Key points from the map
- The map shades every country by the share of its total exports (goods plus services) that came from services in 2023, using WTO data.
- Services made up 25% of world exports. The share was 29% for advanced economies and 19% for emerging and developing economies.
- Luxembourg (90%), Malta (88%), the Bahamas (86%), Cyprus (84%) and Cuba (82%) depend most on services exports.
- Large goods exporters sit well below the world average: China 10%, Russia 9% and Mexico 8%.
- Among large economies, the UK (53%) and India (44%) rely most on services. The US is at 34%.
The global trade infographic in text
Title: Global Trade Dependence on Services Exports in 2023. Subtitle: Services Exports as a Percentage of Total Exports (Goods + Services). The legend runs from light teal (0%) to dark navy (100%), with a marker at World: 25%. Grey areas have no data. Ten economies carry numbered badges. Source: WTO. Footer: www.econovis.net, @econovisuals and the Econovis logo.
Text printed on the map: In 2023, services accounted for 25% of global exports. Advanced economies saw services make up 29% of their total exports, compared to 19% in emerging markets and developing economies. While advanced economies contributed 59% of the world’s goods exports, they dominated services exports with a 72% share.
The ten numbered economies
| Badge | Economy | Services as % of total exports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luxembourg | 90% |
| 2 | Malta | 88% |
| 3 | Bahamas | 86% |
| 4 | Cyprus | 84% |
| 5 | Cuba | 82% |
| 6 | Lebanon | 72% |
| 7 | Jamaica | 71% |
| 8 | Ethiopia | 67% |
| 9 | Ireland | 65% |
| 10 | Albania | 62% |
Other labelled economies
| Economy | Services as % of total exports |
|---|---|
| UK | 53% |
| India | 44% |
| France | 36% |
| U.S. | 34% |
| Spain | 32% |
| Japan | 22% |
| Germany | 21% |
| Canada | 19% |
| Italy | 18% |
| Australia | 17% |
| S. Korea | 16% |
| Brazil | 12% |
| Taiwan | 11% |
| South Africa | 11% |
| China | 10% |
| Russia | 9% |
| Mexico | 8% |
Why small economies top the map
Econovis’s notes with the map explain several of the high shares [1]. Luxembourg’s services exports were driven mainly by financial services. In Malta, government services made up around half of services exports. Ireland, which Econovis describes as the world’s fourth largest services exporter, had services export values nearly matching its services imports. Small developing countries that rely heavily on tourism, such as Albania, the Bahamas, Ethiopia, Jamaica and Lebanon, had a large part of their services exports tied to travel and tourism.
Econovis also names three advanced economies where services were over half of all exports: the United Kingdom, Israel and Iceland [1]. Only the UK has a printed label on the map.
The low shares at the other end reflect very large goods exports rather than small services sectors. China is the fifth largest exporter of commercial services in the WTO’s table [2], yet services are only 10% of its exports on the map because its goods exports are so much larger.
World services exports in 2023
The WTO’s Global Trade Outlook of April 2024 is the main source for these figures. It reports that the dollar value of world trade in commercial services rose 9% in 2023 to US$7.54 trillion (the average of exports and imports), lifted by recovering international travel and growing digitally delivered services, while merchandise trade fell 5% [2]. Goods and commercial services exports together came to US$30.8 trillion, and world commercial services exports were US$7,840 billion [2]. That is about 25% of the total, the same world figure printed on the map.
The ten largest exporters of commercial services in 2023, from the WTO’s appendix table [2]:
| Exporter | Commercial services exports 2023 (US$ billion) | Share of world |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 966 | 12.3% |
| United Kingdom | 581 | 7.4% |
| Germany | 435 | 5.5% |
| Ireland | 397 | 5.1% |
| China | 380 | 4.8% |
| France | 355 | 4.5% |
| India | 344 | 4.4% |
| Singapore | 328 | 4.2% |
| Netherlands | 314 | 4.0% |
| Japan | 201 | 2.6% |
Econovis made a companion map that measures services exports against the size of each economy (services exports as a percentage of GDP) instead of against total exports [3]. On that measure Luxembourg (173%) and Malta (122%) again lead, and the world ratio is 7.6%.
Notes on this infographic
- What the percentage means. A high share does not mean a country exports a lot of services in total. It means services are a large part of what that country exports. The US exports the most services of any country (US$966 billion) [2] but sits at 34% because it also exports a lot of goods.
- Labels. Only 27 economies carry a printed percentage. The shading for the rest can only be read approximately from the legend, so this page does not give figures for them.
- Cuba. Cuba is shown fifth at 82%. We could not find Cuba in the WTO tables we opened, so we have not checked this figure.
- Data year. The map shows 2023. The WTO publishes updated figures each year.
Questions about services exports by country
Which country relies most on services exports?
Luxembourg relies most on services exports, which made up 90% of its total exports in 2023 on the map of WTO data. It is followed by Malta (88%), the Bahamas (86%), Cyprus (84%) and Cuba (82%). Econovis says Luxembourg's services exports were driven mainly by financial services, while in Malta government services made up around half [1].
Which country exports the most services?
The United States exported the most commercial services in 2023, US$966 billion or 12.3% of the world total, according to the WTO [2]. The United Kingdom was second with US$581 billion, followed by Germany (US$435 billion), Ireland (US$397 billion) and China (US$380 billion) [2]. Services were still only 34% of US exports because the US also exports a lot of goods.
What share of world exports are services?
Services made up 25% of world exports in 2023, using WTO data. The share was 29% for advanced economies and 19% for emerging and developing economies. Advanced economies contributed 59% of the world's goods exports but 72% of services exports. World commercial services exports came to US$7,840 billion, out of US$30.8 trillion for goods and commercial services together [2].
What percentage of China's exports are services?
Services were 10% of China's total exports in 2023 on the map, well below the world figure of 25%. This reflects China's very large goods exports rather than a small services sector, as China is the fifth largest exporter of commercial services in the WTO's table, with US$380 billion [2]. Russia (9%) and Mexico (8%) sit even lower on the map.
Sources
- Econovis, Global Trade Dependence on Services Exports in 2023 (the original map and its notes).
- World Trade Organization, Global Trade Outlook and Statistics, April 2024 (PDF), executive summary and Appendix Table 3.
- Econovis, Global Economic Impact of Services Exports in 2023 (companion map, services exports as a share of GDP).
Last reviewed 30 October 2026
