Statistics
Houston likely to be No. 4 Customs district for 2006
January 25th, 2007
Houston will finish 2006 as the nation’s fourth-biggest Customs district, its highest-ever finish, when the annual statistics are released next month.
Houston’s trade has more than doubled since 2003. Only Minneapolis, Minn., and Washington, D.C., both much smaller Customs districts, have grown faster, in percentage terms, in the same four-year period.
In moving in to the No. 4 position, behind Los Angeles, New York and Detroit, Houston will have surpassed Mexico-dependent Laredo, Texas.
It is thanks of course to a continued boom in oil and rapidly expanding trade with China but there are some other strong performers as well contributing to another banner year in import and export growth.
| 2006 | 2005 | Total Trade | November 2006 YTD | November 2005 YTD | Dollar Change | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Total | $148,865,941,318 | $124,888,686,659 | $23,977,254,659 | 19.20% | ||
| 1 | 1 | Mexico | $16,260,106,313 | $14,010,004,773 | $2,250,101,540 | 16.06% |
| 2 | 2 | Venezuela | $14,391,190,364 | $11,435,230,734 | $2,955,959,630 | 25.85% |
| 3 | 4 | China | $7,685,371,953 | $5,385,796,477 | $2,299,575,476 | 42.70% |
| 4 | 3 | Nigeria | $7,259,953,645 | $5,905,111,746 | $1,354,841,899 | 22.94% |
| 5 | 6 | Germany | $5,864,485,562 | $5,138,828,982 | $725,656,580 | 14.12% |
| 6 | 11 | Algeria | $5,578,014,283 | $3,457,846,796 | $2,120,167,487 | 61.31% |
| 7 | 9 | Netherlands | $5,545,555,464 | $3,807,432,827 | $1,738,122,637 | 45.65% |
| 8 | 5 | United Kingdom | $5,474,267,520 | $5,261,340,366 | $212,927,154 | 4.05% |
| 9 | 8 | Brazil | $5,320,367,611 | $4,500,492,698 | $819,874,913 | 18.22% |
| 10 | 7 | Saudi Arabia | $5,259,900,543 | $5,138,410,507 | $121,490,036 | 2.36% |
| 11 | 13 | Russia | $3,804,687,044 | $2,740,743,994 | $1,063,943,050 | 38.82% |
| 12 | 14 | Belgium | $3,124,826,392 | $2,671,677,579 | $453,148,813 | 16.96% |
| 13 | 15 | Colombia | $2,939,078,211 | $2,417,976,261 | $521,101,950 | 21.55% |
| 14 | 17 | Italy | $2,881,298,458 | $2,297,176,328 | $584,122,130 | 25.43% |
| 15 | 12 | South Korea | $2,755,831,651 | $3,070,538,070 | $(314,706,419) | -10.25% |
| 16 | 21 | Angola | $2,666,205,510 | $1,866,486,423 | $799,719,087 | 42.85% |
| 17 | 16 | France | $2,624,384,489 | $2,377,436,358 | $246,948,131 | 10.39% |
| 18 | 10 | Iraq | $2,501,589,252 | $3,477,994,437 | $(976,405,185) | -28.07% |
| 19 | 22 | Chile | $2,416,750,640 | $1,788,168,657 | $628,581,983 | 35.15% |
| 20 | 20 | Japan | $2,238,752,030 | $1,948,002,813 | $290,749,217 | 14.93% |
| 21 | 23 | Trinidad and Tobago | $2,197,138,393 | $1,553,462,885 | $643,675,508 | 41.43% |
| 22 | 18 | Kuwait | $1,949,842,453 | $2,115,171,453 | $(165,329,000) | -7.82% |
| 23 | 24 | India | $1,842,370,946 | $1,396,545,625 | $445,825,321 | 31.92% |
| 24 | 28 | Spain | $1,820,463,187 | $1,266,709,692 | $553,753,495 | 43.72% |
| 25 | 19 | Norway | $1,707,663,830 | $2,011,072,436 | $(303,408,606) | -15.09% |
Through 11 months, Algeria, the Netherlands, Russia, Angola, Chile, Trinidad & Tobago and India all grew at double or near double the 19 percent rate that Houston was advancing overall, according to WorldCity analysis of U.S. Census data. And that 19 percent rate is more than 50 above the national average of 12 percent.
Mexico and Venezuela remain Houston’s dominant trade partners, accounting for more than 20 percent of the total trade moving through the Customs districts. But it appears that another 32 nations will have surpassed $1 billion in trade with Houston, with the small Central American nation of Guatemala narrowly missing. That will be an increase of two nations Egypt and Singapore, which were growing at 34 and 30 percent, respectively through 11 months.
Fifteen nations will have exceeded $1 billion in exports from Houston, with Singapore likely to just miss becoming the 16th. Houston’s exports to Mexico will surpass $5 billion for the first time.
On the import side, 24 nations will have surpassed $1 billion in two-way trade with Houston.
Because of its dependence on oil and China, Houston has an outsized trade deficit. That deficit is likely to surpass $45 billion but still be less than that of Los Angeles, New York, New Orleans and Chicago.
Nevertheless, Houston had a trade surplus with 134 nations, a deficit with just 80, through the first 11 months of the year. The nation and many Customs districts tend to have roughly an equal number of surpluses and deficits.
Houston will likely finish the year with between 14 and 16 deficits exceeding $1 billion while having only two nations, the Netherlands and Belgium, with surpluses exceeding $1 billion, according to WorldCity projections.
Annual Statistics: Houston moves up to No. 4 ranked Customs district (02/13/2007)
Houston likely to be No. 4 Customs district for 2006 (01/25/2007)
Houston exports see notable increase in third quarter (12/11/2006)
Semi-annual report: Houston growth at faster clip than most (09/08/2006)
Here comes China! Imports rise 85%, catapault it to No. 3 overall (07/07/2006)
Annual Report: No. 21 Angola- Mutual benefits (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 20 Japan- Houston woos and wins Japan (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: N0. 19 Norway- Symbiotic relationship (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 18 Kuwait- Embracing Mideast opportunities (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 2 Venezuela - Beyond the politicians (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 17 Italy- From leather to nuts (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 16 France- Outpaced by oil-rich nations (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 3 Nigeria - Oil lubricates market (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 15 Colombia- Coffee perks up trade (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 14 Belgium- Scoring with petrochemicals (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No.13 Russia- Imports, exports, up double digits (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 4 China - Trade skyrockets (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 12 South Korea- Fine-tuning a trade balance (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 11 Iraq- Rebuilding Iraq thanks to oil (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 5 United Kingdom - Setting a fast pace in trade (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 10 Algeria- Algeria ties its fortunes to oil (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 6 Germany - Cars add to spark-fired trade (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 9 The Netherlands- Getting a line to Europe (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 7 Saudi Arabia (07/06/2006)
Annual Report: No. 8 Brazil- New U.S. gateway for Brazil (06/14/2006)
1Q: China, Algeria, Colombia lead way as trade increases 14% (06/02/2006)
Houston's trade surges
No surprise - it's all about the price of oil (01/01/2006)