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Foreign trade figures of Latvia

Foreign Trade in Figures

The Latvian market is open and competitive, with foreign trade representing 130% of GDP (World Bank, latest data available). According to the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, in 2022 exports were comprised mostly of wood, wood products and charcoal; mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; electrical machinery and equipment. Imports were led by mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; electrical machinery and equipment; machinery and mechanical appliances.

With its 530 km-long Baltic coastlines on the west, Latvia is bordered by Belarus and Russia to the east, Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. This geographical position allows the country to function as a bridge between the two major economic areas of the EU and the CIS. At the same time, it also makes the country vulnerable to the external context, as shown during the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the following sanctions towards the Russian Federation. As a result, the volume of trade with Russia now accounts for less than 10% of the total while the EU has the lion's share with nearly 45.3% of total exports and an even larger share of imports. In the meantime, the country is also seeking new opportunities beyond Europe, with China and several countries in Central Asia. For 2022, the main partner countries were Sweden (EUR 956.5 million, 4.5%), Lithuania (EUR 933 million, 4.3%) and Germany (EUR 893.4 million, 4.2%); whereas imports came chiefly from Lithuania, Estonia, Germany, Poland, and the Russian Federation (their cumulated share comprised 60.3% of total imports).

The country has a structural trade deficit (notably due to its energy imports), which stood at 3.4% of GDP in 2021 (World Bank). In the same year, Latvia exported USD 20.8 billion worth of goods, importing USD 24.4 billion (+28.5% and +33.1% year-on-year, respectively). Trade in services recorded a surplus, with exports standing at USD 5.7 billion (+14.2% y-o-y) against USD 3.6 billion in imports (+23.2%). Preliminary figures from the National Statistical Office show that in 2022 Latvia exported EUR 21.27 billion worth of goods, importing EUR 26.5 billion (+29.3% and 35.8%). Both are the highest exports and imports value yet recorded, which can be explained by the rise in prices.

 
Foreign Trade Values 20172018201920202021
Imports of Goods (million USD) 17,03319,68118,95918,36324,447
Exports of Goods (million USD) 14,12616,16615,70516,20120,823
Imports of Services (million USD) 2,9593,5503,5272,9403,622
Exports of Services (million USD) 5,5576,2466,2114,9895,697

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20172018201920202021
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 123.8123.6120.3118.8130.4
Trade Balance (million USD) -2,770-2,944-2,952-1,766-3,288
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) -193-220-225341-1,376
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 8.66.33.1-0.315.3
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 6.44.42.1-0.35.9
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 62.262.160.558.966.9
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 61.661.559.859.963.5

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 20222023 (e)2024 (e)2025 (e)2026 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) 9.1-0.33.12.62.6
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) 11.6-0.53.02.32.3

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Latvia is a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the World Trade Organization, the Council of the Baltic Sea States and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. It has contributed to NATO peacekeeping missions and is taking part at the present time in the international missions to Afghanistan and Irak.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2022
Lithuania 18.2%
Estonia 11.8%
Germany 6.7%
Russia 5.6%
Sweden 5.6%
See More Countries 52.1%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2022
Lithuania 24.4%
Estonia 10.1%
Germany 9.6%
Poland 9.4%
Russia 6.9%
See More Countries 39.6%

Source: Comtrade, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

22.5 bn USD of products exported in 2022
Wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled,...Wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or end-jointed, of a thickness of > 6 mm 5.7%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 5.6%
Wheat and meslinWheat and meslin 4.2%
Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular...Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks; other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, incl. apparatus for communication in a wired or wireless network [such as a local or wide area network]; parts thereof (excl. than transmission or reception apparatus of heading 8443, 8525, 8527 or 8528) 3.6%
Electrical energyElectrical energy 3.2%
See More Products 77.7%
27.9 bn USD of products imported in 2022
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 9.5%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 5.7%
Electrical energyElectrical energy 4.8%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 2.9%
Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular...Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks; other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, incl. apparatus for communication in a wired or wireless network [such as a local or wide area network]; parts thereof (excl. than transmission or reception apparatus of heading 8443, 8525, 8527 or 8528) 2.7%
See More Products 74.2%

Source: Comtrade, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows.

 

Main Services

4.9 bn USD of services exported in 2020
31.90%
25.38%
13.58%
8.90%
8.38%
7.49%
2.73%
0.82%
0.59%
0.21%
0.02%
2.8 bn USD of services imported in 2020
38.40%
28.54%
10.88%
7.02%
5.95%
3.82%
3.00%
1.11%
0.57%
0.49%
0.21%

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

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Latest Update: September 2023