U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #427: June 5, 2006
Transportation and the U.S. Trade Deficit, 2001-2005

In calendar year 2005, the U.S. trade deficit in goods totaled nearly $782 billion. Nearly half (47.5%) of the 2005 trade deficit is transportation-related - petroleum (29.3%) and vehicles, engines, and parts (18.2%).

U.S. Trade Deficit, 2001-2005
Graph showing that from 2001 to 2005 almost half of the U.S. trade deficit in goods is transportation related (petroleum and vehicles, engines, and parts). For more detailed information, see the table below.

Supporting Information

U.S. Trade Deficit, 2001-2005 (billions of dollars)
Commodity Category 2001 2001 Share 2002 2002 Share 2003 2003 Share 2004 2004 Share 2005 2005 Share
Petroleum 93.0 21.8% 93.2 19.3% 120.4 22.0% 163.8 24.6% 229.2 29.3%
Vehicles, engines, and parts 114.3 26.8% 124.8 25.8% 129.5 23.6% 140.0 21.0% 142.2 18.2%
Other goods 219.9 51.5% 264.9 54.9% 297.7 54.4% 361.6 54.3% 410.3 52.5%
Total 427.2 100.0% 482.9 100.0% 547.6 100.0% 665.5 100.0% 781.6 100.0%

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, "U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services," Exhibits 6 and 9, November 2004, March 2005, March 2006 editions.

 

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