07 February 2011
Egypt bought more U.S. tanks, armored vehicles and parts than any nation in the world in the first 11 months of 2010, accounting for more than one third of all exports and more than twice as many as No. 2 Israel.
Egypt, as has been widely reported during the largely peaceful protests over the three-decade rule of President Hosni Mubarak, receives more U.S. aid than any nation in the world, except for Israel.
In a record-breaking year for worldwide U.S. exports of tanks, armored vehicles and parts, Egypt will have purchased more in this category in 2010 than any nation in history, when annual import-export data is released this week, according to WorldCity analysis of the most recent Census Bureau data.
The category that includes tanks was the fourth-greatest export to Egypt through the first 11 months of 2010, trailing only aircraft, corn and soybeans. Click here for latest trade data between Egypt and the United States, including top exports, top imports and leading Customs districts.
Egypt also is an important customer for U.S. corn and soybean exports, ranking fourth and seventh in the world, respectively. Corn exports were running at a record level though November. Soybean exports will likely be at the second-highest level ever, behind only the 2009 total.
Aircraft exports to Egypt have been soaring for the last three years and will nearly double the record-breaking total set in 2009. Through November, exports to Egypt were valued at $828.16 million, almost exclusively leaving from the Seattle Customs districts, where Boeing manufacturing is located.
More than 97 percent of all corn and soybean exports leaves through the New Orleans Customs district.
More than 78 percent of all U.S. exports of tanks, armored vehicles and parts leave from Norfolk, Va., home to a large Navy presence.
Overall, U.S. exports to Egypt were up 22.33 percent in 2010 to $6.05 billion. Imports were also up, 11.4 percent, to $2.12 billion. Egypt, with $8.15 billion in two-way trade through November of 2010, ranked as the United States' No. 46 trade partner.