Germany's Top 5 Import Traders:

1. NETHERLANDS
2.  CHINA
3. FRANCE
4. UNITED STATES
5. ITALY

Some reasons why the Netherlands is one of Germanys top importers are:
  • Perfectly positioned  for goods being imported
  • 3rd largest producer and 2nd largest net exporter of natural gas in Europe
  • Geographically close to perform trades
  • 70% of goods imported into the Netherlands come from the European Union.
Germany's Imports:
  • Machinery
  • Vehicles
  • Chemicals
  • Food products
  • Textiles
  • Metals
Fun Fact:
Manufacturing industry employed almost 29.7% of the German work force and helped Germany trade.

Germany's Top 5 Export Traders:

1.FRANCE
2. NETHERLANDS   
3. UNITED STATES
4. UNITED KINGDOM
5. ITALY

Why France is Germany's top exporter:
  • Neighboring countries
  • After several wars, the French and Germans decided to sign trade pacts and create the European Union in order to prevent other war outbreaks. Some of the pacts they signed were Locarno and Munich pact. 
Germany's Exports:
  • Machinery and equipment
  • Motor vehicle trailers and semi-trailers
  • Chemicals and chemical products
  • Computer, electronic, and optical products
  • Basic pharmaceutical products and preparations


I believe Germany has a comparative advantage when it comes to the surrounding countries. Especially the countries they trade the most with. Germany has one of the largest automobile and machinery factories and exports in the world. Germany manufactures some of the largest name brand cars which are:
  1. VW
  2. BMW
  3. Mercedes-Benz
  4. Audi
 
Exports of passenger cars to countries of final destination:
                        2008                              2009
France            341,552                       317,486        
Belgium           163,727                       145,734
Netherlands   119,384                       91,625        
Italy               405,390                       383,076     


Exports for 2008                                                    Exports for 2009
Passenger cars : 4,131,660                               Passenger cars: 3,425,626
Commercial vehicles: 369,147                        Commercial Vehicles: 158,094
Trucks up to 6ft: 222,911                           Truck up to 6ft: 109,570
Trucks over 6ft: 138,295                            Trucks over 6ft:  42,552
Buses: 7,941                                                    Buses: 5,972
Total: 4,500,807                                            Total: 3,583,720
Export rate 74.4%                                         Export Rate: 68.8%



GERMANY'S EXCHANGE RATES:
Euro EUR 0.751479 0.753077
Percentage  change: +0.2126%
Sources:
www.topforeignstocks.com
www.economywatch.com   
www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3997.htm
www.suite101.com/content/germany-s-trade-buddies