Iodine: Movement

A $2.26 billion trade, and why Belgium features

What this tab covers How it flows between countries: the largest bilateral trade routes drawn on a world map, 2024 UN Comtrade export and import values with the top exporters and importers by share, plus shipping routes, chokepoints and trade restrictions.

Crude iodine (HS 2801.20) is a high-value trade: world exports were worth about $2.26 billion in 2024. Chile supplied 63.5% of export value, Belgium 15.8% and Japan 13.3%. Belgium's share reflects processing and re-export rather than mining. China was the largest importer at 24.3%, followed by India (13.1%), Norway (12.1%), Belgium and the United States. Norway's imports likely feed contrast-media manufacturing. Iodine moves in drums by container ship, so bulk chokepoints matter little. The US tariff on crude iodine is zero.

Main trade routes, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows

Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Largest bilateral flows (width = value) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, reported exports by the top four exporters of each traded form to their partners (US$). Bubbles: shares of reported world exports and imports for the main traded form. Hover a line or circle for values.

Iodine · HS 280120

World exports 2024 $2.26 bn sum of 40 reporting countries World imports 2024 $2.24 bn sum of 40 reporting countries Top exporters, share of value Chile 63.5% Belgium 15.8% Japan 13.3% United States 3.3% Italy 0.7% United Kingdom 0.7% Top importers, share of value China 24.3% India 13.1% Norway 12.1% Belgium 10.5% United States 9.6% Italy 6.2% UN Comtrade, reporter declarations to the world, US$. Exports and imports are reported separately, so totals differ. Re-exporting hubs (Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE) can appear large.