From oranges grown in Brazil to the recent explosion in popularity of Korean skincare and beauty products, countries' importing and exporting patterns can influence things like national inflation levels and consumer purchasing power. The trickle-down effects are immense — everyone from major corporation CEOs to local small business owners can see the impact of imports and exports on their spending habits and even their entire livelihoods.
Other economic decisions also play an important role. Sometimes, a country chooses to impose taxes on goods imported from another specific country, which the importer must then pay. Conversely, countries that make free trade agreements agree to reduce or eliminate barriers to trade, allowing goods to flow freely between them.
Although all U.S. states are affected by national trade decisions, it's worth noting that not every state is impacted equally. Due to factors like physical location and local dominant industries, some states need more of certain kinds of goods — from cars to furniture parts — in order to function. However, you might be wondering: Which countries does my state import the most goods from?
To answer that question, Stacker compiled a list of the countries from which Maryland imports the most goods, using data from the Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by the highest value of imports in 2024 with Maryland.
Read on to find out which countries you can expect to find the most imported goods from at your local store.
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1 / 30#30. Belgium
- Imports: $256.8 million
- Largest imports:
--- Pharmaceutical products ($61.7 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($58.3 million)
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($26.2 million)
Yasonya // Shutterstock
2 / 30#29. Netherlands
- Imports: $266.0 million
- Largest imports:
--- Beverages, spirits and vinegar ($82.4 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($63.2 million)
--- Plastics and articles thereof ($16.3 million)
trezordia // Shutterstock
3 / 30#28. Sweden
- Imports: $266.8 million
- Largest imports:
--- Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, paper or paperboard ($85.2 million)
--- Iron and steel ($56.3 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($40.3 million)
Taras Vyshnya // Shutterstock
4 / 30#27. Australia
- Imports: $279.1 million
- Largest imports:
--- Nickel and articles thereof ($94.6 million)
--- Lead and articles thereof ($47.1 million)
--- Iron and steel ($45.8 million)
MNStudio // Shutterstock
5 / 30#26. Lithuania
- Imports: $340.6 million
- Largest imports:
--- Miscellaneous chemical products ($260.2 million)
--- Albuminoidal substances; modified starches;
glues; enzymes ($26.2 million)
--- Pharmaceutical products ($21.2 million)
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6 / 30#25. Turkey
- Imports: $345.2 million
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($121.1 million)
--- Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes ($51.2 million)
--- Carpets and other textile floor coverings ($27.1 million)
William Perugini // Shutterstock
7 / 30#24. Norway
- Imports: $364.5 million
- Largest imports:
--- Nickel and articles thereof ($128.5 million)
--- Fish, crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates ($80.4 million)
--- Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof ($66.4 million)
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
8 / 30#23. Spain
- Imports: $380.5 million
- Largest imports:
--- Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes ($227.1 million)
--- Ceramic products ($27.2 million)
--- Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations ($14.1 million)
Sean Hsu // Shutterstock
9 / 30#22. Taiwan
- Imports: $410.6 million
- Largest imports:
--- Electrical machinery and equipment and parts; sound and TV recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories ($132.5 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($58.8 million)
--- Articles of iron or steel ($43.3 million)
Kampon // Shutterstock
10 / 30#21. South Korea
- Imports: $420.3 million
- Largest imports:
--- Lead and articles thereof ($103.6 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($75.7 million)
--- Iron and steel ($52.8 million)
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Sean Hsu // Shutterstock
11 / 30#20. Singapore
- Imports: $445.0 million
- Largest imports:
--- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof ($242.4 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($66.1 million)
--- Miscellaneous chemical products ($53.4 million)
ZGPhotography // Shutterstock
12 / 30#19. Hungary
- Imports: $500.1 million
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($412.9 million)
--- Miscellaneous chemical products ($50.1 million)
--- Railway or tramway stock etc.; traffic signal equipment ($8.8 million)
Marianna Ianovska // Shutterstock
13 / 30#18. Chile
- Imports: $587.6 million
- Largest imports:
--- Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal ($171.0 million)
--- Iron and steel ($158.4 million)
--- Fish, crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates ($87.8 million)
Creativa Images // Shutterstock
14 / 30#17. Indonesia
- Imports: $596.5 million
- Largest imports:
--- Coffee, tea, mate and spices ($122.6 million)
--- Preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates ($90.5 million)
--- Miscellaneous chemical products ($49.5 million)
MEDIAIMAG // Shutterstock
15 / 30#16. Austria
- Imports: $597.5 million
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($459.9 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($25.8 million)
--- Pharmaceutical products ($22.9 million)
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16 / 30#15. Finland
- Imports: $672.1 million
- Largest imports:
--- Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, paper or paperboard ($314.1 million)
--- Nickel and articles thereof ($120.1 million)
--- Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard ($67.2 million)
Peter Hanzes // Shutterstock
17 / 30#14. Slovakia
- Imports: $751.1 million
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($739.0 million)
--- Furniture, bedding, mattresses, luminaries, light fixtures, prefabricated buildings ($2.8 million)
--- Electrical machinery and equipment and parts; sound and TV recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories ($2.5 million)
Kriangkrai Thitimakorn // Shutterstock
18 / 30#13. India
- Imports: $761.0 million
- Largest imports:
--- Fish, crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates ($86.0 million)
--- Preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates ($83.9 million)
--- Aluminum and articles thereof ($63.7 million)
Tupungato // Shutterstock
19 / 30#12. France
- Imports: $783.8 million
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($276.2 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($198.7 million)
--- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof ($48.0 million)
HandmadePictures // Shutterstock
20 / 30#11. South Africa
- Imports: $959.6 million
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($697.2 million)
--- Inorganic chemicals; precious and rare earth metals and radioactive compounds ($81.5 million)
--- Nickel and articles thereof ($38.6 million)
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21 / 30#10. Brazil
- Imports: $1.0 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Coffee, tea, mate and spices ($141.4 million)
--- Sugars and sugar confectionary ($132.7 million)
--- Inorganic chemicals; precious and rare earth metals and radioactive compounds ($127.9 million)
Jack Bkk // Shutterstock
22 / 30#9. Thailand
- Imports: $1.1 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones and metals and articles thereof; immitation jewellery; coins ($400.7 million)
--- Electrical machinery and equipment and parts; sound and TV recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories ($310.9 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($88.7 million)
Efired // Shutterstock
23 / 30#8. Vietnam
- Imports: $1.1 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Furniture, bedding, mattresses, luminaries, light fixtures, prefabricated buildings ($398.5 million)
--- Coffee, tea, mate and spices ($134.6 million)
--- Footwear, gaiters etc. and parts ($111.7 million)
AlexAnton // Shutterstock
24 / 30#7. Italy
- Imports: $1.2 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($402.5 million)
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($271.4 million)
--- Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof ($135.8 million)
Nataliya Hora // Shutterstock
25 / 30#6. United Kingdom
- Imports: $1.7 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($958.2 million)
--- Miscellaneous chemical products ($133.2 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($108.8 million)
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Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
26 / 30#5. China
- Imports: $2.6 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($376.2 million)
--- Electrical machinery and equipment and parts; sound and TV recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories ($337.0 million)
--- Furniture, bedding, mattresses, luminaries, light fixtures, prefabricated buildings ($208.1 million)
Firefighter Montreal // Shutterstock
27 / 30#4. Canada
- Imports: $2.9 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Aluminum and articles thereof ($402.2 million)
--- Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal ($263.0 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($178.1 million)
Stockbym // Shutterstock
28 / 30#3. Japan
- Imports: $4.6 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($3.2 billion)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($1.2 billion)
--- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof ($109.5 million)
Aleksandar Todorovic // Shutterstock
29 / 30#2. Mexico
- Imports: $4.8 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($3.3 billion)
--- Electrical machinery and equipment and parts; sound and TV recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories ($601.7 million)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($381.0 million)
NaughtyNut // Shutterstock
30 / 30#1. Germany
- Imports: $7.6 billion
- Largest imports:
--- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories ($6.2 billion)
--- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery etc.; parts ($416.9 million)
--- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof ($196.9 million)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Abby Monteil, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.
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