United Kingdom-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023
Complete trade statistics: $8.83B total volume โขUnited Kingdom surplus: $2.04B
United Kingdom โ Saudi Arabia
$5.43B
Exports (2023)
Saudi Arabia โ United Kingdom
$3.39B
Imports (2023)
Trade Balance
$2.04B
Surplus for United Kingdom
Total Trade
$8.83B
Combined Volume
Trade Flow Visualization
Direct trade relationship between United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. Green line shows exports from United Kingdom, red line shows imports.
Detailed Product Trade Analysis
Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the United Kingdom-Saudi Arabia commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.
United Kingdom โ Saudi Arabia Exports
Export Market Intelligence
๐ฏ Strategic Export Focus
United Kingdom's export portfolio to Saudi Arabia demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with turbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kn representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.
Saudi Arabia โ United Kingdom Imports
Import Dependency Profile
๐ฆ Import Strategy Analysis
United Kingdom's import pattern from Saudi Arabia reveals significant dependencyin petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.
Competitive Trade Position Analysis
Market Leadership
United Kingdom demonstrates competitive strength in exportingturbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kn to Saudi Arabia, leveraging comparative advantages.
Trade Complementarity
The bilateral relationship showsstrongcomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.
Growth Potential
The $8.83B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.
Executive Summary: United Kingdom-Saudi Arabia Trade Relationship
Key Trade Highlights 2023
- Total Trade Volume: $8.83 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
- Trade Balance: United Kingdom maintains a surplus of $2.04 billion
- Export Focus: United Kingdom's primary exports include turbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kn, medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale, vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 3000cc
- Import Dependencies: Key imports from Saudi Arabia include petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils, oils and other products of the distillation of high temperature coal tar: n.e.c. in heading no. 2707, ethylene polymers: in primary forms, polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more
Strategic Trade Indicators
๐ Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents an important regional trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.
Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context
Trade Evolution Timeline
2019-2023: Recent Trends
Current trade volume of $8.83B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.
2015-2019: Growth Period
Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with United Kingdom leveraging its comparative advantages in turbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kn.
2010-2015: Foundation Building
Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.
Pre-2010: Early Development
Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.
Key Economic Drivers
Comparative Advantage
United Kingdom's specialization in turbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kncomplements Saudi Arabia's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.
Supply Chain Integration
Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils.
Market Access & Trade Policy
Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $8.83B bilateral relationship.
Trade Pattern Insights
Trade Relationship Outlook
The $8.83B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.
Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook
Economic Impact Assessment
Trade Volume Impact
The $8.83 billion bilateral trade volume represents a important trade relationshipfor both economies.
Industrial Integration
Trade flows in turbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kn and petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.
Trade Balance Effects
United Kingdom's trade surplus of $2.04 billion strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.
Strategic Future Outlook
๐Growth Opportunities
โ ๏ธRisk Factors
๐ฏStrategic Recommendations
- Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
- Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
- Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
- Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs
Market Position & Competitive Summary
The bilateral trade relationship between United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia represents a total trade volume of $8.83 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for United Kingdom, with exports exceeding importsby $2.04 billion.
Export Strengths
United Kingdom's exports to Saudi Arabia total $5.43 billion, with competitive advantages in turbo-jets: of a thrust exceeding 25kn, representing $1.17B or21.5% of bilateral exports.
Import Dependencies
Imports from Saudi Arabia amount to $3.39 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils, with Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils comprising75.2% of total imports.
The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates United Kingdom's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.
Download Bilateral Trade Data
Access detailed trade data between United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia in multiple formats.
Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) โข Last Updated: January 2025 โข Coverage: 1995-2023

