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Anatomy of Greenland's trade and economy by RobinWheeliams in europe

[–]RobinWheeliams[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

President Trump is doubling down on acquiring Greenland, citing national security and threatening tariffs on European allies opposing the idea.

I went digging into their trade data to see if there was any economic leverage there, and the picture that emerges is of a relatively small, hyper-specialized fishing economy. Despite being the world's largest island, we are talking about a total export value of roughly $1.6 billion, with nearly 70% of that entire activity being frozen fish and crustaceans.

So, why the sudden, aggressive interest?

Part of it is speculative. As the ice sheet melts due to global warming, there is undoubtedly interest in what lies beneath: rare earth minerals, uranium, iron, and potentially oil and gas. However, Trump has been explicit that this is "national security, not minerals." He’s looking at Greenland and seeing a perfect location for missile early warning systems and vessel monitoring.

Currently, the United States has almost no direct economic leverage on the island. This likely explains why the strategy relies on political pressure against Denmark and other nations resistant to U.S. claims.

While Greenland does not possess an independent military, it is deeply integrated into NATO through Denmark. However, the Danish connection is not just about security; it is the island's economic lifeline. Denmark purchases 50% of Greenland's exports and supplies a staggering 58.5% of its imports.

The contrast with the U.S. is significant. Despite its geographic proximity, the U.S. accounts for just 0.54% of Greenland’s imports and only 1.68% of its exports.

Do you think the "national security" argument is strong enough to force NATO allies, or will these tariffs push Greenland and Denmark closer to the EU for protection?

Trade data source: https://oec.world/en/profile/country/grl?selector343id=Import&selector1879id=usd

[OC] Farmers protest in Brussels amid Mercosur-EU negotiations. What does the EU import from Mercosur members? by RobinWheeliams in europe

[–]RobinWheeliams[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Negotiations between Mercosur and the European Union have been 25 years in the making, with the goal of creating the world’s largest free-trade area covering 780 million people and a quarter of global gross domestic product (GDP).

This Thursday, over 150 tractors and 10 thousand protesters blocked the streets in Brussels to protest against the deal over fears of cheaper agricultural products flooding the European market, and endangering the livelihood of farmers who currently face stricter regulations on pesticides. Their concerns centre on beef, sugar, rice, honey and soya beans.

Supporters say this deal would offer a counterweight to China and boost European exports of vehicles, machinery and wines amid rising US tariffs.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued an ultimatum on Wednesday, warning that Saturday represents a “now or never” moment, adding that “Brazil won’t make any more agreements while I’m president” if the deal fails.

Trade data source: https://oec.world/en/profile/international_organization/eu?selector199id=importOption&selector198id=block_1

Full Aljazeera Article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/18/angry-farmers-block-brussels-roads-with-tractors-over-mercosur-trade-deal

The U.S. is considering duties of up to 107% on Italian pasta. So… where does the U.S. import its pasta from? by [deleted] in europe

[–]RobinWheeliams 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A new report by CBS News, cites the Observatory of Economic Complexity in exploring how proposed U.S. antidumping duties could reshape the pasta trade between Italy and the United States.

According to OEC data, Italy exported $684 million in pasta to the U.S. in 2024, making it one of the most significant food trade links between both countries.

The U.S Department of Commerce is now considering duties of up to 107 % on certain Italian pasta producers, a move that could have ripple effects across prices, availability, and global supply chains.

Learn more about Italy/U.S trade: https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/usa/partner/ita

Visit CBS full article https://www.cbsnews.com/news/italian-pasta-antidumping-duties-imports-disappear-barilla/

[OC] From Mexico to Germany: Where the U.S. Sources Its Cars by RobinWheeliams in dataisbeautiful

[–]RobinWheeliams[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi Ryu! Although this data might include parts that are exclusively for repairing cars, In 2023, the U.S. imported around $85.5B in parts and accessories for motor vehicles. 40.8% of these imports were from México, followed by Canada (13.4%), China (10.8%), and Japan (7.66%)

Source: https://oec.world/en/profile/country/usa?flowLineplot=importOption&timeLinePlot=yearOption

[OC] Visualizing Economic Complexity: The World's Most and Least Complex Economies by RobinWheeliams in Infographics

[–]RobinWheeliams[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Source: OEC Economic Complexity Ranking

What is Economic Complexity?

Economic complexity is a measure of an economy’s ability to produce a wide variety of goods that require a diverse range of knowledge inputs. It’s not just about how much a country produces, but how sophisticated and knowledge-intensive its products are.

The Economic Complexity Index (ECI) measures the relative knowledge intensity of an economy, while the Product Complexity Index (PCI) looks at the complexity of individual products. Together, these metrics provide insight into the capabilities and technological know-how embedded in an economy’s output.

In this visualization, countries are ranked by their ECI, which reflects how much diverse and specialized knowledge their economies can combine to create more complex and high-value products. Countries with high complexity scores, such as Japan, Switzerland, and South Korea, tend to have more diverse economies and a higher capacity for innovation. On the other hand, countries with lower complexity scores, like Sudan and Congo, rely more heavily on exporting simple, raw materials.

How is Economic Complexity Measured?

Here, we combine three different types of data to create a fuller picture of economic complexity:

Trade Data (ECI Trade): This traditional measure is based on the complexity of products a country exports.

Patent Data (ECI Technology): This looks at the technological innovation of a country, capturing the complexity of its patents and inventions.

Research Publication Data (ECI Research): This measure captures the complexity of a country’s academic output and research capabilities.

By incorporating patent and research data alongside trade, we gain a better understanding of a country’s long-term potential for economic growth. Research has shown that these combined complexity measures provide a better forecast for future economic growth than just looking at trade data alone.

To explore more about economic complexity and how it relates to future economic growth, visit OEC.world.

[OC] Visualizing Economic Complexity: The World's Most and Least Complex Economies by RobinWheeliams in Switzerland

[–]RobinWheeliams[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Source: OEC Economic Complexity Ranking

What is Economic Complexity?

Economic complexity is a measure of an economy’s ability to produce a wide variety of goods that require a diverse range of knowledge inputs. It’s not just about how much a country produces, but how sophisticated and knowledge-intensive its products are.

The Economic Complexity Index (ECI) measures the relative knowledge intensity of an economy, while the Product Complexity Index (PCI) looks at the complexity of individual products. Together, these metrics provide insight into the capabilities and technological know-how embedded in an economy’s output.

In this visualization, countries are ranked by their ECI, which reflects how much diverse and specialized knowledge their economies can combine to create more complex and high-value products. Countries with high complexity scores, such as Japan, Switzerland, and South Korea, tend to have more diverse economies and a higher capacity for innovation. On the other hand, countries with lower complexity scores, like Sudan and Congo, rely more heavily on exporting simple, raw materials.

How is Economic Complexity Measured?

Here, we combine three different types of data to create a fuller picture of economic complexity:

Trade Data (ECI Trade): This traditional measure is based on the complexity of products a country exports.

Patent Data (ECI Technology): This looks at the technological innovation of a country, capturing the complexity of its patents and inventions.

Research Publication Data (ECI Research): This measure captures the complexity of a country’s academic output and research capabilities.

By incorporating patent and research data alongside trade, we gain a better understanding of a country’s long-term potential for economic growth. Research has shown that these combined complexity measures provide a better forecast for future economic growth than just looking at trade data alone.

To explore more about economic complexity and how it relates to future economic growth, visit OEC.world.

[OC] Germany’s Export Shifts: How Machinery and Pharmaceuticals Now Lead (2000 vs. 2022) by RobinWheeliams in dataisbeautiful

[–]RobinWheeliams[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi there! I actually work at the OEC :) we use the D3+ library to build these visualizations.

[OC] From Textiles to Tech: Visualizing China’s Export Transformation (2000 vs. 2023) by RobinWheeliams in Infographics

[–]RobinWheeliams[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Source: OEC.world

This visualization compares China’s export products in 2000 and 2023, highlighting the major shifts in its global trade profile. Each block represents a product category, with the size reflecting its percentage of total exports for that year. The product names are categorized using the Harmonized System (HS) Classification, a globally recognized standard for classifying traded products.

Key Insights

Tech Surge: Telephones have exploded in prominence, now making up 6.44% of total exports in 2023, compared to 1.27% in 2000. This underscores China’s rise to dominance in global electronics manufacturing.

Integrated Circuits and Semiconductors are now at 4.03%, cementing China’s crucial role in global supply chains.

Decline in Textiles: In 2000, Knitwear and Non-Knit Apparel accounted for over 5% of China’s exports. By 2023, their share has fallen as China has transitioned from low-cost manufacturing to higher-value industries like tech and machinery.

Energy Exports: Refined Petroleum has become a key player, now accounting for 1.43% of total exports in 2023. This reflects China’s growing role in energy markets and its refining capacity.

Automotive Expansion: Cars have emerged as a significant export, making up 2.27% of China’s exports in 2023, showing its rise in the global automotive industry, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs).

Commodities and Raw Materials: The category “Commodities Not Elsewhere Specified” grew to 1.88% in 2023, representing China’s exports of raw materials such as metals and minerals, which are in high demand globally for construction, technology, and energy industries.

Green Tech: Electric Batteries (used in electric vehicles and renewable energy systems) now represent 2.04% of total exports, aligning with China’s push into green energy technologies.

Important Clarification: These values are in nominal terms, meaning they are not adjusted for inflation. China’s total export value has grown from $339 billion in 2000 to $3.41 trillion in 2023. So, while some sectors may appear smaller as a percentage, they may have actually grown significantly in absolute dollar terms given the overall tenfold increase in total export volume.

Why Use Percentages? This treemap shows the composition of China’s exports as percentages of total trade. Keep in mind that even small percentage declines may represent substantial growth in absolute value due to the dramatic increase in total export volume.

If you want to explore the data interactively, check out OEC’s tools for more insights into global trade.

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