Hey there, future geographer! Are you ready to navigate the exciting world of global trade? Let's dive in!

From 2005 to 2015, global trade, which includes materials, manufactured goods, and services, doubled. However, there was a drop in 2015 after slow growth between 2012 and 2014. Think of it like a roller coaster ride - it goes up, but eventually, it has to come down!

Real-world example: Imagine you're running a lemonade stand. Business booms during the summer (2005-2015), but towards the end (2015), you start to sell less due to rainy weather (economic factors).

The big players in the trade game are Asia, Europe, and North America. But emerging economies (countries that are becoming more advanced economically) are growing their piece of the pie, with their share of exports increasing from 33% in 2005 to over 40% in 2015.

Real-world example: It's like a pizza party. Initially, the biggest slices (trade) are taken by the older kids (developed economies), but over time, the younger ones (emerging economies) start to grab bigger pieces too!

Merchandise trade was worth over $16 trillion in 2015. Top players were China, the USA, Germany, France, the UK, and the Netherlands, who together made up over half of the world's trade in 2015. Interestingly, emerging economies accounted for over 40% of the world's trade in merchandise but just over a third of trade in services.

Real-world example: Think of it like a school fair. Some students (countries) are great at selling products (merchandise trade), while others excel at providing services (services trade).

The slowdown in trade in 2015 was due to several factors, including an economic slowdown in China, a recession in Brazil, falling commodity prices (like oil), and changes in exchange rates.

Real-world example: Imagine that your lemonade stand starts to see fewer customers because your main suppliers (China, Brazil) face issues, the price of lemons drops, and the exchange rate of your allowance changes.