Exploring Our World: People, Places, and Cultures

"U.S. Trade"

Introduction
In this chapter, you learned about the role of trade in the economies of the United States and Canada. Statistics on exports and imports can be analyzed to describe the health of a nation’s economy. Monitoring trade between countries allows leaders to make informed decisions about policies and trade agreements between other countries.

Destination Title: U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics

• Click on the Top Trading Partners link.
• Select the most recent date and review the information.

Use this page to answer the following questions:

1			What dates are covered in this report?
2			What does the information in each table show?
3			Can you determine if there was a deficit or a surplus in overall U.S. trade during this time period? If so, what was this deficit or surplus?
4			To which country does United States export the most? Which country imports the most from the United States?
5			How might government leaders use this information to evaluate the effectiveness of a trade agreement?