Exportandel

Exportandel is a term used in economics and trade statistics to denote the proportion of goods or services produced in an economy, industry, firm, or region that are sold abroad. It is commonly expressed as a percentage and serves as an indicator of how export-oriented a unit of analysis is.

The basic calculation varies with context but typically takes the form: export share = exports ÷ total output (or total sales, or GDP), depending on whether the focus is on production, firm revenues, or national income. Different definitions produce different interpretations; for example, exports as a share of GDP measure the external orientation of an economy, while exports as a share of production show how much of a sector’s output leaves domestic markets.

Export share is used to assess competitiveness, economic openness, and exposure to foreign demand. High export shares are often found in manufacturing, commodity sectors, and small open economies where external markets drive growth. Policymakers and analysts monitor export shares to understand trade dependence, design industrial policy, and evaluate the potential impact of global shocks.

Limitations include sensitivity to re-exports, price fluctuations, and global value chain structures that obscure domestic value added. Data sources for export shares include national accounts, customs records, and international trade databases such as UN Comtrade and WTO statistics. Interpreting exportandel therefore requires attention to definition, data quality, and industry-specific factors.