Ireland's Top Exports & Imports

Fuel Oil, Coal and Soyabeans among Ireland’s Fastest-growing Imports

© Daniel Workman

Apr 10, 2008

Ocean bay sunset in Cork, Ireland, zuccio71@gmail.com ( 201640)

More than 60% of Ireland's exports to the U.S. are medicinal, dental and pharmaceutical preparations while almost 30% of Irish imports from America are civilian aircraft.

In 2007, Ireland exported some US$125 billion worth of goods led by machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, live animals and animal products. Topping the list of customers for Irish exports were the United States (18.7% of total exports), the United Kingdom (17.9%), Belgium (14.4%), Germany (7.8%), France (5.8%) and Italy (4.2%).

Irish imports last year were valued at $90.4 billion. Leading suppliers of Irish imports included the U.K. (37.5% of total imports), the U.S. (11.5%), Germany (9.6%) and the Netherlands (4.6%).

Given that Ireland is a favoured host country for the branch operations of large multinationals like IBM, Dell and Sun Life Financial, it should come as no surprise that data processing equipment as well as other machinery and equipment are top imports into Ireland. Other Celtic imports include chemicals, petroleum, petroleum products, textiles and clothing.

Ireland’s overall trade surplus was more than $34 billion in 2007. However, Ireland did experience an $11.5 billion deficit with the United Kingdom, its largest and closest trade partner.

Irish Trade with America

A closer look at Ireland’s trade statistics with the United States reveal that Ireland experienced a $21.3 billion trade surplus with its American trade partner in 2007, a 6.6% increase since 2006 and an 18.2% gain since 2003.

Below are the leading export and import categories traded between Ireland and the United States in 2007.

Irish Exports to U.S.

With a population of 4.1 million, Ireland exported US$30.3 billion worth of merchandise to the United States in 2007, up 6.4% from 2006 and up 17.9% in four years.

  1. Medicinal, dental and pharmaceutical preparations …US$18.6 billion (61.2% of Ireland to U.S. exports, up 11% from 2006)
  2. Household goods like clocks … $2.7 billion (8.9%, up 50.2%)
  3. Soft beverages and processed coffee drinks … $1.9 billion (6.4%, down 2.7%)
  4. Industrial organic chemicals … $1.3 billion (4.4%, down 6.4%)
  5. Other scientific, medical and hospital equipment … $1 billion (3.4%, down 47.2%)
  6. Computer accessories, peripherals and parts … $582 million (1.9%, down 35.5%)
  7. Computers … $521.2 million (1.7%, up 7.3%)
  8. Semiconductors … $497.8 million (1.6%, up 185.1%)
  9. Alcoholic beverages (excluding wine) … $311.9 million (1%, up 7.6%)
  10. Wine and related products … $148.5 million (0.5%, down 3.9%).

Fastest-growing Irish Exports to U.S.

Below are selected American imports from Ireland in 2007 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2006.

  1. Books, magazines and other printed matter … US$31.8 million (up 536.8% from 2006)
  2. Semiconductors … $497.8 million (up 185.1%)
  3. Measuring, testing and control instruments … $142.4 million (up 117.7%)
  4. Food and tobacco processing machinery … $6.6 million (up 107.6%)
  5. DVDs and other video equipment … $2.8 million (up 96.2%).

Irish Imports from U.S.

Irish imports from the U.S. rose 5.8% to $9 billion in 2007, up 17.1% since 2003.

Of American exports to Ireland in 2007, the following product categories had the highest values.

  1. Civilian aircraft … US$2.4 billion (27% of Ireland from U.S. imports, up 30.8% from 2006)
  2. Other household goods … $922.7 million (10.2%, up 7.8%)
  3. Pharmaceutical preparations … $911.2 million (10.1%, up 47.3%)
  4. Computer accessories … $858.5 million (9.5%, down 14.3%)
  5. Medicinal equipment … $251.6 million (2.8%, down 11.8%)
  6. Telecommunications equipment … $242 million (2.7%, up 21.3%)
  7. Electric apparatus … $224 million (2.5%, down 3.8%)
  8. Semiconductors … $217.5 million (2.4%, down 45%)
  9. Plastic materials … $170.3 million (1.9%, up 52.1%)
  10. Other industrial supplies … $169.8 million (1.9%, up 6.2%).

Fastest-growing Irish Imports from U.S.

Below are selected American exports to Ireland in 2007 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2006.

  1. Fuel oil … US$54.6 million (up 210877% from 2006)
  2. Coal and other fuels … $5.5 million (up 90783%)
  3. Soybeans … $5.7 million (up 9190%)
  4. Oilseeds and food oils … $21 million (up 537.8%)
  5. Stereo equipment … $18 million (up 400.2%).

Sources for this Article

This article presents independent calculations and insights based on data drawn from the CIA World Factbook and the U.S. Census Bureau – Foreign Trade Statistics.


The copyright of the article Ireland's Top Exports & Imports in Import/Export is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish Ireland's Top Exports & Imports must be granted by the author in writing.


Ocean bay sunset in Cork, Ireland, zuccio71@gmail.com ( 201640)
        


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