Summary
- China → Iran
- $8.9billion
- Iran → China
- $4.4billion
- China’s balance
- $4.5billion
Balance
China’s trade balance with Iran
Trade between China and Iran grew 26.7-fold since 1995
USD billions (current). China’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).
- Exports 8.9
- Imports 4.4
- Balance +4.5
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Exports | Imports | Trade balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | $276 million | $225 million | $50 million |
| 1996 | $364 million | $386 million | -$22 million |
| 1997 | $567 million | $548 million | $19 million |
| 1998 | $918 million | $571 million | $347 million |
| 1999 | $907 million | $622 million | $285 million |
| 2000 | $844 million | $1.8 billion | -$957 million |
| 2001 | $999 million | $2.5 billion | -$1.5 billion |
| 2002 | $1.5 billion | $2.4 billion | -$919 million |
| 2003 | $2.2 billion | $3.4 billion | -$1.2 billion |
| 2004 | $2.2 billion | $4.5 billion | -$2.3 billion |
| 2005 | $2.8 billion | $6.8 billion | -$4 billion |
| 2006 | $3.5 billion | $10 billion | -$6.4 billion |
| 2007 | $7.3 billion | $13.3 billion | -$6 billion |
| 2008 | $8.2 billion | $19.6 billion | -$11.4 billion |
| 2009 | $7.9 billion | $13.3 billion | -$5.4 billion |
| 2010 | $8.4 billion | $18.3 billion | -$9.9 billion |
| 2011 | $11 billion | $30.2 billion | -$19.1 billion |
| 2012 | $11.6 billion | $24.9 billion | -$13.3 billion |
| 2013 | $12.3 billion | $25.9 billion | -$13.5 billion |
| 2014 | $16.2 billion | $30.6 billion | -$14.4 billion |
| 2015 | $13.5 billion | $18.1 billion | -$4.7 billion |
| 2016 | $12.7 billion | $15.4 billion | -$2.7 billion |
| 2017 | $15 billion | $19 billion | -$4 billion |
| 2018 | $11.6 billion | $21.3 billion | -$9.7 billion |
| 2019 | $11.6 billion | $13.4 billion | -$1.8 billion |
| 2020 | $9.9 billion | $8.1 billion | $1.8 billion |
| 2021 | $11.6 billion | $11.8 billion | -$238 million |
| 2022 | $13.4 billion | $13.9 billion | -$471 million |
| 2023 | $10 billion | $4.6 billion | $5.4 billion |
| 2024 | $8.9 billion | $4.4 billion | $4.5 billion |
What they sell each other
What China sells to Iran
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
What Iran sells to China
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
How it travels
The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Khorramshahr is 6,180 nautical miles (11,445 km) long: ≈ 14.5–18.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).
Passages it crosses: Strait of Malacca and Singapore; and Strait of Hormuz.
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
Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.
How much each matters to the other
Iran was China’s 59th largest trading partner (0.2% of its trade), and China was Iran’s largest (37%).
- Iran in China’s trade
- 0.2%
- Iran’s rank among China’s partners
- 59th
- China in Iran’s trade
- 37.3%
- China’s rank among Iran’s partners
- 1st
Compare with
Other partners of China
Other partners of Iran
Sources and methodology
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
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.