World's most and least trade-dependent countries: Luxembourg at 350% of GDP, Sudan at 2% — check full list
Mint - Economy · Published 10 November 2026 · Last updated
World Bank data for 2025 reveals stark global disparities in trade dependence, with Luxembourg registering a trade-to-GDP ratio of 350 percent while Sudan records the lowest at 2 percent.
Key points
- According to World Bank data primarily relating to 2025, Luxembourg ranked as the world's most trade-dependent country with a combined value of exports and imports equivalent to 350% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- San Marino and Singapore followed Luxembourg in trade dependence, registering trade-to-GDP ratios of 341% and 320% respectively.
- Other economies featuring in the top ten most trade-dependent list include Ireland at 240%, Malta at 219%, and the United Arab Emirates at 199%.
- At the other end of the ranking, Sudan recorded the lowest trade dependence globally with exports and imports accounting for just 2% of its GDP.
- Haiti and Venezuela registered low trade-to-GDP ratios of 16% and 25% respectively, placing them among the least trade-dependent nations.
- The United States recorded a trade-to-GDP ratio of 25%, placing it fourth from the bottom among the 170 countries covered in the World Bank assessment.
- Major global economies like China recorded a trade-to-GDP ratio of 38%, reflecting how large domestic markets dilute the relative share of international trade.
- The median trade-to-GDP ratio across the 170 countries evaluated by the World Bank stood at 80%.
Background
- The World Bank compiled these comparative metrics using cross-border flows of goods and services relative to annual economic output across 170 countries.
- While the figures primarily reflect data for the year 2025, data spanning from 2022 to 2024 was utilized for specific countries where more recent figures remained unavailable.
Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: Mint - Economy