THE UK is one of the largest arms exporters, ranking as the seventh-largest in the world.

According to the UK Defence and Security Exports (DSE) section of the Department for Business and Trade, defence orders – which include the value of orders won by UK companies – have had a real value of £11.5bn per year over the last five years.

Most of the UK’s defence exports – 68% – are in the aerospace sector. Land and sea exports account for 6% and 5% respectively, while the remainder don’t clearly fit into any category.

But where are these arms and equipment being sold?

The National: An RAF technician works on a Typhoon jet in a photo issued by the MoD

The Middle East has been the largest market for UK defence exports for decades according to a House of Commons report, although the share of exports to this region decreased from 53% in 2013 to 2017 to 43% in 2018 to 2022.

The share of exports to Europe, meanwhile, grew from 9% to 22% during this period, making it the UK’s second largest export market in 2018 to 2022.

READ MORE: Britain is a major exporter of arms – but just how much is the weapons trade worth?

The share of exports to North America also increased, from 13% to 19%. Whereas, the share of exports to the Asia Pacific decreased from 9% to 6%. Africa and Latin America each accounted for around 1% of UK defence exports in 2018 to 2022.

Which countries specifically are buying UK arms?

Saudi Arabia is the UK’s largest arms trading partner, with £14bn worth of licences approved since 2008.

UK-made weapons have been used in the nation’s attacks on Yemen – which has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and a serious humanitarian crisis.

The United Arab Emirates – the 10th biggest market for the UK since 2008 at £1.7bn – is also part of the Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen.

The United States is the UK’s second biggest market at £8.3bn during this period, followed by France at £5.2bn, Qatar at £3.5bn and Italy at £2.8bn.

Here are the UK’s top arms export markets:

  1. Saudi Arabia, £14bn
  2. United States of America, £8.3bn
  3. France, £5.2bn
  4. Qatar, £3.5bn
  5. Italy, £2.8bn
  6. Oman, £2.5bn
  7. Turkey, £2.3bn
  8. India, £2.3bn
  9. Norway, £2.2bn
  10. United Arab Emirates, £1.7bn

What about Israel amid its war on Gaza?

Grant Shapps, the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, previously said that UK defence exports to Israel are “relatively small”.

But are they?

Since 2008, the UK has licensed arms worth over £574 million to Israel according to the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) – which makes the nation the UK’s 22nd biggest export market for arms.

While it isn’t the largest – it is how those arms are being used that concerns many, in particular UK industry contributions to F-35 fighter jets which are reportedly being used in the bombardment of Gaza.

The latest figures bring the overall Palestinian death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza to at least 34,049, and the number of wounded to 76,901 according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

At the beginning of April, The Guardian revealed that more than 600 lawyers, academics and retried senior judges warned the UK Government is breaching international law by continuing to arm Israel.

In a letter to Rishi Sunak, the signatories said the situation in Gaza is “catastrophic” and that the UK is legally obliged to act to prevent it, particularly after the International Court of Justice found a plausible risk of genocide being committed.