International Trade Comparison By Country

According to data compiled during the 3^rd and 4^th financial quarters of 2009, China outranks every other country in the world in terms of a positive international trade balance. Close on China’s heels, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Japan also showed healthy positive international trade balances. The figures were smaller for Norway, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and Sweden, but they also showed positive international trade balances. Rounding out the list, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Denmark, Argentina, Austria, Israel, and Chile also showed positive international trade balances.

According to the 3^rd and 4^th quarter 2009 financial data, the United States led all other countries in the world with a negative international trade imbalance. Next in line were Spain, Italy, France, and Greece, with large negative international trade imbalances. Canada, Australia, India, the UK and Brazil also showed negative international trade imbalances. Rounding out the list, Turkey, South Africa, Mexico, Columbia, Poland, Pakistan, Egypt, Belgium, Hungary, and the Czech Republic showed negative international trade imbalances as well.

The negative international trade imbalances only tell part of the story; it’s also important to consider the percentage of the trade balance that is also part of the GDP. In that case, Greece leads the list with a negative trade balance of 36.8 billion, or 12.4% of the GDP. Spain is next at a negative trade balance of 82.1 billion, or 5.7% of the GDP; followed by South Africa at 12.0 billion, or 5.3% of the GDP. Among the rest of countries with negative trade imbalances, the numbers are as follows:

• Australia at a negative trade balance of 32.7 billion, or 3.7% of the GDP;
• US at a negative trade balance of 465.3 billion, or 3.0% of the GDP;
• Italy at a negative trade balance of 74.1 billion, or 2.9% of the GDP;
• Canada at a negative trade balance of 34.8 billion, or 2.7% of the GDP;
• Hungary at a negative trade balance of 2.1 billion, or 2.6% of the GDP;
• Columbia at a negative trade balance of 6.1 billion, or 2.6% of the GDP; and
• France at a negative trade balance of 56.7 billion, or 2.0% of the GDP.

It’s also important to consider the percentage of the GDP when looking at countries with a positive international trade balance. In that case, Norway leads the pack, with a positive international trade balance of 58.4 billion, or 15.8% of the GDP. This is followed by Malaysia, with a positive international trade balance of 32.3 billion, or 15.5% of the GDP; and Hong Kong, with a positive international trade balance of 26.2 billion, or 13.7% of the GDP. Among other countries with a positive international trade balance, the breakdown is as follows:

• Singapore at a positive international trade balance of 20.9 billion, or 12.7% of the GDP;
• Switzerland at a positive international trade balance of 42.4 billion, or 7.7% of the GDP;
• Taiwan at a positive international trade balance of 38.6 billion, or 7.6% of the GDP;
• Sweden at a positive international trade balance of 33.0 billion, or 7.4% of the GDP;
• Thailand at a positive international trade balance of 19.9 billion, or 6.6% of the GDP;
• China at a positive international trade balance of 364.4 billion, or 6.3% of the GDP; and
• Netherlands at a positive international trade balance of 34.8 billion, or 5.4% of the GDP.