Top Norwegian Imports & Exports

Norway’s top trading partners for its exports are the United Kingdom (26.8% of total exports), Germany (12.3%), Netherlands (10.3%), France (8.2%), Sweden (6.4%) and the United States (5.7%).

Norway is a major exporter of oil and petroleum products, and also supplies its trading partners with machinery, equipment, metals, chemicals and fish.

Norway imports from Sweden (15% of total imports), Germany (13.5%), Denmark (6.9%), the U.K. (6.4%), China (5.7%), the U.S. (5.3%) and Netherlands (4.1%).

In 2007, Norway exported an estimated US$139.4 billion worth of goods onto the international trade marketplace. Norwegian imports totalled $78.1 billion, resulting in Norway’s overall $61.3-billion trade surplus last year.

Norwegian Trade with U.S.

Norway enjoyed a US$4.3-billion trade surplus with its American trade partner in 2007. The most recent surplus statistic is 13.3% higher than the Norway-US surplus in 2003 but represents a 9.1% decrease from the $4.7-billion surplus in 2006.

Exports from Norway to U.S.

With a population of 4.6 million, Norway exported US$7.3 billion worth of merchandise to the United States in 2007, a 3.3% increase from 2006 and up by 39.9% in 4 years. The following product categories represent about 71% of Norwegian exports to America.

1. Other petroleum products … US$1.3 billion – up 40.8% from 2006 (18% of Norway-to-U.S. exports)
2. Crude oil … $1.1 billion – down 35.2% (15%)
3. Liquified petroleum gases … $998.2 million – down 27.3% (13.6%)
4. Fuel oil … $470.8 million – up 23.6% (6.4%)
5. Nickel … $444 million – up 46.9% (6.1%)
6. Dental, medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations … $212.1 million – up 14.7% (2.9%)
7. Drilling and oil field equipment … $197.6 million – up 275% (2.7%)
8. Telecommunications equipment … $189.9 million – up 18.6% (2.6%)
9. Fish and shellfish … $150.3 million – up 14.5% (2.1%)
10. Other military equipment … $133.2 million – up 10.1% (1.8%).

In aggregate, Norway’s top 10 export product categories experienced a slight decrease in sales to the U.S. in 2007, down 1.3% from 2006.

Fastest-growing Norwegian Exports to U.S.

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

1. Drilling and oil field equipment … US$197.6 million (up 275% from 2006)
2. Materials handling equipment … $101.8 million (up 65.3%)
3. Soft beverages, processed coffee … $100.8 million (up 60.5%)
4. Miscellaneous non-ferrous metals … $133.2 million (up 60.3%)
5. Nickel … $444 million – up 46.9% (6.1%).

Fastest-declining Norwegian Exports to U.S.

Selected Norwegian exports to America in 2007 with the highest percentage sales decreases from 2006 are listed below.

1. Advanced iron and steel manufactures … US$13 million (down 40.7% from 2006)
2. Crude oil … $1.1 billion – (down 35.2%)
3. Pulp and paper machinery … $8.5 million (down 30%)
4. Civilian aircraft parts … $7.2 million (down 28.5%)
5. Liquified petroleum gases … $998.2 million (down 27.3%).

Norwegian Imports from U.S.

Norwegian imports from the U.S. rose by 27.5% to $3.1 billion in 2007, up 108.2% since 2003.

Of American exports to Norway in 2007, the following product categories had the highest values and in total represented half of all U.S. shipments into Norway.

1. Measuring, testing and control instruments … US$211.6 million – up 30.6% from 2006 (6.9% of Norwegian imports from America)
2. Other non-ferrous metals … $198 million – up 78.8% (6.5%)
3. Drilling and oil field equipment … $196.7 million – down 0.6% (6.4%)
4. Civilian aircraft - complete … $186.1 million – up 246% (6.1%)
5. Civilian aircraft - parts … $137.5 million – up 33.9% (4.5%)
6. Medicinal equipment … $137.2 million – up 33.4% (4.5%)
7. Industrial engines … $114.6 million – up 6.1% (3.8%)
8. Generators and accessories … $99.4 million – up 619.1% (3.3%)
9. Telecommunications equipment … $98.6 million – up 1.9% (3.1%)
10. Inorganic chemicals … $88.7 million – up 42.4% (2.9%).

Last year, Norway’s top 10 import product categories from the U.S. declined by 5.1% from 2006. From 2005 to 2006, the top 10 Norwegian imports from the U.S. had gained 33.8%.

Fastest-growing Norwegian Imports from U.S.

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

1. Generators and accessories … US$99.4 million (up 619.1%)
2. Civilian aircraft - complete … $186.1 million – up 246% (6.1%)
3. Ammunition, artillery, guns, missiles, rockets and tanks … $66.3 million (up 164.1%)
4. Other iron and steel products… $13.6 million (up 88.3%)
5. Other non-ferrous metals … $198 million (up 78.8%).

Fastest-declining Norwegian Imports from U.S.

Selected American exports to Norway in 2007 with the highest percentage sales decreases from 2006 are listed below.

1. Laboratory testing instruments … US$22.8 million (down 48.8% from 2006)
2. Pulp and paper machinery … $8.5 million (down 26.4%)
3. Wine and related products … $1.5 million (down 24.1%)
4. Cookware, cutlery, tools … $3.2 million (down 19.5%)
5. Bakery products … $2.9 million (down 13.6%).

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.

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