Top American Imports in 2007

Crude Oil and Passenger Cars Lead Product Shipments into USA

© Daniel Workman

Jul 27, 2008

During 2007, the total value of goods imported into the U.S. was US$1.95 trillion. This represents a 5.4% gain since 2006.

Fastest-declining imports into the U.S. included blank audio and video media, cane and beet sugar, newsprint and lumber.

Top 12 US Imports

The following product categories were America’s leading imports in 2007. These categories represent almost 50% of total U.S. imports during the year.

1. Crude oil... US$237.2 billion (12.1% of US total imports, up 9.5% from 2006)
2. New and used passenger cars ... $134.1 billion (6.9%, down 1.1%)
3. Other automotive parts and accessories ... $73.4 billion (3.8%, up 5.1%)
4. Medicinal, dental and pharmaceutical preparations ... $71.7 billion (3.7%, up 11.3%)
5. Computer accessories, peripherals and parts ... $63 billion (3.2%, down 6.7%)
6. Other household goods ... $56 billion (2.9%, up 8%)
7. Cotton apparel and household goods ... $50.9 million (2.6%, up 4.4%)
8. Other petroleum products ... $48,380,630 (2.5%, up 9.4%)
9. Telecommunications equipment ... $44.3 billion (2.3%, up 10.2%)
10. Computers ... $40.9 billion (2.1%, up 21.2%)
11. Television receivers and other video equipment ... $39.8 billion (2%, up 11%)
12. Electric apparatus and parts ... $35.6 billion (1.8%, up 5.9%).

Fastest-Growing US Imports

Listed below are product categories for American imports that increased by experienced the highest percentage gains in 2007.

1. DVDs, CDs, tapes, and disks ... US$3.3 billion (up 160.6% from 2006, up 130.1% from 2003)
2. Nickel ... $4.7 billion (up 47.1%, up 333.2%)
3. Other military equipment ... 2 billion (up 39.9%, up 179.6%)
4. Nuclear fuel materials ... $5.5 billion (up 39%, up 91.3%)
5. Feedstuff and foodgrains ... $2.9 billion (up 33.6%, up 84.4%)
6. Other precious metals ... $11.1 billion (up 33.5%, up 206.1%)
7. Drilling and oil field equipment ... $8.1 billion (up 31.7%, up 351.1%)
8. Tin ... $553.3 million (up 27.1%, up 193.7%)
9. Food oils and oilseeds ... $3.4 billion (25.9%, up 126%)
10. Complete civilian aircraft ... $13.3 billion (up 25.3%, up 8.7%)
11. Antiques, artwork, stamps and other collectibles ... $10.9 billion (up 25.2%, up 75.4%)
12. Electric energy ... $2.7 billion (up 25.2%, up 104.2%).

Fastest-Declining US Imports

Listed below are American product categories for imports with the greatest percentage declines last year.

1. Blank audio and video media ... US$2.2 billion (down 51.1% from 2006, down 29.2% from 2003)
2. Cane and beet sugar ... $826 million (down 38.8%, up 43.8%)
3. Newsprint ... $2.4 billion (down 22.4%, down 20.3%)
4. DVD players and other stereo equipment ... $8.1 billion (down 22.3%, up 6.5%)
5. Lumber ... $6.8 billion (down 22.1%, up 8.5%)
6. Shingles, molding and wallboard ... $10 billion (down 18.4%, up 12.6%)
7. Nonmonetary gold ... $4.6 billion (down 17.9%, up 56.8%)
8. Semi-finished iron and steel mill products ... $18.5 billion (down 17.2%, up 150.6%)
9. Excavating, paving and construction machinery ... $8.7 billion (down 15.6%, up 77.3%)
10. Cotton cloth, fabrics and thread ... $1.5 billion (down 14.4%, down 27.6%)
11. Motorcycles and parts ... $4.1 billion (down 11.8%, up 22.3%)
12. Business machinery excluding computers ... $7.7 billion (down 11.2%, up 8.5%).

Sources for this Article

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

Newsprint imports into US decline by double-digits

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