Netherlands' Top Imports & Exports 2008
Top Dutch Exports Are Petroleum Products, Nuclear Fuels and Wines
Sep 29, 2009
Generating a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) valued at US$868.9 billion, the Netherlands was the world’s 16th richest country in 2008.
With a population of 16.7 million Dutch people who enjoyed an average GDP of $40,300 per person last year, Netherlands was also the 18th wealthiest nation in terms of GDP per capita.
As the world’s 7th biggest exporter, the Netherlands shipped $533.2 billion worth of exports in 2008. Principal Dutch exports are focused on chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs as well as machinery and equipment. Based on 2008 statistics, Netherlands’ largest export clients were Germany (25.2%), Belgium (14.6%), the United Kingdom (8.9%), France (8.4%) and Italy (4.6%).
According to the CIA World Factbook, Netherlands imported $475.9 billion worth of foreign goods last year. Major imported product categories into the Netherlands mirror primary Dutch exports (i.e. chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment); clothing is another top Dutch import . Leading suppliers to the Netherlands were Germany (17%), China (10.3%), Belgium (9%), the United States (7.6%), the United Kingdom (5.8%), Russia (5.2%) and France (4.5%).
In total, Netherlands’ international trade amounted to $1.091 trillion or 125.6% of its overall GDP. This compares with roughly 25% for the U.S. and 60% for Canada.
Dutch Trade with the U.S.
Last year, Dutch exports to America rose 14.8% to $21.1 billion. Over that same period, Dutch people consumed $39.7 billion worth of U.S. imports – an increase of 21%.
Therefore, Netherlands’ trade deficit with the U.S. came to $18.6 billion in 2008.
The lists below present the top 10 exports and imports that American and Dutch enterprises exchanged in 2008. The fastest-growing trade product categories are also shown.
Netherlands’ Top Exports to America
Among leading Dutch exports shipped to the U.S. in 2008, 4 product categories represented billion-dollar sales for the Netherlands.
- Other petroleum products … US$5.1 billion, up 47.7% from 2007 (24.7% of US imports from Netherlands)
- Other industrial machinery … $1.2 billion, down 27.1% (5.5%)
- Nuclear fuels … $1.07 billion, down 0.3% (5.1%)
- Wine and related products … $1.06 billion, up 1.1% (5%)
- Other scientific, medical and hospital equipment … $738.8 million, up 8.9% (3.5%)
- Fuel oil … $666.2 million, up 68.9% (3.2%)
- Industrial organic chemicals … $556.8 million, down 1.6% (2.6%)
- Pharmaceutical preparations … $504.6 million, down 7.9% (2.4%)
- Materials handling equipment … $370.3 million, up 35.2% (1.75%)
- Semi-finished iron and steel mill products … $355.9 million, up 4.1% (1.69%).
Fastest-Growing Dutch Exports to the U.S.
Exports of liquified petroleum gases from the Netherlands to the U.S. had by far the largest percentage gain in 2008. The other 9 export product categories garnered respectable but more modest percentage gains from 2007.
- Liquified petroleum gases … US$148.1 million, up 1,268% from 2007
- Meat products, poultry and edible animals … $15.2 million, up 253.1%
- Engines and engine parts … $27 million, up 101.4%
- Telecommunications equipment … $88.8 million, up 92.5%
- Miscellaneous non-ferrous metals … $19.4 million, up 83.4%
- Fuel oil … $666.2 million, up 68.9%
- Other non-food oils, tobacco, waxes … $143.2 million, up 50.9%
- Railway transportation equipment … $10.6 million, up 50.6%
- Other petroleum products … $5.1 billion, up 47.7%
- Other military equipment … $68.9 million, up 46.4%.
Netherlands’ Top Imports from America
Led by a triple-digit gain in fuel oil exports, 6 other billion-dollar American exports to the Netherlands posted double-digit percentage sales increases in 2008.
- Pharmaceutical preparations … US$4.8 billion, up 21% from 2007 (12.1% of US exports to Netherlands)
- Fuel oil … $4.5 billion, up 230.4% (11.4%)
- Organic chemicals … $3.2 billion, up 28.4% (8.1%)
- Telecommunications equipment … $2.5 billion, down 5.2% (6.2%)
- Medicinal equipment … $2.3 billion, up 11.6% (5.8%)
- Civilian aircraft … $1.8 billion, up 15.6% (4.5%)
- Other household goods … $1.75 billion, up 53.2% (4.4%)
- Computer accessories … $1.72 billion, up 23.7% (4.3%)
- Plastic materials … $920.4 million, down 1.6% (2.3%)
- Other chemicals … $872.8 million, up 9.7% (2.2%).
Fastest-Growing Dutch Imports from the U.S.
Although representing a relatively small $61.6 million worth of American exports to the Netherlands in 2008, that product category enjoyed a massive 1,865% spike from last year. All 9 other fast-growing Dutch export categories to the U.S. achieved triple-digit percentage gains from export sales in 2007.
- Gem diamonds … US$61.6 million, up 1,865% from 2007
- Ammunition, artillery, guns, missiles and tanks … $230.2 million, up 609%
- Non-military spacecraft … $57.4 million, up 287.8%
- Fuel oil … $4.5 billion, up 230.4%
- Marine engines … $67.2 million, up 196.8%
- Iron and steel mill products … $37 million, up 181%
- Meat and poultry … $68 million, up 132.3%
- Metallurgical grade coal … $399 million, up 125.8%
- Primary synthetic rubber … $151.8 million, up 119.3%
- Unmanufactured tobacco … $153.7 million, up 103%.
During 2008, the Netherlands exported $5.1 billion worth of other petroleum products to the U.S. while importing $571.7 million worth of that same energy product category from America.
Similarly, Dutch exporters delivered $1.06 billion worth of wines to the U.S. while the Netherlands spent only $25.1 million on American-made wines and related products.
Dutch exports of other petroleum products and wines to the U.S. exceeded exports of those same product categories from America to the Netherlands by almost 10 times for other petroleum product sales and roughly 40 times for wine shipments.
The latter statistics show that the Netherlands held a strong comparative advantage in trading other petroleum products and wines with the USA during 2008.
Sources
This analysis is based on latest statistics from the US Census Bureau- Foreign Trade Statistics and CIA World Factbook as of the date of article publication.
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