Germany’s Top 10 Exports

June 17, 2013 by

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Exports from Germany amounted to US$1.4 trillion in 2012, down 3.4% since 2008. Germany’s top 10 exports accounted for 67.9% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Based on statistics from the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook Database, Germany’s total Gross Domestic Product amounted to $3.2 trillion in 2012.

Therefore, German exports accounted for about 44.3% of total German economic output.

Given Germany’s population of 81.9 million people, the total $1.4 trillion in 2012 German exports translates to roughly $17,288 for every person in the country. This compares with a benchmark $2,588 in exports per person for the world’s total exports (assuming an estimated global population of 7,095,217,980 per the CIA World Factbook).

Germany’s Top 10 Exports

The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in German global shipments during 2012. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of US overall exports.

  1. Machinery: $247,281,175,000 (17.5% of total exports)
  2. Vehicles excluding trains and streetcars: $235,480,277,000 (16.6%)
  3. Electronic equipment: $138,536,071,000 (9.8%)
  4. Pharmaceutical products: $67,844,612,000 (4.8%)
  5. Optical, technical and medical apparatus: $64,314,331,000 (4.5%)
  6. Plastics: $58,164,463,000 (4.1%)
  7. Aircraft and spacecraft: $43,404,438,000 (3.1%)
  8. Mineral fuels including oil: $41,986,299,000 (3%)
  9. Articles of iron or steel: $32,508,519,000 (2.3%)
  10. Iron and steel: $31,429,202,000 (2.2%)

German industries place a high emphasis on post-graduate level education, apprenticeships and technical training. Germany’s unemployment rate was 6.5% in 2012. However, it seems logical that engineers, scientists, skilled technicians and international trade professionals supporting the above exports will be in demand.

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level.

See also Germany’s Top Import Partners, Fastest-Growing German Export Products and Highest Value German Export Products


 
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on June 17, 2013

The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on June 17, 2013

Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on June 17, 2013

Filed Under: Europe, Top products