The map of Polish exports has changed

This article is a part of Poland Unpacked. Weekly intelligence for decision-makers

Polish exports are making inroads worldwide – such is the conclusion suggested by data on their value in recent years. Consider first the statistics published by Statistics Poland (GUS). In 2025, goods exports amounted to EUR 366bn (USD 411bn). Year on year, they grew by 3.7% in euro terms and 7.5% in dollar terms, reflecting the zloty’s stronger appreciation against the dollar than against the euro.

Compared with 2019, Polish exports are now more than 50% higher. Measured in dollars, the increase stands at 54%, and in euros slightly less, at 53%. This marks a striking shift over just six years. It took place during a difficult period for the global economy, encompassing the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. At the same time, the world grappled with high inflation, which tends to inflate nominal trade values. Even so, once inflation is taken into account, Polish exports have posted solid growth.

Polish goods are pushing beyond Europe, too

The geographical spread of export growth is notably diversified, as a glance at the map makes clear. European markets still play the dominant role. According to data from Statistics Poland (GUS), between 2019 and 2025 the value of Polish exports increased by USD 144bn (EUR approx. 128bn). A quarter of that gain came from higher exports to Germany, which rose by USD 37bn (EUR approx. 33bn). As reported recently, in 2026 Poland may become a larger trading partner for Germany than France.

The second-largest increase was recorded for Ukraine (USD 9.6bn / EUR approx. 8.5bn), followed by France (USD 9.4bn / EUR approx. 8.3bn) and Czechia (USD 9.4bn / EUR approx. 8.3bn). The Netherlands ranked fifth, with an increase of USD 7.4bn (EUR approx. 6.5bn). Exports to the United States also posted a strong rise, exceeding USD 5bn (EUR approx. 4.4bn) in nominal terms – equivalent to growth of more than 70%.

In total, there are as many as 28 countries to which exports increased by at least USD 1bn (EUR approx. 0.9bn). In eight cases, exports at least doubled. This was true, among others, for Ukraine, as well as for several non-EU markets, including Turkey, Switzerland and Mexico. Noteworthy destinations appear just outside the top twenty. Exports to Morocco grew by more than USD 0.6bn (EUR approx. 0.5bn) between 2019 and 2025 – nearly tripling. In the case of Brazil, exports rose by 119%, amounting to over $0.5bn (EUR approx. 0.4bn). Growth of more than 80% was recorded in trade with India and Serbia.

Against this backdrop, export growth to China may be seen as somewhat disappointing, at 18%. It is a vast market that continues to expand rapidly despite a recent slowdown. China is capable of producing almost everything domestically, while consumer preferences there are increasingly shifting toward homegrown products.

There were very few destinations where exports declined. The most significant was Russia, where – unsurprisingly – exports fell by more than USD 5.8bn (EUR approx. 5.1bn), or over 70%. The second was Belarus, where exports have dropped by USD 0.5bn (EUR approx. 0.4bn), or 27%, since 2019. Other declines are negligible in light of their limited economic significance.

Poland: a key trading partner for Europe

As a result of this expansion, Poland has become an important partner for nearly all major European economies. The map above shows Poland’s position among each country’s leading import partners – in other words, which countries a given economy sources most of its imports from, and where Poland ranks on that list (their imports are, of course, Poland’s exports).

At first glance, geography still matters. Among immediate neighbors and nearby countries, Poland ranks highly as a source of imports. It is the top supplier to Lithuania, accounting for 13.9% of that country’s imports. For Ukraine, Poland ranks second, with a 9.9% share. It is the third-largest supplier for Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Latvia. In Germany, Poland ranks fourth, with a 5.9% share of imports, and fifth in Romania.

In many cases, Poland is outranked only by China, Germany and close geographical neighbors. Its position in the region is particularly strong, but even further afield it performs respectably. Only in a handful of cases does Poland fall outside the top ten suppliers – and among these are just three large economies.

The first is the United Kingdom, where Poland ranks only 13th, with a 2.2% share. Polish exports to the UK grew by 33% between 2019 and 2024 – a relatively modest pace, largely attributable to Brexit. The second such market is Turkey, where Poland ranks 14th. The third is Switzerland, where it places as low as 24th.

Beyond Europe, Poland’s ranking naturally declines. In Canada, it stands at 25th, with a 0.5% share; in the United States, 33rd; in Brazil, 43rd. In Asian economies such as South Korea, India and China, Poland ranks around 50th place.

Diversification as Poland’s competitive edge

Data on the geographical spread of Poland’s export expansion underline one key point: diversification is decisive. Germany, the country’s largest trading partner, accounts for 25% of exports, but the shares of subsequent partners fall into single digits. At the same time, exports are growing across a wide range of distant markets – effectively on every continent. This is possible because Poland’s exports are also diversified in terms of product structure.

Under the HS commodity classification, goods are grouped into 21 sections (two-letter codes). No single category accounts for more than 15% of Polish exports, and only three exceed the 10% threshold.

These two forms of diversification have been a powerful driver of Poland’s export performance in recent years. There is little to suggest this will change in the near term. Yet such a structure – mirrored to some extent across the broader industrial base – comes with a trade-off: the absence of a single, clearly defined specialization. That, in turn, makes it harder to concentrate large-scale investment in innovation – one of the model’s inherent drawbacks.

Diversification is the cornerstone of Poland’s export strength, both geographically and in terms of product mix, enhancing resilience to shocks. The absence of reliance on a single market or sector supports steady growth and expansion across multiple destinations simultaneously. On the downside, such a structure may constrain the development of a clear specialization and the concentration of innovation.
Polish exports have surged in recent years. Since 2019, their value has increased by more than 50%, reaching USD 411bn (EUR 366bn) in 2025. This expansion came despite difficult global conditions, including the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s tariff war. Even after adjusting for price effects, the growth remains robust.
The largest gains have been recorded in European markets, particularly Germany, but strong growth is also evident in a range of other countries, including the United States, Turkey and Mexico. Poland is strengthening its position as a key trading partner in the region, ranking among the main suppliers to Central and Eastern European economies. At the same time, its footprint beyond Europe remains markedly smaller.