The gap between those who can access and use digital technology and those who can't
Canada's export figures to the United States numbered US$439.6 billion during 2023. The country is the largest supplier of crude oil to the US, averaging more than 3.8 million barrels per day, or 60% of US crude oil imports. Crude oil is refined to produce gasoline and heating oil.
In fact, the US imported nearly 3.9 million barrels of crude oil from Canada every day in 2023. This was a slight increase compared to the previous year, according to data from Statista.
Then in July 2024, US imports of crude oil from Canada reached a record 4.3 million barrels per day following the expansion of Canada's Trans Mountain pipeline. Along with exporting crude oil, Canada also sends clean electricity south of the border.
In 2023, cars and auto parts imported from Canada accounted for trade worth US$58 billion, or 93% of total Canadian vehicle manufacturing output, according to Trading Economics.
The US also imports a variety of industrial machinery, electronic components, and aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts from Canada, including airliner passenger seats.
Forestry products—lumber, paper, livestock fodder, fuel wood, etc.—along with building and packaging materials, also represent key items imported by the US from Canada.
The top US import commodities from Canada are processed food, grains, and red meat. The country also supplies its southern neighbor with vast quantities of fresh agricultural produce including mushrooms, potatoes, and cucumbers.
United States imports from China were $448.02 billion in 2023. More than a quarter of US imports from China fall under the electronic equipment, machinery, and products category. The single most popular item imported into the United States from China is the smartphone.
Digital automation systems—advanced digital tools created to automate and optimize business operations—represent the second biggest key import.
According to the US Census Bureau, in 2023, the United States directly imported US$13.1 billion in lithium-ion batteries from China. That accounts for 70% of all US li-ion battery imports in 2023, as measured in value. China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd is the world's biggest battery maker and powers electric vehicles for Tesla, Volkswagen, and BMW.
The United States relies on a number of Asian countries, including China, for certain computer and PC parts and components such as display monitors. Lenovo is an example of a tech company offering display monitors imported from China.
According to the Atlantic Council, the US is increasingly reliant on China for pharmaceuticals. Imports of essential medications from China have continued to rise since 2005. By 2022, the market was worth US$10.3 billion. Chinese pharmaceuticals are defined by the US tariff code to include packaged medicaments, vaccines, blood, organic cultures, bandages, and organs. Trade between the two nations is, however, balanced. Latest figures indicate the US imported $10.2 billion and exported $9.3 billion to China in this sector.
Plastic goods, things like keycaps, computer components, and phone parts, plus furniture, bedding, lamps, paint, and other miscellaneous manufactured items, are some of the other top products America imports from China.
In May 2023 alone, three million video game consoles were imported from China-based manufacturers. That's 76% of total video game consoles received by the US at the time. Even top Japanese brands like Sony are made in China, including the ubiquitous Xbox.
The United States imported US$44.76 billion worth of vehicles from Mexico in 2023, making it the number one import, according to US Commerce Department data.
In 2023, Mexico was the top trading partner of the United States based on import value. In that year, US imports from Mexico totaled US$475.6 billion.
Actually, Mexico surpassed China to become the top exporter of goods to the US in 2023 even though the country's economic growth is slowing, thus stalling the promise of so-called nearshoring, where an organization recruits employees from a neighboring country to complete services.
Mexico is also a big supplier of electronics and electrical appliances. Here, employees work on electrical harnesses for Bombardier jets at the company's manufacturing facility in Queretaro, Mexico.
An often overlooked fact is that Mexico is one of the few countries in the world that can boast the status of a major oil producer. The country is the second largest exporter of petroleum to the US after Canada. To put that in perspective, in August 2024, Mexico exported 572,000 barrels north of the border.
Mexico is Latin America's leading exporter of medical devices, accounting for over 70% of instruments shipped abroad. The country is a major supplier to the US.
Most of the alcohol the US imports comes from Mexico. Some of the most popular beer brands in America are Mexican, brews like Corona, Modelo, and Dos Equis. In 2023, the US imported US$4.6 billion worth of tequila and $108 million worth of mezcal from Mexico, according to data from the trade group Distilled Spirits Council.
Mexico rates above Canada and China as the leading exporter of plastic items to the United States, with a total revenue of nearly US$21 billion.
The US spends more than US$20 billion annually importing horticultural agricultural products from Canada and Mexico. Mexican tomatoes, avocados, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and more all find their way into American supermarkets and kitchens.
Strawberries, lemons, limes, and a variety of other fruits and nuts are also imported by Mexico to the US, ahead of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.
Among Mexico's largest exports north of the border are sugar and sweeteners. In fact, more than 445,000 metric tons of sugar were imported to US ports from Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Sources: (United States Census Bureau) (CNN) (Independent) (The ILS Company) (CTV News) (US Energy Information Administration) (Statista) (Trading Economics) (The Guardian) (Atlantic Council) (Mexico Now)
See also: Cold War 2.0: How the US and China fueled new tensions
Consumer goods, items that companies produce and which consumers, rather than other businesses, subsequently purchase, accounted for the third greatest volume of imports from Canada in 2023.
The US Census Bureau also lists chemical, plastic, and rubber products among the top items imported from Canada, things such as rubber carpet cushion, sound insulation, and footwear.
Metal and non-metallic mineral products, for example, iron ore, hematite, bauxite, sand, gravel, limestone, clay, and marble as well as salt, mica, and potash, are all exported in vast quantities to the US. Pictured is the Fermont iron ore site at the ArcelorMittal mining complex in Quebec.
The third largest Chinese export to the US are kids' toys, games, puzzles, and sports requisites. After Mattel shut down its last US factory in 2001, popular items like Barbie, Hot Wheels, and other Mattel toys ended up being made in China and Indonesia.
The US continues to rely on China for media transmission systems, things like telecommunications equipment and surveillance devices. However, the market is restricted because of the national security risk some of these appliances are said to pose.
Canada, Mexico, and China are among the United States' largest trade partners, supplying a wide range of goods. Click through this gallery to explore the markets and sectors that could be most affected.
Essential items the US imports from Mexico, China, and Canada
Is an international trade war looming?
LIFESTYLE Trade
Donald Trump's tariffs—25% on imports from Mexico and Canada and an additional 10% on China—took effect on March 4. While the move is intended to protect US industries, economists warn that these tariffs could lead to higher consumer prices. Since the tariffs are paid by US companies importing goods, businesses may either pass the costs on to consumers or reduce imports, potentially limiting product availability. Canada, Mexico, and China are among the United States' largest trade partners, supplying a wide range of goods. Click through this gallery to explore the markets and sectors that could be most affected.