By the numbers• $1.08 billion – Trade with Canada in metropolitan Chattanooga• $751 million – Trade with Mexico in metropolitan Chattanooga• 32 percent – North American share of global trade in metropolitan Chattanooga• $885 billion – Total international trade between the United States and Canada or MexicoSource: 2010 trade data compiled by Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings and the Global Cities InitiativeTop trading commoditiesChattanooga’s top trading commodities in North America during 2010, including imports and exports between Chattanooga and Mexico and Canada.1) Motor vehicles and parts, $535 million2) Machinery and tools, $334 ,million3) Chemicals and plastics $223 million4) Electronics, $155 million5) Metals, $88 millionSource: 2010 trade data compiled by Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings and the Global Cities Initiative
Despite the influx of German and Japanese investment in Tennessee over the past two decades, nearly a third of Chattanooga’s international trade is much closer to home.
Aided by the duty-free North American Free Trade Agreement, Canada and Mexico remain the biggest trading partners for many U.S. companies.
“When people think of new export markets in recent years they’ve almost been overly thrilled about China, India, Brazil and other emerging markets and they’ve almost forgot that there are still a ton of opportunities here in our continent,” said Joseph Parilla, research analyst at the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program.
A new Brookings Institution study shows trade between Chattanooga and cities in Canada or Mexico totaled more than $1.8 billion in 2010, the last year in which such data exists. Canada is the No. 1 trading partner, and Mexico is No. 3. Trade with such countries has tripled since the NAFTA pact among the nations became effective 20 years ago in January.