Visualizing the changing geographies of international trade, 2000–19

Through globalization, countries around the world have been integrated into an interconnected economic system underpinned by international trade. Against this backdrop, this paper visualizes the evolving patterns of world trade geographies from 2000 to 2019. The maps show that the global trade centres have transformed from the two traditional major trading circles of North America and the European Union to the present three major trading circles of North America, the European Union and the Asia-Pacific region, along with the rapid rise of East Asian economies centred on China, Japan and South Korea. At the same time, some emerging economies have significantly increased their status in the world trade system.