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Trade between New Zealand and the United States

In 2024, New Zealand exported $5.7 billion to the United States and imported $4.8 billion. New Zealand ran a surplus of $889 million with the United States, compared with a deficit of $395 million in 2019. The United States was New Zealand’s 2nd largest trading partner (11% of its trade), and New Zealand was the United States’ 51st (0.2%).

Summary

New Zealand → United States
$5.7billion
United States → New Zealand
$4.8billion
New Zealand’s balance
$889million

Balance

New Zealand’s trade balance with the United States

Trade between New Zealand and the United States grew 2.6-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). New Zealand’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 5.7
  • Imports 4.8
  • Balance +0.9

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1.5 billion$2.5 billion-$954 million
1996$1.5 billion$2.3 billion-$788 million
1997$1.6 billion$2.6 billion-$989 million
1998$1.8 billion$2.2 billion-$467 million
1999$1.9 billion$2.4 billion-$518 million
2000$2.1 billion$2.4 billion-$364 million
2001$2.1 billion$2.1 billion$10 million
2002$2.4 billion$2.1 billion$338 million
2003$2.6 billion$2.3 billion$349 million
2004$3.2 billion$2.6 billion$583 million
2005$3.4 billion$2.8 billion$545 million
2006$3.2 billion$3 billion$222 million
2007$3.4 billion$2.9 billion$483 million
2008$3.3 billion$3.1 billion$201 million
2009$2.6 billion$2.6 billion-$47 million
2010$2.8 billion$3.1 billion-$255 million
2011$3.2 billion$3.8 billion-$562 million
2012$3.5 billion$3.5 billion-$1 million
2013$3.5 billion$3.7 billion-$229 million
2014$4 billion$4.9 billion-$881 million
2015$4.3 billion$4.2 billion$33 million
2016$3.9 billion$4 billion-$175 million
2017$3.9 billion$4.2 billion-$284 million
2018$3.9 billion$4.3 billion-$433 million
2019$3.8 billion$4.2 billion-$395 million
2020$4.4 billion$3.5 billion$902 million
2021$4.9 billion$3.9 billion$1 billion
2022$5.3 billion$4.8 billion$465 million
2023$5.4 billion$4.7 billion$637 million
2024$5.7 billion$4.8 billion$889 million

What they sell each other

What New Zealand sells to the United States

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Frozen beef$1 billion · 18.3%
    174 thousand tonnes
  2. Wine$518 million · 9.1%
    86 thousand tonnes · the United States’ sources
  3. Lamb and goat meat$392 million · 6.9%
    35 thousand tonnes · New Zealand’s destinations
  4. Whey$349 million · 6.1%
    49 thousand tonnes
  5. Casein$221 million · 3.9%
    23 thousand tonnes
  6. Sawn wood$195 million · 3.4%
    361 thousand tonnes · the United States’ sources
  7. Massage and respiratory therapy devices$167 million · 2.9%
    2 thousand tonnes
  8. Other fresh fruit (berries, kiwi)$162 million · 2.9%
    44 thousand tonnes
  9. Butter and milk fats$147 million · 2.6%
    24 thousand tonnes · New Zealand’s destinations
  10. Fresh beef$106 million · 1.9%
    8 thousand tonnes

What the United States sells to New Zealand

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Airplanes and helicopters$835 million · 17.4%
    1 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  2. Turbojets and gas turbines$636 million · 13.3%
    71 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  3. Cars$199 million · 4.1%
    11 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  4. Aircraft parts$128 million · 2.7%
    61 tonnes
  5. Medical and dental instruments$108 million · 2.3%
    977 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  6. Cameras and broadcast equipment$107 million · 2.2%
    274 tonnes
  7. Orthopedic and hearing devices$90 million · 1.9%
    112 tonnes
  8. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$87 million · 1.8%
    571 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  9. Other food preparations$73 million · 1.5%
    4 thousand tonnes
  10. Other plastic articles$69 million · 1.4%
    1 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Auckland to Los Angeles.

The estimated sea route between Auckland and Los Angeles is 5,906 nautical miles (10,937 km) long: ≈ 13.5–17.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

It does not cross any major canal or strait.

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$7.5 billion · 71.5%
  2. Air$3 billion · 28.5%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The United States was New Zealand’s 2nd largest trading partner (11% of its trade), and New Zealand was the United States’ 51st (0.2%).

The United States in New Zealand’s trade
11.4%
The United States’ rank among New Zealand’s partners
2nd
New Zealand in the United States’ trade
0.2%
New Zealand’s rank among the United States’ partners
51st

Compare with

Other partners of New Zealand

Other partners of the United States

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.