The Exporters
Exports of goods and services as a share of GDP, six major economies, 2000 to today
- Unit
- % of GDP
- Frequency
- Annual
- Coverage
- 2000–2025
- Evidence Quality
- High
Exports as a share of GDP — Germany near 40% and export-led, the US lowest on the strength of its home market.
World Bank WDI · Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) · NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS
Line chart, 2000 to 2025. Exports (% of GDP). 6 series: United States, China, India, Germany, Japan and Brazil. Germany is highlighted; its latest reading is 40.4% in 2025. Marked: Trade collapse, 2009; COVID-19, 2020.
Question
How much does each economy sell to the world — and who leans hardest on exports?
Evidence
Exports as a share of GDP measure how much of an economy's output is sold abroad. Germany is the export powerhouse, near 40% and rising — a whole economy built around selling to the world. Japan and India have roughly doubled their export shares to about 22%, and China holds near 21%. The United States is the outlier at the bottom, only about 11% — not because it exports little in dollars, but because its vast domestic market dwarfs its foreign sales.
Observation
Read level, slope and timing together.
A low export share can mean a big internal market, not weak trade: the US exports enormous sums, just small relative to its own GDP.
Assessment
- Germany is the export machine, near 40% of GDP and climbing — the model of an export-led advanced economy.
- Japan and India roughly doubled their export shares over the period, deepening their links to world demand.
- The US sits lowest by far, its huge domestic market leaving exports a small share of output.
Advantage
- And imports too?Exposure to Trade
- Does it run a surplus?Creditors and Debtors
- How much does it save?The Savers