Ores and metals exports in China
China: Ores and metals exports was 1.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Ores and metals exports in China, 1984–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2024, ores and metals exports in China stood at 1.5%.
The figure is up 14.5% on the previous year and up 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ores and metals exports in China peaked at 3.1% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2020.
That places China 129th out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 37 years of available data.
Ores and metals exports in China, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 2.2% | — |
| 1985 | 1.5% | -31.0% |
| 1986 | 1.4% | -5.7% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | +115.2% |
| 1992 | 1.7% | -45.2% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | +12.5% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | +11.3% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | -13.3% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | +15.7% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 2.0% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | -6.0% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | -5.0% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | -9.6% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 1.9% | +18.7% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | -5.3% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | +20.1% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | -16.4% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 1.2% | -29.3% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | +16.8% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | -14.4% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | -6.3% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | +10.2% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | -5.0% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -11.0% |
| 2021 | 1.4% | +23.2% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | +9.4% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | -12.6% |
| 2024 | 1.5% | +14.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.5%, 43% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- China's 1.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.4%, 64% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Ores and metals exports in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +115.2% | 1.4% | 3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.1% | 1.4% | 3.1% | 4 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 8 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More energy & mining data for China
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 2.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 15.1% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ores and metals exports in China?
- Ores and metals exports in China was 1.5% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest ores and metals exports recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.1% in 1987.
- What is the lowest ores and metals exports recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2020.
- How does China rank for ores and metals exports?
- China ranks 129th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is ores and metals exports rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Ores and metals exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ores and metals comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 27 (crude fertilizer, minerals nes); 28 (metalliferous ores, scrap); and 68 (non-ferrous metals). Exports of services are services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.