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Trade between Belgium and the United Arab Emirates

In 2024, Belgium exported $3.1 billion to the United Arab Emirates and imported $554 million. Belgium ran a surplus of $2.5 billion with the United Arab Emirates, compared with a surplus of $1.4 billion in 2019. The United Arab Emirates was Belgium’s 31st largest trading partner (0.5% of its trade), and Belgium was the United Arab Emirates’ 28th (0.6%).

Summary

Belgium → United Arab Emirates
$3.1billion
United Arab Emirates → Belgium
$554million
Belgium’s balance
$2.5billion

Balance

Belgium’s trade balance with the United Arab Emirates

Trade between Belgium and the United Arab Emirates grew 10.1-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Belgium’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 3.1
  • Imports 0.6
  • Balance +2.5

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$284 million$76 million$208 million
1996$252 million$77 million$176 million
1997$328 million$102 million$226 million
1998$392 million$140 million$252 million
1999$464 million$134 million$329 million
2000$569 million$334 million$235 million
2001$769 million$441 million$327 million
2002$877 million$423 million$454 million
2003$884 million$892 million-$8 million
2004$1.2 billion$1.5 billion-$349 million
2005$1.3 billion$1.5 billion-$195 million
2006$1.8 billion$1.6 billion$191 million
2007$2.1 billion$2 billion$76 million
2008$2.7 billion$2.2 billion$543 million
2009$2 billion$1.3 billion$670 million
2010$1.8 billion$1.9 billion-$110 million
2011$2.6 billion$3.3 billion-$635 million
2012$3.4 billion$3.1 billion$313 million
2013$3.9 billion$3.1 billion$751 million
2014$4.6 billion$3.1 billion$1.5 billion
2015$3.8 billion$3 billion$800 million
2016$3.7 billion$2.6 billion$1.1 billion
2017$3.8 billion$2.4 billion$1.4 billion
2018$3.3 billion$2.9 billion$431 million
2019$2.8 billion$1.4 billion$1.4 billion
2020$2.4 billion$1 billion$1.3 billion
2021$3.2 billion$1.8 billion$1.4 billion
2022$3.8 billion$2.2 billion$1.6 billion
2023$3.7 billion$1.7 billion$2 billion
2024$3.1 billion$554 million$2.5 billion

What they sell each other

What Belgium sells to the United Arab Emirates

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Diamonds$1.6 billion · 52.4%
    2 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  2. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$149 million · 4.9%
    2 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  3. Vaccines, blood and antisera$57 million · 1.9%
    47 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  4. Fuel and lubricant additives$50 million · 1.6%
    12 thousand tonnes
  5. Transmission shafts, gears and gearboxes$41 million · 1.3%
    1 thousand tonnes
  6. Chocolate$41 million · 1.3%
    4 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  7. Cars$41 million · 1.3%
    1 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  8. Air pumps, compressors and fans$35 million · 1.1%
    1 thousand tonnes
  9. Medical and dental instruments$32 million · 1%
    314 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  10. Orthopedic and hearing devices$31 million · 1%
    52 tonnes

What the United Arab Emirates sells to Belgium

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Diamonds$231 million · 41.6%
    the United Arab Emirates’ destinations
  2. Refined petroleum$184 million · 33.2%
    252 thousand tonnes · the United Arab Emirates’ destinations
  3. Steel structures$30 million · 5.3%
    3 thousand tonnes
  4. Ethers and organic peroxides$29 million · 5.2%
    28 thousand tonnes
  5. Glass bottles and jars$12 million · 2.1%
    14 thousand tonnes
  6. Aircraft parts$10 million · 1.8%
    10 tonnes
  7. Synthetic monofilament and strip$6 million · 1%
    2 thousand tonnes
  8. Copper scrap$4 million · 0.75%
    535 tonnes
  9. Jewelry$4 million · 0.64%
    the United Arab Emirates’ destinations
  10. Calculators and cash registers$3 million · 0.52%
    6 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Antwerp to Jebel Ali.

The estimated sea route between Antwerp and Jebel Ali is 11,363 nautical miles (21,045 km) long: ≈ 26.5–34 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Dover, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Hormuz (11,363 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Dover, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Suez Canal, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz (6,445 nautical miles).

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$1.2 billion · 33.4%
  2. Air$2.4 billion · 66.6%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The United Arab Emirates was Belgium’s 31st largest trading partner (0.5% of its trade), and Belgium was the United Arab Emirates’ 28th (0.6%).

The United Arab Emirates in Belgium’s trade
0.5%
The United Arab Emirates’ rank among Belgium’s partners
31st
Belgium in the United Arab Emirates’ trade
0.6%
Belgium’s rank among the United Arab Emirates’ partners
28th

Compare with

Other partners of Belgium

Other partners of the United Arab Emirates

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.

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