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2021
Economic Complexity
Trade 1.46Rank 10 of 131
2021
Economic Complexity
Technology 0.87Rank 25 of 96
2021
Economic Complexity
Research 2.41Rank 1 of 140
2021
Product
Exports | Imports $1.63T | $2.73T2 of 226 |  1 of 226
2021
Per Capita Product
Exports | Imports $4.9k | $8.22k58 of 220 |  69 of 220

About

Overview In 2021, United States was the number 1 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 2 in total exports, the number 1 in total imports, the number 10 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 10 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) .

Exports The top exports of United States are Refined Petroleum ($83.3B), Petroleum Gas ($70.9B), Crude Petroleum ($67.6B), Cars ($55.4B), and Integrated Circuits ($51.3B), exporting mostly to Canada ($259B), Mexico ($247B), China ($151B), Japan ($71.8B), and South Korea ($66.4B).

In 2021, United States was the world's biggest exporter of Refined Petroleum ($83.3B), Petroleum Gas ($70.9B), Medical Instruments ($30.2B), Gas Turbines ($30B), and Corn ($18.8B)

Imports The top imports of United States are Cars ($139B), Crude Petroleum ($120B), Computers ($102B), Broadcasting Equipment ($101B), and Packaged Medicaments ($86.3B), importing mostly from China ($530B), Mexico ($361B), Canada ($355B), Germany ($135B), and Japan ($128B).

In 2021, United States was the world's biggest importer of Cars ($139B), Computers ($102B), Broadcasting Equipment ($101B), Packaged Medicaments ($86.3B), and Motor vehicles; parts and accessories (8701 to 8705) ($77.7B)

Location United States borders Canada and Mexico by land and Bahamas by sea.

Latest Trends

August, 2023

About

Overview In August 2023 United States exported $172B and imported $266B, resulting in a negative trade balance of $94.5B. Between August 2022 and August 2023 the exports of United States have decreased by $-8.76B (-4.86%) from $180B to $172B, while imports decreased by $-17.7B (-6.25%) from $284B to $266B.

Trade In August 2023, the top exports of United States were Crude Petroleum ($10.3B), Refined Petroleum ($9.72B), Aircraft Parts ($9.35B), Commodities not elsewhere specified ($5.72B), and Cars ($5.42B). In August 2023 the top imports of United States were Cars ($17.8B), Crude Petroleum ($15.5B), Commodities not elsewhere specified ($9.99B), Computers ($8.75B), and Telephones ($8.12B).

Origins In August 2023 the exports of United States were mainly from Texas ($38.1B), California ($14.7B), New York ($8.59B), Louisiana ($7.41B), and Unknown ($6.32B), while imports destinations were mainly California ($38.7B), Texas ($33.7B), Illinois ($18.1B), Michigan ($15.3B), and New Jersey ($13.7B).

Destinations In August 2023, United States exported mostly to Canada ($31B), Mexico ($29B), China ($10.8B), Germany ($6.77B), and Japan ($6.58B), and imported mostly from Mexico ($41.8B), China ($36.7B), Canada ($36.2B), Germany ($13.9B), and Japan ($12.2B).

Growth In August 2023, the decrease in United States's year-by-year exports was explained primarily by an decrease in exports to China ($-2.14B or -16.6%), Japan ($-1.22B or -15.6%), and Switzerland ($-994M or -27.8%), and product exports decrease in Petroleum Gas ($-4.28B or -46.2%), Refined Petroleum ($-2.8B or -22.4%), and Gold ($-1.44B or -33.3%). In August 2023, the decrease in United States's year-by-year imports was explained primarily by an decrease in imports from China ($-13.6B or -27.1%), Canada ($-2.58B or -6.65%), and Vietnam ($-2.22B or -17.8%), and product imports decrease in Crude Petroleum ($-3.12B or -16.7%), Computers ($-2.66B or -23.3%), and Telephones ($-1.5B or -15.6%).

Latest Trade

Flow
Time Scale
Depth
Color
Type
EXPORT GROWTH (August 2022 - August 2023)$-8.76B(-4.86%)
IMPORT GROWTH (August 2022 - August 2023)$-17.7B(-6.25%)
MAIN EXPORTER (August 2023)Texas$38.1B
MAIN DESTINATION (August 2023)Canada$31B

This section shows exports and imports data at subnational level for United States. Click any date in the line plot, any subnational region in the geomap, or any product, destination or origin country to explore the exports or imports behavior of United States over time.

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Historical Data

Yearly Trade

Flow
Color
Depth
Top Export (2021)Refined Petroleum$83.3B
Top Destination (2021)Canada$259B

In 2021, United States exported a total of $1.63T, making it the number 2 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of United States have changed by $281B from $1.35T in 2016 to $1.63T in 2021.

The most recent exports are led by Refined Petroleum ($83.3B), Petroleum Gas ($70.9B), Crude Petroleum ($67.6B), Cars ($55.4B), and Integrated Circuits ($51.3B). The most common destination for the exports of United States are Canada ($259B), Mexico ($247B), China ($151B), Japan ($71.8B), and South Korea ($66.4B).

Explore Visualizations

Exports (2021)
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Destinations (2021)
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Market Growth

Flow
View
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2020 - 2021)
Mexico$49.2B (+ 24.9%)
Canada$40.8B (+ 18.7%)
China$28.5B (+ 23.3%)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2020 - 2021)
China$92.3B (+ 21.1%)
Canada$90.9B (+ 34.4%)
Mexico$34.7B (+ 10.6%)

Total Export Growth by Market (2020 - 2021)

Service Trade

Service Trade

United States Exports Services (2018)$746B
United States Imports Services (2018)$480B

In 2018, United States exported $746B worth of services. The top services exported by United States in 2018 were Personal travel ($158B), Miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services ($130B), Financial services ($114B), Other royalties and license fees ($93.7B), and Air transport ($69.1B).

The top services imported by United States in 2018 were Personal travel ($107B), Miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services ($73B), Air transport ($69.2B), Other royalties and license fees ($39.3B), and Reinsurance ($38.2B).

Service Exports (2018)

Service Imports (2018)

Economic Complexity

Overview

Economic Complexity (Trade)1.46Rank 10 of 131
Economic Complexity (Technology)0.87Rank 25 of 96
Economic Complexity (Research)2.41Rank 1 of 140

Comparison Map

Color

This section shows exports, imports and economic complexity data at the subnational level for United States. Click any of the State in the geomap to visit the specific subnational profile.

The top territories of United States according to its Economic Complexity Index are New Hampshire (0.64), Connecticut (0.6), and Massachusetts (0.57).

The principal exporters of United States were Texas ($486B), California ($186B), and Louisiana ($122B).

The same year,  the principal importers of United States were California ($509B), Texas ($384B), and Illinois ($244B).

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Most Specialized Products by RCA Index

United States has a high level of specialization in Sorghum (8.14), Starch Residue (7.47), Forage Crops (6.11), Other Nuts (5.36), and Oil Seed Flower (5.17). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between United States observed and expected exports in each product.

Export Opportunities by Relatedness

The top export opportunities for United States according to the relatedness index, were Nickel Powder (0.43), Microscopes (0.41), Phosphides (0.41), Radioactive Chemicals (0.41), and Horses (0.41). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that United States is not specialized in.

Product Space

The product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products a country currently specializes in.

Relatedness Space

This network shows the products most related to the production structure of United States. These are products that tend to be co-exported with the products that United States exports. Higher relatedness values ​​indicate greater knowledge, which predicts a greater probability of exporting that product in the future.

Diversification Frontier

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Depth

The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk vs strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower greenhouse emissions.

Economic Complexity Ranking

Scale

During the last 20 years United States's⁩ ⁨economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the ⁩⁨6th to the 10th⁩ position in the ECI rank.

These economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.

Explore Rankings

ECI Ranking by Country

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