Top UAE Exports & Imports
United Arab Emirates Exports More Aluminum Than Oil to the U.S.
The United Arab Emirates’ overall trade surplus with all trading partners was $55 billion in 2007.
Major customers for the UAE’s US$156.6 billion worth of exports in 2007 include Japan (25.8% of total exports), South Korea (9.6%), Thailand (5.9%) and India (4.5%). Oil accounts for about 45% of UAE export shipments to the rest of the world. Other leading UAE export commodities include natural gas, dried fish and dates.
UAE imports last year were valued at $101.6 billion. Leading importers into the UAE are the United States (11.5% of total imports), China (11%), India (9.8%), Germany (6.2%), Japan (5.8%), the United Kingdom (5.5%) France (4.1%) and Italy (4%). Principal UAE imports are machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals and food.
United Arab Emirates Trade with U.S.
The United States receives a little over 1% of UAE total exports, but is the UAE’s leading provider of imports. A closer look at the UAE’s trade statistics with the United States reveals that the Middle Eastern country had a $10.3 billion trade deficit with its American trade partner in 2007. The most recent deficit statistic represents a 432% increase since 2003.
As the following statistics on leading UAE shipments to the U.S. show, America depends far less on UAE oil and gas products than it does on other Middle Eastern countries.
UAE Exports to U.S.
With a population of 4.6 million, the UAE exported US$1.3 billion worth of merchandise to the United States in 2007, down 3.3% from 2006 and up 18.7% in 4 years.
- Aluminum …US$317.3 million (23.7% of the UAE to U.S. exports, up 17.6% from 2006)
- Crude oil … $232.6 million (17.4%, up 47.8%)
- Uncut or unset diamonds … $105.1 million (7.8%, down 28.8%)
- Cotton apparel and household goods … $99.5 million (7.4%, down 36%)
- Advanced iron and steel products … $44.8 million (3.3%, down 38.1%)
- Other petroleum products … $34.1 million (2.5%, down 22.8%)
- Cloth, fabrics, cords and threads … $30.9 million (2.3%, up 46.5%)
- Non-cotton apparel and household goods … $25.4 million (1.9%, down 11.1%)
- Fish and shellfish … $21.5 million (1.6%, down 16.3%)
- Boxes, belting, glass and abrasives … $15.1 million (1.1%, up 14%).
Petroleum products including oil and gas represent a little over 20% of UAE’s exports to the U.S. last year.
Fastest-Growing UAE Exports to U.S.
Below are selected UAE exports to the U.S. in 2007 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2006.
- Precious metals excluding gold … US$1.1 million (up 54,050% from 2006)
- Textile floor coverings including rugs … $1.8 million (up 376%)
- Household appliances … $3.9 million (up 310%)
- Collectibles including antiques, artwork and stamps … $3.3 million (up 184%)
- Drilling oil field equipment including platforms … $7.6 million (up 162%).
UAE Imports from U.S.
UAE imports from the U.S. at $11.6 billion in 2007 were about the same as the prior year, but were up 331% from 2003.
Of American exports to The UAE in 2007, the following product categories had the highest values.
- Civilian aircraft … US$2.9 billion (24.8% of UAE imports from America, down 32.1% from 2006)
- New and used passenger cars … 1.4 billion (11.6%, up 59.4%)
- Drilling and oilfield equipment … $569 million (5.5%, up 21.4%)
- Non-monetary gold … $431.5 million (3.7%, up 114.5%)
- Telecommunications equipment … $431.2 million (3.7%, up 156.2%)
- Other industrial machines … $351.6 million (3%, up 60.2%)
- Industrial engines … $262 million (2.3%, up 37.8%)
- Parts for military-type goods … $241.3 million (2.1%, up 97.3%)
- Gem diamonds … $227.3 million (2%, down 1.6%)
- Excavating machinery … $211.9 million (1.8%, up 68.6%).
Fastest-Growing UAE Imports from U.S.
Below are selected American exports to the UAE in 2007 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2006.
- Barley, oats and sorghum … US$1.9 million (up 23,338% from 2006)
- Bodies and chassis for passenger cars … $36.5 million (up 3,680% from 2006)
- Wheat … $40.8 million (up 2,558%)
- Raw cotton … $8.2 million (up 648%)
- Food oils and oil seeds … $30.8 million (up 347%).
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.
