United Kingdom: Imports, percent of GDP

For that indicator, we provide data for the United Kingdom from 1970 to 2022. The average value for the United Kingdom during that period was 27.19 percent with a minimum of 20.52 percent in 1971 and a maximum of 36.2 percent in 2022. The latest value from 2022 is 36.2 percent. For comparison, the world average in 2022 based on 133 countries is 51.99 percent. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.

The imports of the United Kingdom and other countries are calculated as the total amount of goods and services produced abroad and sold at home. Imports are often reported as percent of GDP so that we can evaluate their magnitude relative to the size of the economy.

If imports are about 15 percent or less of GDP the economy is considered relatively closed. That, for example, applies to the U.S. In contrast, many small European countries import over 40 percent of the products they consume. They are considered more open to international trade.

Definition: Imports of goods and services represent the value of all goods and other market services received from the rest of the world. They include the value of merchandise, freight, insurance, transport, travel, royalties, license fees, and other services, such as communication, construction, financial, information, business, personal, and government services. They exclude compensation of employees and investment income (formerly called factor services) and transfer payments.