Through most of the last fifty years the United Kingdom has looked to Western Europe and the United States for trade and investment. But no more according to UK Trade and Investment.
Between 2012 and 2014, the top ten export markets for the UK are predicted to be: China (1); US (2); India (3); Libya (4); Ukraine (5); Russia (6); Romania (7); Korea (8); Mexico (9) and Singapore (10). Just one western European country – Sweden – makes it into the top 20, while many of the UK’s biggest trading partners in the West slip dramatically; Germany (30); France (34); Ireland (42); the Netherlands (37); Belgium (44); Spain (47) and Italy (46), according to a report prepared by the Leeds Business School on behalf of the UK Trade and Investment.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
