United Kingdom (GBR) and Ireland (IRL) Trade | The Observatory of Economic Complexity

- Company Explorer
  PREMIUM
- Trend Explorer
  PRO
- - Tree map
  - Stacked
  - Network
  - Map
  - Scatter
- Data Availability
- - API Documentation
    PRO
  - Notebooks
    NEW
  - Data Explorer
    PRO
- - Bill of Lading
    PREMIUM
  - National Datasets
    PREMIUM
  - Product Datasets
    NEW
  - International Datasets
- - Countries (ECI)
  - Products (PCI)
- ECI Legacy Rankings
- PCI Legacy Rankings

Pricing

United Kingdom (GBR) and Ireland (IRL) Trade

2022

→

Exports $32.6BRnk 5 / 224

2022

→

About

United Kingdom-Ireland In 2022, United Kingdom exported $32.6B to Ireland. The main products that United Kingdom exported to Ireland are Petroleum Gas ($4.73B), Refined Petroleum ($4.05B), and Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds ($3.76B). During the last 27 years the exports of United Kingdom to Ireland have increased at an annualized rate of 3.74%, from $12.1B in 1995 to $32.6B in 2022.

In 2019, United Kingdom exported services to Ireland worth $17.6B, with Other business services ($14.6B), Travel ($1.74B), and Transportation ($985M) being the largest in terms of value.

Ireland-United Kingdom In 2022, Ireland exported $19B to United Kingdom. The main products that Ireland exported to United Kingdom were Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds ($1.41B), Packaged Medicaments ($1.22B), and Vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures ($997M). During the last 27 years the exports of Ireland to United Kingdom have increased at an annualized rate of 2.21%, from $10.5B in 1995 to $19B in 2022.

In 2020, Ireland exported services to United Kingdom worth $18.3B, with Financial services ($7.99B), Other business services ($5.29B), and Insurance services ($2.22B) being the largest in terms of value.

Comparison In 2022, United Kingdom ranked 12 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 1.38), and 14 in total exports ($469B). That same year, Ireland ranked 16 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 1.28), and 31 in total exports ($236B).

Latest Trends

January, 2024

About

Overview In January 2024, United Kingdom exported £2.03B and imported £1.48B from Ireland, resulting in a positive trade balance of £549M. Between January 2023 and January 2024 the exports of United Kingdom have decreased by £-254M (-11.1%) from £2.29B to £2.03B, while imports decreased by £-40.3M (-2.64%) from £1.52B to £1.48B.

Trade In January 2024, the top exports of United Kingdom to Ireland were Petroleum Gas (£237M), Refined Petroleum (£234M), Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds (£168M), Gas Turbines (£94.2M), and Packaged Medicaments (£80.1M). In January 2024 the top imports of United Kingdom from Ireland were Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds (£289M), Gas Turbines (£77.5M), Cheese (£64.6M), Bovine Meat (£52.5M), and Packaged Medicaments (£52.1M).

Origins In January 2024 the exports of United Kingdom were mainly from Holyhead (£749M), Liverpool (£261M), Milford (£192M), Heysham (£66.5M), and East Midlands Airport (£41.5M), while imports destinations were mainly Holyhead (£655M), Liverpool (£191M), Milford (£49.9M), and East Midlands Airport (£40.9M).

Growth In January 2024, the decrease in United Kingdom's year-by-year exports to Ireland was explained primarily by an decrease in product exports in Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds (£-75.4M or -30.9%), Petroleum Gas (£-41.4M or -14.9%), and Ceramic Bricks (£-5.24M or -93.2%). In January 2024, the decrease in United Kingdom's year-by-year imports from Ireland was explained primarily by an decrease in product imports in Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds (£-69.4M or -19.4%), Electricity (£-18.8M or -71.6%), and Glass Bottles (£-15.9M or -73.5%).

Latest Trade

Flow

Exports

Imports

Time Scale

Year

Quarter

Month

Depth

HS2

HS4

HS6

Value

Trade Value

Growth

Growth (%)

EXPORT GROWTH (January 2023 - January 2024)£-254M(-11.1%)

IMPORT GROWTH (January 2023 - January 2024)£-40.3M(-2.64%)

MAIN EXPORTER (January 2024)Holyhead£749M

This section shows exports and imports data at subnational level for United Kingdom. Click any date in the line plot, any subnational region in the geomap or any product to explore the exports or imports behavior of United Kingdom over time.

To check Ireland and United Kingdom trade dynamics, check the bilateral page.

For full datasets download visit Bulk Download page.

Explore Ireland and United Kingdom Data

Go to Bulk Download

Subscribe today to OEC pro and access the latest data

Historical Data

Bilateral Trade by Products

Depth

HS2

HS4

HS6

Value

Trade

Growth

Growth (%)

Year

In 2022, United Kingdom exported $32.6B to Ireland. The main products exported from United Kingdom to Ireland were Petroleum Gas ($4.73B), Refined Petroleum ($4.05B), and Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds ($3.76B). During the last 27 years the exports of United Kingdom to Ireland have increased at an annualized rate of 3.74%, from $12.1B in 1995 to $32.6B in 2022.

In 2022, Ireland exported $19B to United Kingdom. The main products exported from Ireland to United Kingdom were Nitrogen Heterocyclic Compounds ($1.41B), Packaged Medicaments ($1.22B), and Vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures ($997M). During the last 27 years the exports of Ireland to United Kingdom have increased at an annualized rate of 2.21%, from $10.5B in 1995 to $19B in 2022.

Exports from United Kingdom () to Ireland () (2022)

Exports from Ireland () to United Kingdom () (2022)

Market Competitiveness

Color

Exports

Export Growth

Section

Year

United Kingdom
Top DestinationUnited States$61.8B

Ireland
Top DestinationUnited States$70.7B

This map shows whether countries import more from United Kingdom or Ireland. Each country is colored based on the difference in imports they receive from United Kingdom and Ireland or the difference in the growth in imports.

In 2021, countries that imported more from United Kingdom than Ireland were Netherlands ($41.9B), France ($30.2B), and China ($35.4B).

In 2021, countries that imported more from Ireland than United Kingdom were United States ($70.7B), Vietnam ($1.61B), and Mexico ($2.17B).

Difference in imports from Ireland () and United Kingdom () (2022)

Comparative Advantage United Kingdom - Ireland

Flow

Section

HS2

HS4

Scale

Log

Linear

Year

This chart compares trade between United Kingdom and Ireland by product, considering products traded by both, United Kingdom and Ireland.

During 2022, United Kingdom had a large net trade with Ireland in the exports of Mineral Products ($9.24B), Chemical Products ($7.19B), and Machines ($4.95B).

During 2022, Ireland had a large net trade with United Kingdom in the exports of Chemical Products ($5.26B), Animal Products ($2.76B), and Foodstuffs ($2.71B).

Service Trade

Bilateral Service Trade

Irl Year

Gbr Year

In 2019, United Kingdom exported services to Ireland worth $17.6B, with Other business services ($14.6B), Travel ($1.74B), and Transportation ($985M) being the largest in terms of value.

Service trade data is presented based on availability.

Services Exports from United Kingdom () to Ireland () (2019)

Services Exports from Ireland () to United Kingdom () (2020)

Economic Complexity

Competitive Landscape

Year

This visualization show the product space at the HS4 level colored from blue to yellow. This mean that the more blue a dot/product is, the more United Kingdom has comparative advantage over Ireland. Similarly, the more yellow a dot/product is, the more Ireland has comparative advantage over United Kingdom.

Product Space of United Kingdom () and Ireland () (2022)

Keep Exploring

United Kingdom
Iceland
United Kingdom
Italy
France
Ireland
Gibraltar
Ireland

Have questions, comments, or concerns?
Send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Follow @OECtoday on

Created, Designed, and Developed by:

In collaboration with

About the OEC Privacy Policy Terms