1 Includes nonmonetary gold, military grant aid, special category shipments,trade between the U.S. Virgin Islands and foreign countries and undocumented exports to Canada.Adjustments were also made for carryover. Import values are based on transaction priceswhenever possible ("f.a.s." for 1974-1979 and Customs value thereafter).Import data before 1974 do not exist on a transaction price valuation basis.
2 Manufactured goods include commodity sections 5-9 under Schedules A and E for 1970-1982 andSITC Rev. 3 for 1983-forward. Manufactures include undocumented exports to Canada, nonmonetarygold (excluding gold ore, scrap, and base bullion), and special category shipments.
3 Data for 1970-1980 exclude trade between the U.S. Virgin Islands and foreign countries.Census data concordances link the 1980-92 trade figures into time series that are as consistent as possible. Data for 1070-79 are not linked and are from published sources.Import values are "f.a.s." for 1974-1979 and Customs value thereafter;these values are based on transaction prices while maintaining a data seriesas consistent as possible over time. Import data before 1974 do not exist on a transactionprice valuation basis. 1991 Imports include revisions for passenger cars, trucks, petroleumand petroleum products not included elsewhere; see footnote 7 on page 18 for more details.
4 Agricultural products for 1983-forward utilize the latest Census definition that excludes
manufactured goods that were previously classified as manufactured agricultural products.nn
5 Mineral fuels include commodity section 3 under SITC Rev. 1 for 1970-1976,SITC Rev. 2 for 1977-1982 and SITC Rev. 3 for 1983-forward.

Source: U.S. International Trade Administration, through 1996, U.S. Foreign Trade Highlights, annual; thereafter, access date: June 9, 2000; .

http://www.ita.doc.gov/cgi-bin/otea_ctr?task=readfile&file=hili

*Exports

Exports measure the total physical movement of merchandise out of theUnited States to foreign countries whether such merchandise is exportedfrom within the U.S. Customs territory or from a U.S. Customs bondedwarehouse or a U.S. Foreign Trade Zone. The following are examples ofsome types of shipments which are included in the statistics but are ofsuch a nature that their inclusion merits separate mention:

Department of Defense Military Assistance Program Grant-Aidshipments under the Foreign Assistance Act.

Foreign military sales.

Shipments of commodities for economic assistance under the ForeignAssistance Act. (Totals for exports under this program are publishedquarterly or as they become available.)

Shipments of agricultural commodities under P.L. 480 (AgriculturalTrade Development and Assistance Act of 1954) as amended, and relatedlaws. (Totals for exports under this program are published as the databecome available from the Department of Agriculture. Additionalinformation may be obtained from the Economic Research Service of theDepartment of Agriculture.)

Sales of U.S. vessels to purchasers in foreign countries.

Satellites launched by U.S. space vehicles limited to: (1) foreignorigin, and/or; (2) launched on behalf of international organizations.

Domestic Exports

Exports of domestic merchandise include commodities which are grown,produced or manufactured in the United States, and commodities offoreign origin which have been changed in the United States, includingU.S. Foreign Trade Zones, from the form in which they were imported, orwhich have been enhanced in value by further manufacture in the UnitedStates.

Foreign Exports (Re-exports)

Exports of foreign merchandise (re-exports), consist of commodities offoreign origin which have entered the United States for consumption orinto Customs bonded warehouses or U.S. Foreign Trade Zones, and which,at the time of exportation, are in substantially the same condition aswhen imported.

Imports

Imports of merchandise include commodities of foreign origin as well asgoods of domestic origin returned to the United States with no changein condition or after having been processed and/or assembled in othercountries. (See discussion of American Goods Returned After ProcessingAnd/Or Assembly below).

For statistical purposes, imports are classified by the type oftransaction.

Merchandise entered for immediate consumption. ("duty free"merchandise and merchandise on which duty is paid on arrival)

Merchandise withdrawn for consumption from Customs bondedwarehouses, and U.S. Foreign Trade Zones.

Merchandise entered into Customs bonded warehouses and U.S. ForeignTrade Zones from foreign countries.

Bonded Warehouses

Bonded warehouses are authorized by U.S. Customs for storage ormanufacturing of goods on which payment of duties is deferred until thegoods are removed into Customs Territory. These goods are not subjectto duties if reshipped to foreign points.

Foreign Trade Zones

Foreign Trade Zones are enclosed areas, operated as public utilities,under control of U.S. Customs with facilities for handling, storing,manipulating, manufacturing, and exhibiting goods. The merchandise maybe exported, destroyed, or sent into Customs territory from the zone,in the original package or otherwise. It is subject to Customs dutiesif sent into Customs territory, but not if reshipped to foreign points.American Goods Returned After Processing and/or Assembly

Domestically produced goods are shipped from the United States to othercountries for processing and/or assembly and then returned to thiscountry. Imports containing U.S. content which qualify for specialduty-free treatment on the U.S. portion fall into the following groups:Articles of metal manufactured in the United States, which wereexported for further processing abroad and returned to the UnitedStates for more processing.

Textile articles assembled abroad and entered under a Special AccessProgram or Special Regime.

Articles assembled abroad from components produced in the UnitedStates, except textile articles entered under a Special Access Programor Special Regime.

Separate statistics are available on American goods returned afterprocessing and/or assembly abroad.

General Imports

"General Imports" measure the total physical arrivals ofmerchandise from foreign countries, whether such merchandise entersconsumption channels immediately or is entered into bonded warehousesor Foreign Trade Zones under Customs custody.

Imports for Consumption

"Imports for Consumption" measure the total of merchandise thathas physically cleared through Customs either entering consumptionchannels immediately or entering after withdrawal for consumption frombonded warehouses under Customs custody or from Foreign Trade Zones.Many countries use the term "special imports" to designatestatistics compiled on this basis.

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