In 2018, the surge in world merchandise trade recorded the previous year continued. Exports rose by 9.7 per cent and reached a record high of US$19.5 trillion. However, growth is nowcast to halt in 2019 with exports decreasing by 2.4 per cent.

Global exports were distributed in almost equal shares between the 'North' and the 'South'. In 2018, developing and transition economies jointly contributed US$9.3 trillion to the world total, of which US$8.6 trillion came from developing economies. Exports from developed economies added an additional US$10.1 trillion.

In Europe, Central America, Southern Africa and South-Eastern Asian economies, merchandise exports seldom accounted for less than 20 per cent of GDP, whereas in the Caribbean and in Central and Eastern Africa that rate was typically below 10 per cent

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