 2023, the United States were the UK's most important export partner with a share of 14 percent of total exports.
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Imports in the United Kingdom decreased to 79693 GBP Million in March from 80426 GBP Million in February of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Imports - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.
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.
The following tables contain EU and non-EU import and export data for January 2025 at chapter level.
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The United Kingdom recorded a trade deficit of 5699 GBP Million in May of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.
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.
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Quarterly and annual time series of the value of UK imports and exports of goods grouped by product. Goods are attributed to the activity of which they are the principal products.
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Exports in the United Kingdom increased to 75997 GBP Million in March from 75570 GBP Million in February of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Exports - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.
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The United Kingdom's total Imports in 2024 were valued at US$809.19 Billion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. The United Kingdom's main import partners were: China, the United States and Germany. The top three import commodities were: Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers; Pearls, precious stones, metals, coins and Vehicles other than railway, tramway. Total Exports were valued at US$508.68 Billion. In 2024, The United Kingdom had a trade deficit of US$300.51 Billion.
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.
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<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>
<li>U.K. imports for 2022 were <strong>1.100 trillion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>18.98% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>U.K. imports for 2021 were <strong>924.27 billion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>17.73% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>U.K. imports for 2020 were <strong>785.07 billion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>16.64% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Imports of goods and services represent the value of all goods and other market services received from the rest of the world. They include the value of merchandise, freight, insurance, transport, travel, royalties, license fees, and other services, such as communication, construction, financial, information, business, personal, and government services. They exclude compensation of employees and investment income (formerly called factor services) and transfer payments. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
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The United Kingdom's total Imports in 2024 were valued at US$815.43 Billion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. The United Kingdom's main import partners were: China, the United States and Germany. The top three import commodities were: Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers; Pearls, precious stones, metals, coins and Vehicles other than railway, tramway. Total Exports were valued at US$512.78 Billion. In 2024, The United Kingdom had a trade deficit of US$302.65 Billion.
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United Kingdom UK: Imports: Lead Time data was reported at 6.000 Day in 2014. This stayed constant from the previous number of 6.000 Day for 2013. United Kingdom UK: Imports: Lead Time data is updated yearly, averaging 7.000 Day from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2014, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.000 Day in 2009 and a record low of 6.000 Day in 2014. United Kingdom UK: Imports: Lead Time data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Trade Statistics. Time to import is the time necessary to comply with all procedures required to import goods. Time is recorded in calendar days. The time calculation for a procedure starts from the moment it is initiated and runs until it is completed. If a procedure can be accelerated for an additional cost, the fastest legal procedure is chosen. It is assumed that neither the exporter nor the importer wastes time and that each commits to completing each remaining procedure without delay. Procedures that can be completed in parallel are measured as simultaneous. The waiting time between procedures--for example, during unloading of the cargo--is included in the measure.; ; World Bank, Doing Business project (http://www.doingbusiness.org/).; Unweighted average; Data are presented for the survey year instead of publication year.
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Country breakdown of trade in services values by mode of supply (imports and exports). Countries include only total services data, while regions include top-level Extended Balance of Payments Services (EBOPS) breakdown.
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Additional information for UK trade in goods by classification of product by activity.
Over **** of the United Kingdom's exports went to countries in Europe in 2024. European countries were collectively the main import market for the UK, with **** percent originating from there. Trade to countries in the Asia-Pacific region accounted for **** percent of imports and **** percent of exports.