Guatemala-Nicaragua Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $1.17B total volume •Guatemala surplus: $820.88M

GuatemalaNicaragua

$995.56M

Exports (2023)

NicaraguaGuatemala

$174.68M

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$820.88M

Surplus for Guatemala

Total Trade

$1.17B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between Guatemala and Nicaragua. Green line shows exports from Guatemala, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the Guatemala-Nicaragua commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

GuatemalaNicaragua Exports

$995.56M
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Specialized Focus
Market Share:
12.4% top product
1Fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed
$123.75M
12.4% of exports
2Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale
$64.22M
6.5% of exports
3Washing and cleaning preparations: surface-active, whether or not containing soap (excluding those of heading no. 3401), put up for retail sale
$26.54M
2.7% of exports
4Vegetable oils: palm oil and its fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified
$25.92M
2.6% of exports
5Paper articles: toilet paper
$23.52M
2.4% of exports

🎯 Strategic Export Focus

Guatemala's export portfolio to Nicaragua demonstrates strategic specialization, with fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

NicaraguaGuatemala Imports

$174.68M
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Concentrated
Critical Imports:
13.1% concentration
1Meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen
$22.94M
13.1% of imports
2Meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, fresh or chilled
$21.14M
12.1% of imports
3Dairy produce: milk and cream, concentrated, not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, in powder, granules or other solid forms, of a fat content exceeding 1.5% (by weight)
$10.12M
5.8% of imports
4Crustaceans: frozen, shrimps and prawns, excluding cold-water varieties, in shell or not, smoked, cooked or not before or during smoking: in shell, cooked by steaming or by boiling in water
$9.87M
5.6% of imports
5Dairy produce: buttermilk, curdled milk or cream, kephir, fermented or acidified milk or cream, whether or not concentrated or containing added sweetening, flavouring, fruit or cocoa (excluding yoghurt)
$8.81M
5.0% of imports

📦 Import Strategy Analysis

Guatemala's import pattern from Nicaragua reveals significant dependencyin meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

🏆

Market Leadership

Guatemala demonstrates competitive strength in exportingfabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed to Nicaragua, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 5+ Categories
🔄

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsmoderatecomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Specialized Exchange
📈

Growth Potential

The $1.17B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Significant Partnership

Executive Summary: Guatemala-Nicaragua Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $1.17 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Guatemala maintains a surplus of $820.88 million
  • Export Focus: Guatemala's primary exports include fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed, medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale, washing and cleaning preparations: surface-active, whether or not containing soap (excluding those of heading no. 3401), put up for retail sale
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from Nicaragua include meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen, meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, fresh or chilled, dairy produce: milk and cream, concentrated, not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, in powder, granules or other solid forms, of a fat content exceeding 1.5% (by weight)

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationConcentrated
Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

📈 Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents an important regional trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $1.17B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with Guatemala leveraging its comparative advantages in fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

Guatemala's specialization in fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyedcomplements Nicaragua's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $1.17B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationMedium
Market DependencyHigh
🔮

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $1.17B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

💰

Trade Volume Impact

The $1.17 billion bilateral trade volume represents a important trade relationshipfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Moderate
🏭

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed and meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Specialized
⚖️

Trade Balance Effects

Guatemala's trade surplus of $820.88 million strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Export Advantage

Strategic Future Outlook

🚀Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

⚠️Risk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
High trade imbalance may create supply chain risks
Market Competition
Global competition in fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed may affect future market positioning.

🎯Strategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between Guatemala and Nicaragua represents a total trade volume of $1.17 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for Guatemala, with exports exceeding importsby $820.88 million.

Export Strengths

Guatemala's exports to Nicaragua total $995.56 million, with competitive advantages in fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed, representing $123.75M or12.4% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from Nicaragua amount to $174.68 million, highlighting economic interdependence in meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen, with Meat: of bovine animals, boneless cuts, frozen comprising13.1% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates Guatemala's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between Guatemala and Nicaragua in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) • Last Updated: January 2025 • Coverage: 1995-2023