U.S. Imports and Exports: Components and Statistics

In 2016, total U.S. trade with foreign countries was $4.9 trillion. That was $2.2 trillion in exports and $2.7 trillion in imports of both goods and services. The United States was the world's third-largest exporter, after China and the European Union. It was the world's second-largest largest importer after the EU. (Source: "U.S. Trade in Goods and Services," U.S. Census. CIA World Factbook Rankings.)

What Does the United States Export?

Goods make up more than two-thirds of U.S. exports ($1.4 trillion). One-third of exported goods are capital goods ($519 billion). The largest sub-category is commercial aircraft ($121 billion). Other capital goods include industrial machines ($51 billion), semiconductors ($44 billion), and telecommunications ($41 billion). Electric apparatus ($42 billion) and medical equipment ($35 billion) are also significant contributors.

Another third of exported goods is industrial supplies ($398 billion). The largest sub-category is chemicals ($71 billion).  Next are petroleum products ($51 billion), fuel oil ($30 billion) and plastic ($32 billion). Non-monetary gold is $20 billion.

Only 13 percent of exported goods are consumer goods ($194 billion). This includes pharmaceuticals ($53 billion), cell phones ($24 billion) and gem diamonds ($21 billion). Find out more about these categories in Consumer Spending.

Automobiles make up 10 percent of all exported goods. In 2016, that was $150 billion.

Just 9 percent of exported goods are foods, feeds and beverages ($131 billion). The big three are soybeans ($24 billion), meat and poultry ($17 billion) and corn ($11 billion). Food exports are falling since many countries don't like U.S. food processing standards.

To find out why, see Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. (Source: "Exhibit 7. Exports by End-Use Category," U.S. Census.)

Services contribute one-third of U.S. exports ($750 billion). The largest single category was travel services, at $293 billion. Computer and business services export $178 billion. The next category was royalties and license fees, at $120 billion. Other private services, such as financial services, added $120 billion. Government and military contracts added $20 billion. (Source: "U.S. Exhibit 3. U.S. Exports of Services by Major Category," U.S. Census.)

What Does It Import?

More than 80 percent of U.S. imports are goods ($2.2 trillion). Slightly less than a third of these are industrial machinery and equipment ($444 billion). The largest sub-category is oil and petroleum products, at $144 billion.

Capital goods make up one-fourth of all goods imported ($590 billion). That includes computers ($114 billion) and telecommunications equipment, including semiconductors ($123 billion).

Nearly another quarter is consumer goods ($584 billion). Of this, apparel and footwear is the largest ($123 billion). Next is the cell phone and TV category ($121 billion). Pharmaceutical imports are $112 billion.

The fourth-largest category is automotive vehicles, parts and engines at $350 billion. The food, feeds and beverages category is the smallest, at $130 billion. (Source: "Exhibit 8. U.S. Imports by End-Use Category," U.S. Census.)

Services make up 19 percent of imports ($502 billion). The largest category is travel and transportation services at $219 billion. The next is business and computer services at $139 billion.  Banking and insurance is $73 billion. Last but not least was government service imports at $21 billion.  (Source: "Exhibit 4. U.S. Imports of Services by Major Category," U.S. Census.)

Since the United States imports more than it exports, it has a trade deficit of $502 billion. Even though America exports billions in oil, consumer goods and automotive products, it imports even more.