Politics

Mapped: The Top Trading Partner of Every U.S. State

Published

2 years ago

July 19, 2021

Avery Koop

Trading Partner of Every U.S. State

The Top Trading Partner of Every U.S. State

The U.S. is highly dependent—perhaps unsurprisingly—on Canada and Mexico for trade. The country’s top trading partner is Mexico, making up 14.8% of total trade.

However, the country’s neighbors to the north and south are not the only trade partners that U.S. states rely heavily upon. This map from HowMuch.net uses flags to show which country each U.S. state is importing the most from. Below, there is an additional graphic showing where each state is exporting the highest amount of goods and services to.

Who are the States Importing From?

The U.S. has a few natural and obvious trading partners, whether due to geographical closeness or strong economic ties.

The obvious candidates for top trading partners have already been mentioned, Canada and Mexico—and these two do show up at the state level as well. For example, Michigan gets 40.9% of its imports from Mexico, and Montana receives a whopping 87% of its imports from Canada.

Some other interesting trade partnerships stand out, like the Carolinas and Germany. Trade ties between Hawaii and Japan also make sense for historic reasons.

State	Top Country	Total State Import (Millions USD)	Share of Total State Imports
Alabama	🇲🇽 Mexico	$4,161	16.3%
Alaska	🇰🇷 South Korea	$836	35.0%
Arizona	🇲🇽 Mexico	$8,978	35.0%
Arkansas	🇨🇳 China	$3,160	36.6%
California	🇨🇳 China	$130,291	32.9%
Colorado	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,928	24.3%
Connecticut	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,031	22.4%
Delaware	🇨🇭 Switzerland	$1,927	21.1%
District of Columbia	🇨🇦 Canada	$74	13.7%
Florida	🇨🇳 China	$11,212	14.7%
Georgia	🇨🇳 China	$20,194	20.4%
Hawaii	🇯🇵 Japan	$291	15.1%
Idaho	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,195	21.7%
Illinois	🇨🇳 China	$48,324	31.0%
Indiana	🇮🇪 Ireland	$11,558	18.1%
Iowa	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,387	26.6%
Kansas	🇨🇳 China	$2,064	19.7%
Kentucky	🇲🇽 Mexico	$6,882	12.5%
Louisiana	🇷🇺 Russia	$2,611	12.6%
Maine	🇨🇦 Canada	$3,167	66.6%
Maryland	🇩🇪 Germany	$3,993	13.0%
Massachusetts	🇨🇦 Canada	$7,779	22.2%
Michigan	🇲🇽 Mexico	$47,473	40.9%
Minnesota	🇨🇳 China	$7,577	26.9%
Mississippi	🇨🇳 China	$3,938	24.9%
Missouri	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,500	24.0%
Montana	🇨🇦 Canada	$3,442	87.0%
Nebraska	🇨🇦 Canada	$876	23.5%
Nevada	🇨🇳 China	$4,108	31.8%
New Hampshire	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,394	20.1%
New Jersey	🇨🇳 China	$14,302	12.4%
New Mexico	🇨🇳 China	$1,493	32.6%
New York	🇨🇭 Switzerland	$33,126	21.5%
North Carolina	🇩🇪 Germany	$9,208	15.1%
North Dakota	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,781	62.3%
Ohio	🇨🇦 Canada	$10,624	16.2%
Oklahoma	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,355	40.2%
Oregon	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,951	17.0%
Pennsylvania	🇨🇳 China	$13,470	15.9%
Puerto Rico	🇮🇪 Ireland	$9,062	42.7%
Rhode Island	🇩🇪 Germany	$1,525	17.3%
South Carolina	🇩🇪 Germany	$6,220	15.5%
South Dakota	🇨🇦 Canada	$428	33.9%
Tennessee	🇨🇳 China	$20,305	24.3%
Texas	🇲🇽 Mexico	$88,726	35.8%
Utah	🇲🇽 Mexico	$4,294	27.6%
Vermont	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,677	63.5%
Virginia	🇨🇳 China	$6,566	22.7%
Virgin Islands	🇵🇹 Portugal	$174	27.7%
Washington	🇨🇦 Canada	$12,772	26.1%
West Virginia	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,025	35.2%
Wisconsin	🇨🇳 China	$5,554	20.7%
Wyoming	🇨🇦 Canada	$695	63.7%

However, one country in particular stands out on this map—China.

While the USMCA trade agreement has created an easy gateway for necessary goods and services to flow across North America, no country—not even the U.S.—can escape the need for mass imports from the world’s top exporter.

China and the U.S. have an imbalanced trade relationship, with China buying much fewer goods from the U.S. than the U.S. buys from them. In fact, China’s monthly trade surplus with the country sat at $31.8 billion as of May 2021.

Who are the States Exporting to?

After looking at the top import partners by state, let’s dive in to where the U.S. states are exporting the most.

us states trading partners

One thing that is noticeable is that China shows up much less on this map, further exemplifying the trade imbalance. In other words, while many states’ top import partner is China, they are not reciprocating as the country’s top export partner.

The only states that export their largest shares to China are:

Oregon – 38.1%
Alaska – 25.5%
Washington – 22.1%
Alabama – 18.1%
Louisiana – 18.1%

The majority are exporting to their North American neighbors. For example, North Dakota sends 84.6% of its exports just across the northern border.

State	Top Country	Total State Export (Millions USD)	Share of total State Exports
Alabama	🇨🇳 China	$3,102	18.1%
Alaska	🇨🇳 China	$1,176	25.5%
Arizona	🇲🇽 Mexico	$36	35.5%
Arkansas	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,148	22.1%
California	🇲🇽 Mexico	$24,078	15.4%
Colorado	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,278	15.4%
Connecticut	🇩🇪 Germany	$2,189	15.9%
Delaware	🇨🇦 Canada	$619	15.8%
D.C.	🇶🇦 Qatar	$899	32.4%
Florida	🇧🇷 Brazil	$3,538	7.7%
Georgia	🇨🇦 Canada	$5,146	13.3%
Hawaii	🇦🇺 Australia	$51	15.8%
Idaho	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,184	34.8%
Illinois	🇨🇦 Canada	$13,261	24.8%
Indiana	🇨🇦 Canada	$11,080	31.4%
Iowa	🇨🇦 Canada	$3,460	27.4%
Kansas	🇲🇽 Mexico	$2,078	20.0%
Kentucky	🇨🇦 Canada	$6,550	26.5%
Louisiana	🇨🇳 China	$10,779	18.1%
Maine	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,229	52.8%
Maryland	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,581	12.5%
Massachusetts	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,746	11.0%
Michigan	🇨🇦 Canada	$17,341	39.4%
Minnesota	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,828	24.0%
Mississippi	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,082	20.3%
Missouri	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,453	34.9%
Montana	🇨🇦 Canada	$544	37.9%
Nebraska	🇲🇽 Mexico	$1,639	23.5%
Nevada	🇨🇭 Switzerland	$2,256	21.8%
New Hampshire	🇩🇪 Germany	$751	13.8%
New Jersey	🇨🇦 Canada	$7,229	19.0%
New Mexico	🇲🇽 Mexico	$2,197	59.5%
New York	🇨🇦 Canada	$13,773	22.3%
North Carolina	🇨🇦 Canada	$5,881	20.7%
North Dakota	🇨🇦 Canada	$4,388	84.6%
Ohio	🇨🇦 Canada	$17,273	38.4%
Oklahoma	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,452	27.0%
Oregon	🇨🇳 China	$9,522	38.1%
Pennsylvania	🇨🇦 Canada	$9,699	25.9%
Puerto Rico	🇳🇱 Netherlands	$2,889	17.2%
Rhode Island	🇨🇦 Canada	$410	17.1%
South Carolina	🇩🇪 Germany	$4,082	13.5%
South Dakota	🇨🇦 Canada	$524	38.0%
Tennessee	🇨🇦 Canada	$5,818	20.7%
Texas	🇲🇽 Mexico	$89,046	31.9%
Utah	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	$8,906	50.3%
Vermont	🇨🇦 Canada	$918	38.3%
Virginia	🇨🇦 Canada	$2,717	16.5%
Virgin Islands	🇳🇱 Netherlands	$90	15.2%
Washington	🇨🇳 China	$9,126	22.1%
West Virginia	🇨🇦 Canada	$1,283	28.1%
Wisconsin	🇨🇦 Canada	$6,226	30.4%
Wyoming	🇨🇦 Canada	$225	19.3%

Trade Going Forward

The trade war that started during the tenure of former U.S. president Donald Trump is still ongoing and tariffs set by the U.S. are not expected to be lifted by president Joe Biden, as tensions have expanded beyond just trade issues.

These tariffs, however, have not helped to rectify the significant trade imbalance between the two countries. The states are still extremely reliant on imports from China, and it is not a reciprocal relationship.

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Maps

Visualizing the BRICS Expansion in 4 Charts

We provide a data-driven overview of how the recent BRICS expansion will grow the group’s influence and reach.

Published

1 month ago

August 24, 2023

Marcus Lu

Visualizing the BRICS Expansion in 4 Charts

BRICS is an association of five major countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Distinguished by their emerging economies, the group has sought to improve diplomatic coordination, reform global financial institutions, and ultimately serve as a counterbalance to Western hegemony.

On Aug. 24, 2023, BRICS announced that it would formally accept six new members at the start of 2024: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In this graphic, we provide a data-driven overview of how the BRICS expansion will grow the group’s influence and reach.

Share of Global GDP

Because most of the new BRICS members are considered to be developing economies, their addition to the group will not have a major impact on its overall share of GDP.

The following table includes GDP projections for 2023, courtesy of the IMF.

Original BRICS Member	Country	GDP (USD billions)	Share of Global (%)
Yes	🇧🇷 Brazil	$2,081	2.0%
Yes	🇷🇺 Russia	$2,063	2.0%
Yes	🇮🇳 India	$3,737	3.6%
Yes	🇨🇳 China	$19,374	18.4%
Yes	🇿🇦 South Africa	$399	0.4%
No	🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	$1,062	1.0%
No	🇮🇷 Iran	$368	0.4%
No	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	$156	0.1%
No	🇪🇬 Egypt	$387	0.4%
No	🇦🇷 Argentina	$641	0.6%
No	🇦🇪 UAE	$499	0.5%
-	BRICS Total	$30,767	29.3%
-	Rest of World	$74,362	70.7%

The original six BRICS members are expected to have a combined GDP of $27.6 trillion in 2023, representing 26.3% of the global total. With the new members included, expected GDP climbs slightly to $30.8 trillion, enough for a 29.3% global share.

Share of Global Population

BRICS has always represented a major chunk of global population thanks to China and India, which are the only countries with over 1 billion people.

The two biggest populations being added to BRICS are Ethiopia (126.5 million) and Egypt (112.7 million). See the following table for population data from World Population Review, which is dated as of 2023.

Original BRICS Member	Country	Population	Share of Global (%)
Yes	🇧🇷 Brazil	216,422,446	2.7%
Yes	🇷🇺 Russia	144,444,359	1.8%
Yes	🇮🇳 India	1,428,627,663	17.8%
Yes	🇨🇳 China	1,425,671,352	17.7%
Yes	🇿🇦 South Africa	60,414,495	0.8%
No	🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	36,947,025	0.5%
No	🇮🇷 Iran	89,172,767	1.1%
No	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	126,527,060	1.6%
No	🇪🇬 Egypt	112,716,598	1.4%
No	🇦🇷 Argentina	45,773,884	0.6%
No	🇦🇪 UAE	9,516,871	0.1%
-	BRICS Total	3.7 billion	46.0%
-	Rest of World	4.3 billion	54.0%

It’s possible that BRICS could eventually surpass 50% of global population, as many more countries have expressed their desire to join.

Share of Oil Production

Although the world is trying to move away from fossil fuels, the global oil market is still incredibly large—and BRICS is set to play a much bigger role in it. This is mostly due to the admission of Saudi Arabia, which alone accounts for 12.9% of global oil production.

Based on 2022 figures from the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy, BRICS’ share of oil production will grow from 20.4% to 43.1%.

Original BRICS Member	Country	Thousand Barrels per Day	Share of Global (%)
Yes	🇧🇷 Brazil	3,107	3.3%
Yes	🇷🇺 Russia	11,202	11.9%
Yes	🇮🇳 India	737	0.8%
Yes	🇨🇳 China	4,111	4.4%
Yes	🇿🇦 South Africa	0	0.0%
No	🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	12,136	12.9%
No	🇮🇷 Iran	3,822	4.1%
No	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	0	0.0%
No	🇪🇬 Egypt	613	0.7%
No	🇦🇷 Argentina	706	0.8%
No	🇦🇪 UAE	4,020	4.3%
-	BRICS Total	40,454	43.1%
-	Rest of World	53,394	56.9%

It’s worth noting that China has been pushing for oil trade to be denominated in yuan, and that Saudi Arabia’s acceptance into BRICS could bolster this ambition, potentially shifting the dynamics of global oil trade.

Share of Global Exports

The last metric included in our graphic is global exports, which is based on 2022 data from the World Trade Organization. We can see that the BRICS expansion will grow the group’s share of global exports (merchandise trade) to 25.1%, up from 20.2%.

Original BRICS Member	Country	Exports (USD billions)	Share of Global (%)
Yes	🇧🇷 Brazil	334	1.3%
Yes	🇷🇺 Russia	532	2.1%
Yes	🇮🇳 India	453	1.8%
Yes	🇨🇳 China	3,594	14.4%
Yes	🇿🇦 South Africa	123	0.5%
No	🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	410	1.6%
No	🇮🇷 Iran	73	0.3%
No	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	3.9	0.02%
No	🇪🇬 Egypt	49	0.2%
No	🇦🇷 Argentina	88	0.4%
No	🇦🇪 UAE	599	2.4%
-	BRICS Total	6,259	25.1%
-	Rest of World	18,646	74.9%

Unsurprisingly, China is the world’s largest exporter. Major exporters that are not a part of BRICS include the U.S. (8.3%), Germany (6.6%), the Netherlands (3.9%), and Japan (3.0%).

Who Else Wants to Join?

According to Reuters, there are over 40 countries that have expressed interest in joining BRICS. A smaller group of 16 countries have actually applied for membership, though, and this list includes Algeria, Cuba, Indonesia, Palestine, and Vietnam.

As the group grows in size, differing opinions and priorities among its members could create tensions in the future. For example, India and China have had numerous border disputes in recent years, while Brazil’s newly elected President has sought to “kickstart a new era of relations” with the U.S.

One thing that is certain, however, is that a new acronym for the group will be needed very soon.