Map of world trade .

The trade is of growing importance in the global economic context, because the portion of production goes to foreign markets has been increasing steadily. In the past 50 years the physical volume of global production grew 8 times while the volume of exports increased 25 times (in value 150 times.) One consequence of this phenomenon is the increasing interdependence of economies and the need to incorporate an international perspective in household decisions. Hence the importance of highlighting some of the characteristics presented by global trade.
Concentration
Currently, the total value of merchandise exports exceed 10 billion dollars, which should add another 2 billion for the exchange of commercial services. As shown in the table below, a dozen countries, with Germany, USA and China in the lead, almost 60% of the total.

  
Trade in Goods. Year 2004 (billions U.S. $ s)

  
Expor


%


Impor


%


Balance

  
Germany


910


10,0


730


8,0


180

  
United States


820


9,0


1.520


16,7


-700

  
China


600


6,6


560


6,2


40

  
Japan


570


6,3


470


5,2


100

  
France


450


4,9


470


5,2


-20

  
Netherlands


360


4,0


320


3,5


40

  
Italy


350


3,8


350


3,8


0

  
United Kingdom


350


3,8


470


5,2


-120

  
Canada


320


3,5


280


3,1


40

  
Belgium


310


3,4


290


3,2


20

  
Top 10 countries


5.040


55,4


5.460


60,0



 -420

  
Rest of World


4.060


44,6


3.640


40,0


420

  
World Total


9.100


100,0


9.100


100,0


0
Elaboration based on data from the World Trade Organization
In turn, in the last 25 years have seen major changes in trade flows between major areas and countries. While Asia's share has been growing steadily (now exports a quarter of the global total) of South America and Africa have declined and now do not reach 3% of the total. At the country level, the U.S. and Japan have decreased their share in global exports from 12% to 9% and 9% to 6%, respectively. Europe is the exception, since their participation has remained steady at around 45% of the world.