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Foreign Trade
Import Statistics
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are here: Economic Programs Overview
Foreign Trade
Import Statistics
To provide detailed statistics on goods and estimates of services entering the U.S. from foreign countries. The United States Code, Title 13, requires this program. Participation is mandatory. U.S. Customs Service and the Bureau of Economic Analysis assist in the conduct of this program.
The import statistics consist of goods valued at more than $2,000 per commodity shipped by individuals and organizations (including importers and customs brokers) into the U.S. from other countries.
Data are compiled in terms of commodity classification, quantities, values, shipping weights, methods of transportation (air or vessel), duties collected, unit prices, and market share, country of origin, customs district, customs port, import charges and duties. Since January 1989, commodities have been compiled under the Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States (HTS) containing more than18,000 import commodity codes. Statistics are also compiled under the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC), North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), End-Use Commodity Classifications, Advanced Technology Products, and American Iron and Steel Product Groups (AISP). The statistics include data about all 240 U.S. trading partners, 400 U.S. ports, and 45 districts.
Data are continuously compiled and processed. Documents are collected as shipments arrive and processed on a flow basis. Reports summarize shipments made during calendar months and years. Statistics are reported monthly approximately 40 to 45 days after the end of the calendar month and on a year-to-date basis.
A full compilation (i.e., a census) is taken of import shipments, plus U.S. Census Bureau estimates of low-valued imports and Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) estimates of trade in services. Statistics for imported goods shipments are compiled from the records filed with Customs and Border Protection, usually within 10 days after the merchandise enters the United States. Estimates are made for low-value shipments by country of origin, based on previous bilateral trade patterns and periodically updated.
Statistics for over 95 percent of all commodity transactions are compiled from records filed electronically with Customs and forwarded as computer tape files to the U.S. Census Bureau. Statistics for other transactions are compiled from hard-copy documents filed with Customs and forwarded on a flow basis for U.S. Census Bureau processing.
U.S. International Trade in Good and Services (FT900) press release and supplement provides summary statistics for goods on a census and balance of payment basis and services data each month. This includes information for the most recent month and year on goods and services imports, exports and trade balances, various commodity classifications and country of origin or destination.
Steel Report (FT900A) provides detailed data on U.S. imports for consumption by steel category and country. Preliminary and final data are released monthly.
USA Trade Online, an online subscription service, provides U.S. import statistics of commodities at the 2, 4, 6 and 10-digit Harmonized Schedule (HS) level. Monthly, year-to-date, and annual statistics on value, quantity, country, and customs district. Port statistics by 6-digit HS and country are also provided for value, shipping weight and method of transportation.
U.S. Imports of Merchandise - Monthly (DVDs) provides import statistics in digital video disc (DVD) format. Each disc has various data fields for HS commodities at the 2, 4, 6 and 10-digit level. Country and customs district data for value, quantity, method of transportation, shipping weights, import charges, duties and much more are provided on a monthly, year-to-date, and annual basis.
U.S. Import History (DVDs) provides five years of historical annual revised import statistics in digital video disc (DVD) format. Each disc contains various data fields for HS commodities at the 2, 4, 6, and 10-digit level. Commodity, country, and district data for customs value (both general and consumption) and quantity is provided on an annual basis and is issued annually. Discs are available for 1989 to the most recent full year. The discs are released each June includes the annual revisions.
U.S. Merchandise Trade: Selected Highlights (FT920) provides data on value, charges, insurance, and freight (CIF), shipping weight for general imports and imports for consumption by district of entry, district of unlading, world area, country of orgin, and by method of transporation. Final data are released monthly.
Related Party Trade provides aggregated data about transactions between parties with various types of relationships. The report is based on customs value excluding import duties, freight, insurance and other charges incurred in bringing the merchandise to the U.S. The report is released annually.
Merchandise
Trade Reconciliation provides the results of a study into the differences
between the official trade statistics released by the United States and Mexico,
and Canada and Mexico during 1998 and 1999, and 1996 and 1997. The first report
shows the differences during 1996 and 1997. The second report shows the differences
during 1998 and 1999.
Softwood
Lumber Imports from Canada, special release, temporarily issued provided
data about selected softwood lumber at the 10-digit HS level from Canada. Quantity
and value are provided for May 2001 through September 2001. Preliminary and
final data were released each month.
U.S. Trade for the Gulf Region, special release, temporarily issued provided data on U.S. trade in the Gulf region for selected ports and districts from September 2005 through February 2006. Preliminary and final data were released monthly.
Special Reports and Data Services provides a multitude of export and import data products that the Census Bureau customizes in response to user requests for a nominal fee. Special products may be prepared once, periodically, or routinely.
The BEA uses the data to update U.S. balance of payments, gross domestic product, and national accounts. Other federal agencies use them for economic, financial, and trade policy analysis (such as import price indexes and import penetration analyses). Private businesses and trade associations use them for domestic and overseas market analysis, industry-, product-, and area-based business planning. Major print and electronic news media use them for general and business news reports.
Import statistics provides a principal economic indicator as well as the most complete and only official source of monthly statistics on U.S. imports.
Current Industrial Reports
(Industrial Products)
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Trade Import
StatisticsLast revised: Wednesday, 23-Aug-2006 14:20:09 EDT
