This map shows which export makes your country the most money

GlobalPost

Editor's note: This story was originally published in May 2014.

Using data from the CIA World Factbook, we labeled every country in the world by its highest valued export, aka the commodity that makes the country the most money in the global market.

Unsurprisingly, much of the world runs on oil, particularly the Middle East and Central Asia. Europe is the world's workshop, where most of the machinery and motor vehicles are made, from optical instruments to BMWs. Latin America brings a blend of food products and oil to the trading table. Asia is the world's manufacturing center, where the world's clothing, wood products, and semiconductors are made. Africa is extremely rich in natural resources, particularly precious metals and oil. A substantial part of the continent makes its money on diamonds, gold or oil.

Click on any of the maps below to see an enlarged version.

World Commodities Map

World Commodities Map: North America

World Commodities Map: CENTRAL AMERICA

World Commodities Map: South America

World Commodities Map: EUROPE

World Commodities Map: Middle East & Central Asia

World Commodities Map: Africa

World Commodities Map: ASIA

Will you support The World? 

The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?