What America Sells To The World

What America Sells To The World
March 14, 2012
by Lam Vo - NPR

It's a myth that the U.S. doesn't make anything anymore. It's a myth that we don't export anything to the rest of the world.

Yes, we import more than we export. Our trade deficit last year was $558 billion

But we export a lot. Last year, U.S. exports were worth $2.1 trillion. Which raises a simple question: $2.1 trillion worth of what?

Mostly goods. Also, services:
U.S. exports in goods and services 2011

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

Here's a closer look at our goods exports in 2011. The two biggest categories — industrial supplies and capital goods — account for about $500 billion a piece.

Breakdown of U.S. Exports in goods by major category

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

Here's a breakdown of our services exports:

Breakdown of U.S. services exports by major category

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

Royalties and licensing includes money people pay to use American software, and to distribute movies and TV shows. It also includes wonkier stuff, like payments to use patents on industrial processes.

One interesting note about travel: When foreign tourists come to the U.S. and buy stuff, it counts as exports. This makes sense if you think about how the money flows. It's money coming in from other countries, and being used to buy services produced in the U.S.

So who's buying all these goods and services? Here's the top five:
Top five countries receiving U.S. exports

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

That Canada and Mexico hold the top spots is a reminder that, even in this globalized world, proximity still matters. (Also: NAFTA.)

And here's the top goods we're selling to each of the top five. It's striking how varied this list is — from soybeans (China) to auto parts (Canada) to gold (U.K.).

Breakdown of goods exported to top five countries receiving exports

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Correction: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this post had an incorrect figure for the U.S. trade deficit.

PHOTOS OF LISTS:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/03/14/148460268/what-america-sells-to-the-world