Imports of goods and services in North America
North America: Imports of goods and services was 15.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in North America, 1970–2024
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, imports of goods and services in North America stood at 15.4%.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and down 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in North America peaked at 18.9% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 1970.
North America ranks 45th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in North America, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.3% | — |
| 1971 | 6.5% | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 7.0% | +8.2% |
| 1973 | 7.7% | +9.6% |
| 1974 | 9.7% | +26.8% |
| 1975 | 8.8% | -9.2% |
| 1976 | 9.5% | +7.6% |
| 1977 | 10.1% | +6.0% |
| 1978 | 10.3% | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 11.0% | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 11.6% | +5.9% |
| 1981 | 11.3% | -3.1% |
| 1982 | 10.1% | -10.3% |
| 1983 | 10.1% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 11.2% | +10.6% |
| 1985 | 10.8% | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 11.1% | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 11.7% | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 11.9% | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 11.8% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 11.9% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 11.5% | -3.4% |
| 1992 | 11.6% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 11.9% | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 12.7% | +6.1% |
| 1995 | 13.4% | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 13.5% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 14.0% | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 14.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | +4.8% |
| 2000 | 16.0% | +9.4% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | -8.0% |
| 2002 | 14.6% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 15.0% | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 16.2% | +8.1% |
| 2005 | 17.1% | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 17.8% | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 18.0% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 18.9% | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 15.2% | -19.4% |
| 2010 | 17.4% | +14.0% |
| 2011 | 18.8% | +8.2% |
| 2012 | 18.6% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 17.9% | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 17.9% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 16.8% | -6.4% |
| 2016 | 16.0% | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 16.4% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 16.6% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 15.9% | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 14.4% | -9.8% |
| 2021 | 15.7% | +9.4% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | +6.0% |
| 2023 | 15.3% | -8.2% |
| 2024 | 15.4% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.7% | 6.3% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.2% | 10.1% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.9% | 11.5% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.4% | 14.6% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.2% | 15.9% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.5% | 14.4% | 16.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near North America
More economy & growth data for North America
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0142 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 30.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 469.55 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,250 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0145 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 479.40 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) 24.38 trillion current US$ (2021)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 3.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1716 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 14,209 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in North America?
- Imports of goods and services in North America was 15.4% in 2024, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 18.9% in 2008.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 1970.
- How does North America rank for imports of goods and services?
- North America ranks 45th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.