Countries

The British Virgin Islands: trade by HS code

  • US$202mExports 2024
  • US$1bnImports 2024
  • 881HS6 · Exports
  • Latin AmericaRegion
  • Small island developing stateCountry groups
  • US Dollar (USD)Currency

In 2024, exports from the British Virgin Islands came to US$202m and imports to US$1bn.

Its main exports were paintings, drawings and pastels (hand-made) (9701.91), paintings over 100 years old (9701.21) and other ferrous scrap (7204.49).

Its largest customer was the United States and its largest supplier China.

In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported goods worth £1.1m from the British Virgin Islands (+55% on the year before), above all sailboats 7.5-24 m, sewing machines of the household type and air guns and other arms, and exported £38.1m to it.

Under OCTs, 98% of the UK tariff lines are duty-free for goods from the British Virgin Islands that meet the rules of origin.

British Virgin Islands and the UK

UK imports£1.1m+55% · last 12 months
UK exports£38.1m+30% · last 12 months
Duty-free access to the UK98%share of tariff lines at 0% under a preference

Agreement or scheme: OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories)

What the UK imports from British Virgin Islands

  1. 8903.22Sailboats 7.5-24 m£650k
  2. 8452.10Sewing machines of the household type£108.4k
  3. 9304.00Air guns and other arms£103.3k
  4. 9031.90Parts of measuring instruments£54k
  5. 9706.10Of an age exceeding 250 years£53.7k
  6. 6110.30Synthetic sweaters and cardigans, knitted£46.1k
  7. 6105.20Men's man-made fibre shirts, knitted£38.9k
  8. 8419.89Other industrial process machinery£35k
  9. 9701.91Paintings, drawings and pastels (hand-made)£7.2k
  10. 6106.20Women's man-made fibre blouses, knitted£4.4k

Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · HMRC

British Virgin Islands and the EU

EU imports€200m+96% · last 12 months
EU exports€529.8m+48% · last 12 months

What the EU imports from British Virgin Islands

  1. 8903.33Motor yachts over 24 m€189.9m
  2. 8903.22Sailboats 7.5-24 m€4.6m
  3. 9701.91Paintings, drawings and pastels (hand-made)€2.8m
  4. 9703.90Original sculptures (up to 100 years old)€870.4k
  5. 8903.32Motorboats 7.5-24 m€827k
  6. 8903.99Other pleasure and sports vessels€293.7k
  7. 8419.89Other industrial process machinery€132.7k
  8. 8543.70Other electrical machines and apparatus€80.2k
  9. 8903.19Inflatable (including rigid hull inflatable) boats: other€80k
  10. 8708.29Other car body parts€76.7k

Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · Eurostat Comext

Top exports

  1. 9701.91Paintings, drawings and pastels (hand-made)US$64m
  2. 9701.21Paintings over 100 years oldUS$31m
  3. 7204.49Other ferrous scrapUS$24m
  4. 2709.00Crude oilUS$15m
  5. 8903.33Motor yachts over 24 mUS$9m
  6. 8903.32Motorboats 7.5-24 mUS$6m
  7. 9703.90Original sculptures (up to 100 years old)US$5m
  8. 8534.00Printed circuit boardsUS$4m
  9. 8903.22Sailboats 7.5-24 mUS$4m
  10. 8802.30Aeroplanes 2,000-15,000 kgUS$2m
  11. 6402.19Other rubber/plastic sports shoesUS$2m
  12. 6403.99Leather shoes (not ankle-covering)US$2m
  13. 2929.10IsocyanatesUS$2m
  14. 9101.21Automatic wristwatches, precious metal caseUS$2m
  15. 8609.00Shipping containersUS$1m
  16. 6402.99Rubber and plastic shoes (not ankle-covering)US$1m
  17. 8517.62Network switching and routing equipmentUS$1m
  18. 3904.22Plasticised PVC, primaryUS$1m
  19. 8474.39Mixing or kneading machines: otherUS$1m
  20. 3907.99Other polyesters, primaryUS$1m

Top imports

  1. 8609.00Shipping containersUS$193m
  2. 8903.33Motor yachts over 24 mUS$133m
  3. 8903.22Sailboats 7.5-24 mUS$117m
  4. 8802.30Aeroplanes 2,000-15,000 kgUS$86m
  5. 8903.32Motorboats 7.5-24 mUS$47m
  6. 8802.40Aircraft over 15,000 kgUS$36m
  7. 8903.99Other pleasure and sports vesselsUS$29m
  8. 7113.19Precious metal jewellery (other than silver)US$13m
  9. 8802.12Helicopters over 2,000 kgUS$12m
  10. 8703.23Petrol cars, 1500-3000 ccUS$11m
  11. 8901.90Cargo ships and other goods vesselsUS$8m
  12. 8906.90Other vessels (not warships)US$7m
  13. 9403.60Other wooden furnitureUS$4m
  14. 2202.10Sweetened or flavoured waters (soft drinks)US$4m
  15. 1005.90Maize (corn), not for sowingUS$4m
  16. 8703.22Petrol cars, 1000-1500 ccUS$4m
  17. 7103.91Worked rubies, sapphires and emeraldsUS$4m
  18. 9101.21Automatic wristwatches, precious metal caseUS$3m
  19. 8903.19Inflatable (including rigid hull inflatable) boats: otherUS$3m
  20. 3004.90Other medicines, dosed or for retail saleUS$3m

Main buyers from British Virgin Islands

  1. United States US$50m
  2. Germany US$49m
  3. Egypt US$24m
  4. Bolivia US$15m
  5. Italy US$9m
  6. Malta US$5m
  7. Switzerland US$3m
  8. Dominican Republic US$3m
  9. Ireland US$2m
  10. Hungary US$2m

Main suppliers of British Virgin Islands

  1. China US$209m
  2. Italy US$128m
  3. Germany US$86m
  4. France US$82m
  5. United States US$74m
  6. Switzerland US$50m
  7. South Africa US$40m
  8. Croatia US$31m
  9. Türkiye US$10m
  10. Sweden US$10m

Economy, trade and logistics

Key figures on the size of the economy, its place in world trade and how fast goods cross its borders, from the World Bank and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Each value shows the year it refers to.

IndicatorValueYear
Economy
Population39,7322025
Trade
Share of world goods exports0%2025
Share of world goods imports0%2025
Products exported (SITC 3-digit groups)182025
Export concentration index · 0 = exports spread evenly across products, 1 = a single product0.5572025
Logistics
Liner shipping connectivity index · rank 162 in the world11.82026 Q3

World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0); UNCTADstat (CC BY 3.0 IGO)

Questions and answers

What does the British Virgin Islands export most?

In 2024, its largest export at the six-digit level was paintings, drawings and pastels (hand-made) (HS 9701.91), worth US$64m.

Does the UK have a trade agreement with the British Virgin Islands?

Yes: goods from the British Virgin Islands can enter at preferential rates under OCTs, duty-free on 98% of tariff lines, provided they meet the rules of origin and come with proof of origin.