Freight Facts and Figures 2012
Figure 2-4. Value of Merchandise Trade by Coasts and Borders: 1951-2011
Foreign trade has had a major impact on all U.S. borders and coasts. Since 1951, the value of merchandise trade has grown by twenty-fold in inflation-adjusted terms. However, overall growth has been affected by short-term downturns, such as between 1981 and 1986 and in 2009. In 2011, ports and airports on the Atlantic Coast remain the most significant in terms of value.
Figure 2-4
[PDF 3.25MB]
Data represented in the figure.
| Customs District | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1696 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Coast | 80.4 | 72.5 | 69.1 | 68.4 | 76.5 | 82.7 | 85.5 | 76.4 | 80.1 | 85.2 | 61.8 | 63.9 | 95.0 | 102.4 | 105.2 | 118.7 | 116.8 | 128.1 | 125.4 | 137.8 | 134.0 | 153.2 | 188.5 | 244.9 | 225.8 | 242.9 | 252.7 | 284.9 | 326.5 | 369.6 |
| Gulf Coast | 25.6 | 23.8 | 19.8 | 21.0 | 21.3 | 26.3 | 30.0 | 25.7 | 43.1 | 30.3 | 22.3 | 29.9 | 32.8 | 39.3 | 38.5 | 38.9 | 38.4 | 40.8 | 37.0 | 44.0 | 43.9 | 50.3 | 81.1 | 109.9 | 112.6 | 125.7 | 142.3 | 155.4 | 188.8 | 214.5 |
| Mexican Border | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 10.9 | 13.9 | 17.9 | 17.9 | 18.6 | 17.2 | 21.8 | 27.9 | 37.5 |
| Pacific Coast | 13.8 | 13.6 | 12.7 | 13.6 | 15.0 | 17.9 | 19.7 | 18.5 | 18.8 | 23.0 | 21.9 | 22.9 | 26.9 | 43.7 | 31.3 | 34.2 | 37.1 | 43.4 | 50.9 | 55.5 | 55.2 | 63.1 | 86.1 | 116.7 | 103.1 | 116.9 | 124.2 | 138.9 | 161.8 | 182.0 |
| Canadian Border | 27.7 | 28.7 | 30.2 | 28.1 | 31.3 | 35.5 | 34.5 | 30.5 | 35.0 | 34.1 | 35.6 | 38.5 | 41.7 | 46.8 | 54.2 | 63.8 | 68.5 | 79.2 | 87.7 | 85.5 | 83.0 | 107.8 | 125.6 | 141.5 | 132.3 | 149.3 | 153.4 | 165.6 | 169.8 | 166.1 |
| Total | 151.7 | 142.9 | 135.6 | 134.7 | 148.1 | 166.9 | 174.5 | 155.9 | 181.0 | 176.9 | 146.0 | 159.6 | 201.2 | 237.8 | 235.2 | 262.0 | 267.1 | 298.5 | 308.2 | 331.5 | 324.3 | 385.2 | 495.2 | 631.0 | 591.7 | 653.4 | 689.8 | 766.6 | 874.8 | 969.6 |
| Customs District | 1981 | 1987 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Coast | 336.8 | 294.9 | 277.4 | 312.4 | 301.1 | 322.9 | 335.5 | 362.0 | 364.4 | 374.9 | 364.8 | 375.0 | 383.0 | 399.0 | 433.7 | 449.2 | 481.3 | 495.0 | 514.9 | 580.4 | 552.9 | 537.9 | 574.0 | 641.3 | 700.4 | 751.4 | 801.8 | 882.9 | 676.0 | 791.0 | 905.4 |
| Gulf Coast | 206.0 | 167.3 | 139.2 | 115.3 | 124.9 | 113.1 | 120.6 | 130.6 | 141.3 | 145.8 | 140.0 | 141.2 | 140.9 | 154.7 | 181.0 | 192.1 | 193.1 | 187.3 | 191.5 | 240.5 | 218.2 | 222.3 | 245.6 | 295.2 | 345.9 | 400.5 | 431.1 | 539.9 | 368.4 | 460.1 | 565.9 |
| Mexican Border | 39.6 | 30.0 | 28.0 | 57.9 | 37.0 | 39.6 | 45.1 | 56.0 | 63.1 | 67.3 | 70.6 | 81.9 | 89.7 | 110.1 | 116.1 | 132.1 | 156.6 | 173.4 | 197.4 | 241.6 | 224.6 | 219.7 | 222.0 | 248.1 | 256.4 | 282.7 | 289.9 | 287.1 | 243.5 | 307.6 | 344.9 |
| Pacific Coast | 180.6 | 106.8 | 168.4 | 171.2 | 211.3 | 228.6 | 251.4 | 290.8 | 316.9 | 328.1 | 330.5 | 351.7 | 366.3 | 404.3 | 453.5 | 468.9 | 504.3 | 489.8 | 519.1 | 578.7 | 506.6 | 484.1 | 492.7 | 542.4 | 581.4 | 643.5 | 666.1 | 669.1 | 520.1 | 614.8 | 669.0 |
| Canadian Border | 163.7 | 152.1 | 165.6 | 206.6 | 207.7 | 206.9 | 226.1 | 253.2 | 258.8 | 280.5 | 275.7 | 293.7 | 322.3 | 367.1 | 406.4 | 426.8 | 462.2 | 471.5 | 507.8 | 553.2 | 508.1 | 497.0 | 519.2 | 577.2 | 628.7 | 655.6 | 673.4 | 697.7 | 527.5 | 642.2 | 709.8 |
| Total | 926.8 | 751.1 | 778.6 | 863.4 | 882.0 | 911.1 | 978.6 | 1092.6 | 1144.5 | 1196.7 | 1181.6 | 1243.7 | 1302.1 | 1435.2 | 1590.8 | 1669.1 | 1797.5 | 1817.1 | 1930.8 | 2194.4 | 2010.4 | 1961.0 | 2053.5 | 2304.3 | 2512.7 | 2733.7 | 2862.3 | 3076.7 | 2,335.4 | 2,815.7 | 3,195.0 |
Note:
The value of 2011 coal exports ($9.42 bilion) from Mobile, AL, Charleston, SC, and Norfolk, VA, are considered proprietary information and are consolidated. In this figure, the total value of coal exports for the above three cities are included under the Atlantic Coast Customs District.
Sources:
1951-1970: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970, Bicentennial Edition (Washington, DC: 1975).
1970-2000: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States (Washington, DC: annual issues).
2000-2011: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division, FT920 - U.S. Merchandise Trade: Selected Highlights (Washington, DC: annual issues).
Implicit GDP Deflator: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Current-Dollar and "Real" Gross Domestic Product, available at http://www.bea.gov as of August 30, 2012.
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