Exports as a Share of GDP measures the scale of a country’s goods-and-services exports relative to the size of its domestic economy. Among the 138 countries and areas with a 2025 World Bank observation, the unweighted median is 36.34% and the simple mean is 43.60%. Korea is at 45.76%. This is not an export growth rate and it is not the trade balance; it compares the annual value of exports with GDP.
Table of Contents
What the indicator measures
World Bank series NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS reports exports of goods and services as a percentage of GDP. Goods exports record changes in economic ownership from residents to non-residents, while services exports cover services supplied by residents to non-residents. The measure can therefore include not only merchandise but also cross-border transport, travel, financial, communications, business, and other services.
A value of 40% means the recorded exports of goods and services are equivalent to about 40% of GDP in that year. It does not mean that 40% of GDP was “earned abroad,” nor does it mean net exports contributed 40% of GDP. The ratio does not by itself reveal how large imports are, how much imported content is embedded in exports, or how much domestic value added sits behind the gross export flow.
Six 2025 observations are above 100% of GDP
Hong Kong SAR, China has the highest 2025 observation at 199.76%. Luxembourg is at 190.52%, Singapore 177.85%, Ireland 140.07%, Malta 119.11%, and Djibouti 110.49%. Viet Nam follows at 98.24%, Cyprus at 97.57%, Macao SAR at 92.29%, and the Slovak Republic at 85.09%.
Exactly 6 of the 138 same-year observations are at or above 100%. That is not automatically a statistical error. GDP measures domestic value added, while exports record gross cross-border sales of goods and services. In highly trade-intensive economies, export flows can therefore exceed GDP. The indicator alone, however, cannot establish why a particular country is high or low, so it should not be turned into a one-number ranking of competitiveness.
Highest 10 observations in 2025
| Country or area | Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong SAR, China | 199.76% |
| Luxembourg | 190.52% |
| Singapore | 177.85% |
| Ireland | 140.07% |
| Malta | 119.11% |
| Djibouti | 110.49% |
| Viet Nam | 98.24% |
| Cyprus | 97.57% |
| Macao SAR, China | 92.29% |
| Slovak Republic | 85.09% |
Lowest 10 observations in 2025
| Country or area | Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) |
|---|---|
| Sudan | 1.10% |
| Haiti | 1.56% |
| Nepal | 8.83% |
| Comoros | 9.30% |
| Pakistan | 9.99% |
| Malawi | 10.65% |
| Bangladesh | 11.12% |
| Gambia, The | 12.73% |
| Cameroon | 13.09% |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 13.26% |
At the lower end, Sudan is at 1.10% and Haiti at 1.56%. Nepal is 8.83%, Comoros 9.30%, and Pakistan 9.99%, followed by Malawi at 10.65% and Bangladesh at 11.12%. A low ratio is not a complete verdict on export capacity: domestic-market size, economic structure, the reference year, and statistical coverage can all affect where a country appears.
How the 138 observations are distributed
| 2025 export share of GDP | Countries/areas | Share of 138 |
|---|---|---|
| Below 20% | 27 | 19.6% |
| 20% to <40% | 49 | 35.5% |
| 40% to <60% | 33 | 23.9% |
| 60% to <80% | 18 | 13.0% |
| 80% to <100% | 5 | 3.6% |
| 100% or more | 6 | 4.3% |
The largest band is 20% to below 40%, with 49 observations (35.5%). Another 33 lie between 40% and 60%. The middle half of the distribution runs from about 22.1% to 52.6%. The mean of 43.60% is above the median of 36.34% because a small group of very high ratios—including Hong Kong SAR, Luxembourg, Singapore, and Ireland—pulls the upper tail upward.
Korea and selected major economies in the same 2025 set
| Economy | Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) |
|---|---|
| Korea, Rep. | 45.76% |
| China | 21.07% |
| Germany | 40.43% |
| France | 33.39% |
| United Kingdom | 30.60% |
| India | 22.26% |
| Indonesia | 22.85% |
| Brazil | 17.82% |
| Canada | 31.33% |
| Australia | 23.24% |
| Mexico | 39.65% |
| South Africa | 31.41% |
| Saudi Arabia | 29.74% |
Korea is at 45.76%, above the 2025 median. China is 21.07%, Germany 40.43%, France 33.39%, the United Kingdom 30.60%, India 22.26%, and Indonesia 22.85%. Mexico is 39.65%, Canada 31.33%, Australia 23.24%, Brazil 17.82%, South Africa 31.41%, and Saudi Arabia 29.74%. Even among large economies or countries in the same broad region, the export share varies substantially.
Export share is not the same as the trade balance
This indicator measures the gross size of exports relative to GDP. The goods-and-services balance instead subtracts imports from exports and then compares that difference with GDP. A country can therefore have a very high export share and only a modest surplus if imports are also large. Another country can have a lower export share but still record a positive balance if imports are smaller.
Keeping those measures separate is especially important when the export ratio exceeds 100%. Large exports can coexist with large imports, re-exports, and international service flows. A broader view of external exposure usually needs imports, total trade, the goods-and-services balance, and the current account alongside the export share.
Why the article does not rank all 194 latest observations together
The latest-non-missing file contains 194 country and area rows, but the reference years are mixed. There are 138 observations dated 2025, 34 dated 2024, and 22 from 1960 through 2023. The United States and Japan are represented by 2024 in this file, while the United Arab Emirates is represented by 2023, so they are not inserted into the 2025 mean, median, or ranking.
Aligning the reference year prevents a current cross-section from mixing different trade conditions. The map and ranking in this article therefore use only 2025 observations. Gray does not mean a measured zero; it can indicate that a 2025 value is not retained or that the area has no separate polygon at this map scale.
Source and calculation method
The statistical source is the World Bank World Development Indicators series Exports of goods and services (% of GDP), code NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS. World Bank metadata defines goods exports through changes in economic ownership from residents to non-residents and services exports as services supplied by residents to non-residents. The series expresses the result as a percentage of GDP.
The mean, median, distribution bands, and rankings here are calculated directly from the 138 observations dated 2025. The simple mean of 43.60% gives every country or area equal weight; it is not a GDP-weighted global export share.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does exports as a share of GDP mean?
It compares the annual value of goods-and-services exports with GDP. It is not an export growth rate and it is not the trade balance.
Can exports be more than 100% of GDP?
Yes. GDP measures domestic value added, while exports are gross cross-border sales. In very trade-intensive economies, annual exports of goods and services can exceed GDP.
What is Korea’s 2025 export share of GDP?
Korea’s 2025 World Bank observation is about 45.76% of GDP. China is 21.07% and Germany is 40.43% in the same-year set.
Why are the United States and Japan not in the 2025 major-economy table?
Their latest observations in this file are dated 2024. They are excluded from the 2025 ranking to avoid mixing reference years.
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