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Foreign trade figures of the United Kingdom

Foreign Trade in Figures

The United Kingdom is one of the main players in international commerce, with foreign trade representing 62% of its GDP in 2025 (World Bank). Gold trade weighs heavily on goods trade figures: in 2025, gold was the main export (14.4% of the total), followed by turbojets (9.6%), motor cars (5.5%), medicaments (3.3%), and crude oil (3.1%); whereas imports were led by gold (16.3%), motor cars (6.5%), turbojets (3.7%), crude oil (2.7%), and refined petroleum products (2.5% - data Comtrade).

At a country level, in 2025, the UK mainly exported towards the United States (15.9%), Germany (7.7%), China (6.6%), the Netherlands (5.9%), Switzerland (5.5%), and France (5.4%); with imports coming chiefly from the United States (11.9%), China (11.4%), Germany (8.4%), Switzerland (5.5%), and France (4.5% - data Comtrade). The EU as a whole remains the UK's main trading partner. In order to diversify its business partners, the UK has signed a wide network of free trade agreements with nations and trade blocs, including a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with India, in force since 15 July 2026.

The country has a structural trade deficit, even though it has a large surplus in the services sector. According to WTO data, in 2025, the United Kingdom imported USD 948.6 billion worth of goods (+15.7% y-o-y) and exported USD 555.8 billion (+6% y-o-y); in the same year, exports of services stood at USD 719.6 billion (+11.1% y-o-y), against USD 450.1 billion in imports (+9.1% y-o-y). The overall trade balance was estimated to be negative by 1.3% of GDP by the World Bank (compared to -0.7% one year earlier). According to preliminary estimates from the ONS, after adjusting for inflation, total annual imports of goods and services increased by GBP 32.0 billion (3.4% y-o-y) to GBP 959.2 billion in 2025, while total annual exports increased by GBP 17.9 billion (2.0%) to GBP 902.8 billion in 2025.

 
Foreign Trade Values 20212022202320242025
Imports of Goods (million USD) 695,115823,592791,544820,194948,641
Exports of Goods (million USD) 472,147546,151525,016524,286555,829
Imports of Services (million USD) 252,982322,389374,068412,087449,181
Exports of Services (million USD) 463,124529,031572,933647,267718,470

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20212022202320242025
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 58.569.265.062.862.5
Trade Balance (million USD) -208,678-245,025-238,643-261,956-320,414
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) 1,420-38,781-40,127-26,755-50,832
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 5.313.9-1.62.74.1
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 2.915.2-2.31.32.1
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 29.235.133.131.831.9
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 29.334.131.931.130.6

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 2026 (e)2027 (e)2028 (e)2029 (e)2030 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) 1.71.21.51.51.4
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) 3.21.71.21.01.1

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
The United Kingdom is a member of the following international economic organisations: IMF, Commonwealth, G-5, G-8, G-10, G-20, ICC, WHO, OECD, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates the United Kingdom click here. International organisation membership of the United Kingdom is also outlined here.
Free Trade Agreements
The complete and up-to-date list of Free Trade Agreements signed by the United Kingdom can be consulted here.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2025
United States 15.9%
Germany 7.7%
China 6.6%
Netherlands 5.9%
Switzerland 5.5%
See More Countries 58.3%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2025
United States 11.9%
China 11.4%
Germany 8.4%
Switzerland 5.5%
France 4.5%
See More Countries 58.3%

Source: Comtrade, 2026. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

554.9 bn USD of products exported in 2025
Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought...Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought or not further worked than semi-manufactured or in powder form 14.4%
Turbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbinesTurbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbines 9.6%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 5.5%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 3.3%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 3.1%
See More Products 64.2%
948.9 bn USD of products imported in 2025
Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought...Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought or not further worked than semi-manufactured or in powder form 16.3%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 6.5%
Turbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbinesTurbojets, turbopropellers and other gas turbines 3.7%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 2.7%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 2.5%
See More Products 68.3%

Source: Comtrade, 2026. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

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Latest Update: October 2026