Final answer:
The United States is the largest importer in the world, despite having a lower trade-to-GDP ratio compared to Germany, largely because of its vast domestic economy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The country that is the largest importer in the world is the United States. Although Germany has a higher level of trade relative to its GDP, the overall volume of trade by the United States in absolute terms is larger due to its massive domestic economy.
The United States exports about 14% of its GDP while Germany exports about 50% of its GDP.
This relates to the fact that the United States, being a large economical country, has a substantial domestic market and therefore less need to trade internationally compared to smaller countries or those within trading blocs such as the European Union that encourage trade among member countries without barriers like tariffs and quotas.
The largest importer of the world is China. China has emerged as a major player in international trade in recent decades, and its economy has experienced rapid growth. As a result, China has become a significant importer of goods and services from other countries.