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Trade between Ireland and the United Kingdom

In 2024, Ireland exported $20.5 billion to the United Kingdom and imported $23.8 billion. Ireland ran a deficit of $3.3 billion with the United Kingdom, compared with a deficit of $6.2 billion in 2019. The United Kingdom was Ireland’s 2nd largest trading partner (11% of its trade), and Ireland was the United Kingdom’s 6th (4%).

Summary

Ireland → United Kingdom
$20.5billion
United Kingdom → Ireland
$23.8billion
Ireland’s balance
-$3.3billion

Balance

Ireland’s trade balance with the United Kingdom

Trade between Ireland and the United Kingdom grew 2-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 20.5
  • Imports 23.8
  • Balance -3.3

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$10.5 billion$11.2 billion-$683 million
1996$11.3 billion$12.6 billion-$1.2 billion
1997$11.2 billion$13.7 billion-$2.5 billion
1998$12.2 billion$14.8 billion-$2.6 billion
1999$13.2 billion$15.9 billion-$2.6 billion
2000$15.8 billion$16.3 billion-$514 million
2001$13.8 billion$18.8 billion-$5.1 billion
2002$14.8 billion$20.7 billion-$5.9 billion
2003$16.7 billion$17.2 billion-$512 million
2004$19.4 billion$19.9 billion-$570 million
2005$18.9 billion$23.2 billion-$4.2 billion
2006$19.6 billion$24.5 billion-$4.9 billion
2007$23.6 billion$28.2 billion-$4.7 billion
2008$23 billion$27.5 billion-$4.5 billion
2009$18.9 billion$18.7 billion$124 million
2010$20.3 billion$19.7 billion$662 million
2011$21.4 billion$22.9 billion-$1.5 billion
2012$19.8 billion$20.7 billion-$847 million
2013$19.2 billion$23.2 billion-$4 billion
2014$19.7 billion$24.3 billion-$4.6 billion
2015$19.1 billion$20.8 billion-$1.7 billion
2016$18.3 billion$19.6 billion-$1.3 billion
2017$18.8 billion$21.8 billion-$3 billion
2018$18.5 billion$23.7 billion-$5.1 billion
2019$17.8 billion$23.9 billion-$6.2 billion
2020$17.5 billion$24 billion-$6.5 billion
2021$19.8 billion$24.2 billion-$4.3 billion
2022$18.3 billion$31 billion-$12.7 billion
2023$20.6 billion$28.7 billion-$8.1 billion
2024$20.5 billion$23.8 billion-$3.3 billion

What they sell each other

What Ireland sells to the United Kingdom

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

  1. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$1.4 billion · 6.9%
    28 thousand tonnes · Ireland’s destinations
  2. Fresh beef$1 billion · 4.9%
    129 thousand tonnes
  3. Vaccines, blood and antisera$996 million · 4.9%
    993 tonnes · Ireland’s destinations
  4. Fragrance mixtures$896 million · 4.4%
    83 thousand tonnes
  5. Nitrogen heterocyclic compounds$816 million · 4%
    34 tonnes
  6. Orthopedic and hearing devices$665 million · 3.3%
    1 thousand tonnes
  7. Bread, biscuits and pastries$577 million · 2.8%
    186 thousand tonnes
  8. Medical and dental instruments$567 million · 2.8%
    6 thousand tonnes · Ireland’s destinations
  9. Prepared meat$519 million · 2.5%
    64 thousand tonnes
  10. Airplanes and helicopters$480 million · 2.3%
    372 tonnes · Ireland’s destinations

What the United Kingdom sells to Ireland

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

  1. Natural gas and LPG$2 billion · 8.4%
    3.6 million tonnes
  2. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$1.6 billion · 6.5%
    9 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  3. Refined petroleum$1.4 billion · 6%
    1.8 million tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  4. Electricity$566 million · 2.4%
  5. Cars$519 million · 2.2%
    33 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  6. Bread, biscuits and pastries$500 million · 2.1%
    106 thousand tonnes
  7. Fresh milk and cream$414 million · 1.7%
    473 thousand tonnes
  8. Nitrogen heterocyclic compounds$379 million · 1.6%
    154 tonnes
  9. Soft drinks$315 million · 1.3%
    291 thousand tonnes
  10. Chocolate$312 million · 1.3%
    38 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Ireland and the United Kingdom traded $44.3 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly over land: 84% of the value travels by truck, rail or pipeline.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$7 billion · 15.7%
  2. Land$37.3 billion · 84.3%

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

How much each matters to the other

The United Kingdom was Ireland’s 2nd largest trading partner (11% of its trade), and Ireland was the United Kingdom’s 6th (4%).

The United Kingdom in Ireland’s trade
11.1%
The United Kingdom’s rank among Ireland’s partners
2nd
Ireland in the United Kingdom’s trade
3.9%
Ireland’s rank among the United Kingdom’s partners
6th

Compare with

Other partners of Ireland

Other partners of the United Kingdom

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.