How much of China’s trade passes through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait?

Estimated value of its trade with each partner that crosses the chokepoint; the percentage is the share of all its trade through the chokepoint, not of the pair’s trade.

1. China–Saudi Arabia$44.2 billion · 24.6%
2. China–Germany$23.4 billion · 13%
3. China–United Kingdom$12.2 billion · 6.8%
4. China–France$9.7 billion · 5.4%
5. China–Netherlands$7.4 billion · 4.1%
6. China–Poland$7 billion · 3.9%
7. China–Spain$6.9 billion · 3.8%
8. China–Italy$6.4 billion · 3.6%
9. China–Turkey$6 billion · 3.4%
10. China–Jordan$5 billion · 2.8%

The products with the highest estimated value in 2024, with their share of the total through the chokepoint.

1. Crude petroleum$21.4 billion · 11.9%
2. Cars$9.2 billion · 5.1%
3. Batteries$5.2 billion · 2.9%
4. Auto parts$3.7 billion · 2.1%
5. Computer and office machine parts$3.7 billion · 2%
6. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$3 billion · 1.7%
7. Transformers and power supplies$2.9 billion · 1.6%
8. Lamps and light fittings$2.3 billion · 1.3%
9. Electric heaters and hair dryers$2 billion · 1.1%
10. Furniture$1.9 billion · 1.1%

• China–Germany: +3,514 nautical miles, ≈ 10.5 days more at 14 knots, via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore; the Cape of Good Hope; and the Strait of Dover
• China–United Kingdom: +3,515 nautical miles, ≈ 10.5 days more at 14 knots, via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore; and the Cape of Good Hope
• China–France: +4,862 nautical miles, ≈ 14.5 days more at 14 knots, via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore; the Cape of Good Hope; and the Strait of Gibraltar
• China–Netherlands: +3,515 nautical miles, ≈ 10.5 days more at 14 knots, via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore; the Cape of Good Hope; and the Strait of Dover
• China–Poland: +3,514 nautical miles, ≈ 10.5 days more at 14 knots, via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore; the Cape of Good Hope; the Strait of Dover; and the Øresund

Estimated sailing detour, without costs, waiting or port capacity.

Shanghai (100%)

Each port with the weight it receives from the country’s trade, based on where its GDP is generated and which coast is closest.

• See Bab-el-Mandeb Strait
• China trade

Other chokepoints it uses

• Strait of Malacca and Singapore · 51%
• Cape of Good Hope · 30%
• Strait of Dover · 11%
• Strait of Gibraltar · 11%
• Strait of Hormuz · 7%

Sources and licenses

• CEPII BACI · Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0
• World Bank, Global Shipping Traffic Density · CC BY 4.0 (route network derived by this site)
• World Port Index (NGA) · Public domain (US Government work)
• Natural Earth · Public domain
• Kummu et al., gridded GDP · CC BY 4.0 (split between ports done by this site)

Methodology

We estimate the value crossing each chokepoint from BACI trade that travels by sea according to our mode heuristic, split between each country’s ports by where its GDP is generated and which coast is closest, and routed over our own sea network. It is an estimate, not a count of ships. It covers 99.9% of seaborne trade. The approach follows Verschuur, Lumma and Hall (Nature Communications, 2025). Data up to 2024.