Trade in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Trade was 62.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Trade in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1970–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for trade in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 62.5%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 69.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 41.6%, in 1972.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 132nd of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Trade in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 43.0% | — |
| 1971 | 42.7% | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 41.6% | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 47.4% | +14.1% |
| 1974 | 58.7% | +23.8% |
| 1975 | 52.8% | -10.2% |
| 1976 | 57.4% | +8.8% |
| 1977 | 58.9% | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 55.0% | -6.7% |
| 1979 | 54.7% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 51.3% | -6.1% |
| 1981 | 49.4% | -3.7% |
| 1982 | 49.6% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 50.8% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 55.4% | +9.0% |
| 1985 | 55.0% | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 50.5% | -8.0% |
| 1987 | 49.9% | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 47.4% | -5.1% |
| 1989 | 48.7% | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 48.2% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 45.3% | -6.1% |
| 1992 | 46.3% | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 49.7% | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 51.9% | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 50.8% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 52.1% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 50.7% | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 49.1% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 49.5% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 52.3% | +5.8% |
| 2001 | 52.6% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 51.2% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 50.1% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 50.3% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 52.5% | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 56.7% | +7.9% |
| 2007 | 52.7% | -7.0% |
| 2008 | 56.4% | +7.0% |
| 2009 | 54.7% | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 59.1% | +8.0% |
| 2011 | 63.3% | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 62.0% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 61.7% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 58.8% | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 57.1% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 59.8% | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 63.2% | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 64.9% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 65.0% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 59.2% | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 58.5% | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 69.2% | +18.2% |
| 2023 | 65.0% | -6.1% |
| 2024 | 62.8% | -3.3% |
| 2025 | 62.5% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.2% | 41.6% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.8% | 47.4% | 55.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.4% | 45.3% | 52.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.0% | 50.1% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.5% | 57.1% | 65.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.9% | 58.5% | 69.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 11.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1969 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 11,341 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 7.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.1495 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 8,613 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 5.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.166 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Trade in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 62.5% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest trade recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 69.2% in 2022.
- What is the lowest trade recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.6% in 1972.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for trade?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 132nd out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Trade (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Trade is the sum of exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.