Which countries have the highest exports relative to the size of their economies?
According to the latest available World Bank data, Luxembourg leads with exports of goods and services equivalent to 190.52% of GDP in 2025. Singapore follows at 177.85%, while Ireland ranks third at 140.07%.
This 2026 ranking compares 163 countries using their latest available observations from 2024 or 2025, highlighting differences in international trade activity relative to economic size.
Top 10 Countries With the Highest Exports-to-GDP Ratios
Luxembourg and Singapore lead the ranking, followed by Ireland, Malta and Djibouti. All five report exports exceeding 100% of their respective GDPs.
Vietnam ranks sixth at 98.24%, followed by Cyprus at 97.57%. Bahrain, Slovakia and the Netherlands complete the top 10.
Exports as a Percentage of GDP: Country Rankings
The following table ranks 163 countries by exports of goods and services as a percentage of GDP, from highest to lowest.
The comparison uses each country's latest available data from 2024 or 2025. Actual reporting years are shown separately because not all countries publish data for the same year.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (WDI), Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), 2024–2025.
Key Findings
Luxembourg Leads the Global Ranking
Luxembourg ranks first, with exports equivalent to 190.52% of GDP in 2025.
Singapore follows at 177.85%, while Ireland ranks third at 140.07%. These figures highlight the scale of international trade relative to their domestic economies.
Five Countries Exceed 100% of GDP
Luxembourg, Singapore, Ireland, Malta and Djibouti all report exports greater than their annual GDP.
This does not mean their economies produce more value than their GDP. Exports and GDP measure different economic concepts.
Vietnam Ranks Sixth
Vietnam records an exports-to-GDP ratio of 98.24% in 2025, placing it sixth among the 163 countries analyzed.
The figure highlights the importance of international trade in Vietnam's economy.
European Economies Feature Prominently
Luxembourg, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Slovakia and the Netherlands are among the top 10 countries.
Their positions illustrate how trade-intensive economies can record high exports relative to GDP.
What Does Exports as a Percentage of GDP Mean?
Exports as a percentage of GDP measures the value of goods and services sold to the rest of the world relative to a country's gross domestic product.
A higher ratio generally indicates a larger export sector relative to the size of the domestic economy.
However, it does not necessarily mean a country exports more in total dollar terms or is more economically successful than countries with lower ratios.
Why Can Exports Exceed 100% of GDP?
An exports-to-GDP ratio above 100% is possible because exports and GDP measure different things.
Exports represent the value of goods and services supplied to other economies, while GDP measures the value added by economic activity within a country.
Imported inputs, re-exports and cross-border service activities can contribute to exports exceeding GDP.
This is particularly relevant for international trading hubs and economies with substantial cross-border business activity.
Data Source and Methodology
This 2026 ranking uses the World Bank's World Development Indicators (WDI) dataset.
The indicator is Exports of goods and services (% of GDP), identified by the code NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS.
For each country, the latest available observation from 2024 or 2025 was selected. The comparison includes 163 countries, excluding regional aggregates, dependent territories and countries without observations for either year.
Countries are ordered from highest to lowest by their exports-to-GDP ratios. Figures are displayed to two decimal places.
The year 2026 refers to this ranking edition, not the observation year of the underlying statistics. Because reporting years differ, the table represents a latest-available comparison rather than a single-year global ranking.
Conclusion
The latest available World Bank data reveals major differences in the scale of exports relative to GDP across countries.
Luxembourg, Singapore and Ireland lead the ranking, while Malta and Djibouti also report exports exceeding 100% of GDP.
Although a high exports-to-GDP ratio can indicate strong international trade activity, it does not measure total export value, economic performance or the overall benefits of trade.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators — Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), indicator NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS.
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NE.EXP.GNFS.ZS
Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Rankings compiled by The Data Visual.
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