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Electric cables: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in electric cables totaled $168.7 billion (12.3 million tonnes). The top exporters were China (20%), Mexico (11%) and the United States (6%); the top importers were the United States (19%), Germany (9%) and Japan (5%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 27%.

Summary

World trade
$168.7billion
Tonnes
12.3million tonnes
Price per tonne
$13,647
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. China$34.2 billion · 20.3%
    see destinations
  2. Mexico$18.8 billion · 11.1%
    see destinations
  3. United States$10.1 billion · 6%
    see destinations
  4. Germany$9 billion · 5.3%
    see destinations
  5. Vietnam$8.3 billion · 4.9%
    see destinations
  6. Morocco$6.6 billion · 3.9%
    see destinations
  7. Italy$4.7 billion · 2.8%
    see destinations
  8. Turkey$4.2 billion · 2.5%
    see destinations
  9. South Korea$3.9 billion · 2.3%
    see destinations
  10. Poland$3.7 billion · 2.2%
    see destinations
  11. Romania$3.7 billion · 2.2%
    see destinations
  12. Czechia$3.6 billion · 2.2%
    see destinations
  13. Philippines$3.4 billion · 2%
    see destinations
  14. Tunisia$3.2 billion · 1.9%
    see destinations
  15. France$3.1 billion · 1.8%
    see destinations
  16. Spain$3 billion · 1.8%
    see destinations
  17. India$2.5 billion · 1.5%
    see destinations
  18. Hungary$2.4 billion · 1.4%
    see destinations
  19. Serbia$2.3 billion · 1.4%
    see destinations
  20. Japan$2.3 billion · 1.4%
    see destinations

Top importers

  1. United States$31.6 billion · 18.8%
    see sources
  2. Germany$15.3 billion · 9.1%
    see sources
  3. Japan$8.5 billion · 5%
    see sources
  4. Mexico$7.7 billion · 4.6%
    see sources
  5. France$5.6 billion · 3.3%
    see sources
  6. United Kingdom$5.4 billion · 3.2%
    see sources
  7. South Korea$4.5 billion · 2.7%
    see sources
  8. Spain$4.2 billion · 2.5%
    see sources
  9. China$4.1 billion · 2.4%
    see sources
  10. Czechia$4.1 billion · 2.4%
    see sources
  11. Canada$3.9 billion · 2.3%
    see sources
  12. Vietnam$3.3 billion · 2%
    see sources
  13. Netherlands$3.1 billion · 1.8%
    re-exports · see sources
  14. Poland$3.1 billion · 1.8%
    see sources
  15. Hong Kong$3 billion · 1.8%
    re-exports · see sources
  16. Morocco$2.8 billion · 1.7%
    see sources
  17. Italy$2.8 billion · 1.6%
    see sources
  18. Hungary$2.7 billion · 1.6%
    see sources
  19. Slovakia$2.5 billion · 1.5%
    see sources
  20. Thailand$2.3 billion · 1.4%
    see sources

Trend

Who sells it

China has been the top exporter since 2004

Value in USD billions. The five largest exporters in 2024.

  • China 34.2
  • Mexico 18.8
  • United States 10.1
  • Germany 9
  • Vietnam 8.3

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
China1.434.2
Mexico3.718.8
United States4.610.1
Germany2.39
Vietnam< 0.018.3

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 89% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $13,647

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$7,217
1996$7,300
1997$7,426
1998$7,250
1999$5,748
2000$7,354
2001$6,953
2002$6,816
2003$7,360
2004$1,062
2005$7,965
2006$8,890
2007$9,110
2008$10,147
2009$9,263
2010$9,973
2011$11,832
2012$10,390
2013$11,849
2014$12,187
2015$11,405
2016$11,119
2017$10,821
2018$12,103
2019$11,818
2020$11,730
2021$12,764
2022$13,315
2023$13,948
2024$13,647

What it includes

Insulated wire and cable, including optical fiber cable.

  • 8544 · Cables and wire

Products in the same chapter

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

See all products