Overall imports for both organic and inorganic chemicals totaled US$592.6 billion during 2014, up 13.9% since 2010. The following countries account for 99.4% of the value of global chemical purchases for 2014.

African Importers

Africa imported $10.1 billion worth of chemicals representing 1.7% of international purchases led by the following items:

  1. Aluminum oxide: $560.5 million
  2. Anhydrous ammonia: $468 million
  3. Isocyanates: $455.6 million
  4. Sulphuric acid, oleum: $260.4 million
  5. Disodium carbonate: $230.2 million
  6. Terephthalic acid, salts: $193.8 million
  7. Sodium hydroxide: $187.9 million
  8. Antibiotics in bulk: $187.9 million
  9. Penicillins, salts in bulk: $180.9 million
10. Glutamic acid, salts: $167.8 million
Asian Importers

Asia imported $200 billion worth of chemicals representing 33.7% of international purchases led by the following items:

  1. P-xylene: $17 billion
  2. Ethylene glycol (ethanediol): $11.4 billion
  3. Styrene: $10.3 billion
  4. Propene (propylene): $5.6 billion
  5. Methanol (methyl alcohol): $5.6 billion
  6. Silicon: $5.5 billion
  7. Aluminum oxide: $4.7 billion
  8. Ethylene: $4.3 billion
  9. Benzene: $3.8 billion
10. Terephthalic acid, salts: $3.8 billion
European Importers

Europe imported $219 billion worth of chemicals representing 37% of international purchases led by the following items:

  1. Uranium U235/plutonium: $3.2 billion
  2. Natural uranium compounds: $2.4 billion
  3. Precious metal compounds: $2.4 billion
  4. Anhydrous ammonia: $2.3 billion
  5. Carbon: $2.3 billion
  6. Aluminum oxide: $1.6 billion
  7. Miscellaneous silicon: $1.5 billion
  8. Sodium hydroxide: $1.2 billion
  9. Silicon dioxide: $1 billion
10. Phosphoric acid: $1.1 billion
Latin American and Caribbean Importers

Latin America imported $16.6 billion worth of
chemicals representing 3% of global purchases
led by the following items:

  1. Nucleic acids, salts: $1.9 billion
  2. Acyclic ethers: $1.5 billion
  3. Organo-inorganic compounds: $1.5 billion
  4. P-xylene: $1.5 billion
  5. Styrene: $1.4 billion
  6. Heterocyclics with unfused pyridine ring: $1.2 billion
  7. Organo-sulphur compounds: $1.1 billion
  8. Heterocyclics (nitrogen hetero-atoms): $856.4 million
  9. Disodium carbonate: $794.1 million
10. Vinyl chloride (chloroethylene): $723.1 million
Middle Eastern Importers

he Middle East imported $12.9 billion worth of chemicals representing 2.2% of international purchases led by the following items:

  1. Terephthalic acid, salts: $1.5 billion
  2. Aluminum oxide: $1.3 billion
  3. Benzene: $823.6 million
  4. Ethylene glycol (ethanediol): $585.9 million
  5. Antibiotics in bulk: $484.1 million
  6. Isocyanates: $447.5 million
  7. Phosphoric acid: $403.3 million
  8.  Styrene: $401.2 million
  9. Anhydrous ammonia: $356.9 million
10. Carbon: $354.5 million
North American Importers

North America imported $91.6 billion worth of
chemicals representing 15.4% of international
purchases led by the following items:

  1. Nucleic acids, salts: $8 billion
  2. Heterocyclics, nucleic acids: $4.1 billion
  3. Sulphonamides in bulk: $3.7 billion
  4. Lactams: $3.1 billion
  5.  Anhydrous ammonia: $2.9 billion
  6. Heterocyclics (nitrogen hetero-atoms): $2.8 billion
  7. Benzene: $2.5 billion
  8. Uranium U235/plutonium: $2.3 billion
  9. Heterocyclics (unfused pyridine ring): $2.2 billion
10. Methanol (methyl alcohol): $2 billion
Oceanian Importers

Oceania imported $4.7 billion worth of
chemicals representing 0.8% of international purchases led by the following items:

  1. Sodium hydroxide: $678.7 million
  2. Aluminum oxide: $217.1 million
  3. Adrenal cortical hormones: $196.6 million
  4. Heterocyclics, pyridine ring: $149.6 million
  5. Organo-inorganic compounds: $127.4 million
  6. Heterocyclics, nucleic acids: $118.9 million
  7. Heterocyclics, hetero-atom: $90.4 million
  8. Adrenal cortical hormones: $85.6 million
  9. Antibiotics in bulk: $77.2 million
10. Disodium carbonate: $75.9 million
Below are the most valuable chemicals imported during 2014, listed in descending order by dollar value.  Also shown is the increase in value
for each chemical
since 2010.
Data source: Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis

Top Imported Chemicals Countries
Most Valuable Chemical Imports 2014
Research Note: Import numbers rarely match the source exporters’ stats. Reasons for import-export statistical discrepancies include re-exports, time lags, misallocations, distinct trade reporting systems, different quantity measurements and country confidentiality rules. Also, transportation and insurance costs are sometimes added to import totals.