The 30 Countries That Export the Most Goods
Last year, global exports of goods totalled $23.8 trillion, declining by 5% compared to 2022.
Overall, the dollar value of exports dropped across 20 of the top 30 largest exporters in the world as the number of trade restrictions rose to almost 3,000 worldwide—approximately fivefold levels seen in 2015.
| Rank |
Country |
Global Share 2023 (%) |
Value (B) |
| 1 |
🇨🇳 China |
14.2 |
$3,380 |
| 2 |
🇺🇸 U.S. |
8.5 |
$2,020 |
| 3 |
🇩🇪 Germany |
7.1 |
$1,688 |
| 4 |
🇳🇱 Netherlands |
3.9 |
$935 |
| 5 |
🇯🇵 Japan |
3.0 |
$717 |
| 6 |
🇮🇹 Italy |
2.8 |
$677 |
| 7 |
🇫🇷 France |
2.7 |
$648 |
| 8 |
🇰🇷 South Korea |
2.7 |
$632 |
| 9 |
🇲🇽 Mexico |
2.5 |
$593 |
| 10 |
🇭🇰 Hong Kong |
2.4 |
$574 |
|
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As the table above shows, China exported $3.4 trillion in goods, exceeding America by nearly $1.4 trillion.
The last time America was the world’s top exporter was in 1979, but since then it has experienced a widening trade deficit. However, energy exports, America’s top export, have largely shifted from a deficit to a surplus over the past decade.
China has been the world’s largest exporter since 2006 when it replaced Germany. This came on the back of China’s phenomenal economic rise that began with the open and reform era back in 1979. A closer look at these exports shows 45% of Chinese exports are machinery and electronics. China has for two decades been the location for assembling the world’s iPhones, computers, servers as well as broadcasting equipment and semiconductors. Although the most advanced are made in Taiwan.
China is working to shift away from being the world’s electronics maker and move higher up the technology ladder. Already China is leading in electric vehicles (EVs), batteries and various other green technologies. China’s economic model is based upon importing energy and commodities and then turning these into electronic items for western markets. The US is the number one destination for China’s exports
The US has in the last decade become a top exporter of fossil fuels. This is quite an achievement as in the 2000s there were major concerns about America’s dependency on foreign energy imports. But with the development of new drilling techniques and the arrival of fracking the US is now the world’s largest oil exporter and a major gas exporter.
Germany continues to be a major exporter with machines and transportation dominating its exports. The German economy depends on exports which constitute 50% of its GDP. But it’s now facing major challenges from China who has developed electric vehicles and is challenging German car makers that have for long dominated the world’s vehicles.
