The differThere are currently about 100 countries which trade by sea. If every country is included,
down to the smallest Pacific island, there are many more, possibly as many as 170. To
explain their trade the starting point is to take a close look at the economic differences
between the trading countries. Table 10.2 lists the imports and exports of 40 major
trading countries, or in some cases groups of countries.3 Together they account for 89%
of world seaborne trade, so it provides a reasonable overview of the countries which
trade by sea. Column 1 shows the country’s rank; the second its name; columns 3 and 4
its seaborne imports and exports; and column 5 shows the total trade used in the ranking
exercise. Columns 6–12 provide details of the geographical and economic size of
each country in relation to its sea trade.ences in maritime trade by country