U.S. - Nepal Trade Facts
In 2019, Nepal GDP was an estimated $29.8 billion (current market exchange rates); real GDP was up by an estimated 7.1%; and the population was 28 million. (Source: IMF)
Nepal is currently our 147th largest goods trading partner with $213 million in total (two way) goods trade during 2019. Goods exports totaled $122 million; goods imports totaled $91 million. The U.S. goods trade surplus with Nepal was $31 million in 2019.
According to the Department of Commerce, U.S. exports of goods to Nepal supported an estimated 1 hundred jobs in 2015 (latest data available).
Exports
- Nepal was the United States' 143rd largest goods export market in 2019.
- U.S. goods exports to Nepal in 2019 were $122 million, up 120.4% ($67 million) from 2018 and up 294.6% from 2009.
- The top export categories (2-digit HS) in 2019 were: oilseeds and oleaginous fruits (soybeans) ($56 million), food waste, animal feed ($14 million), special other (low value estimates) ($11 million), machinery ($11 million), and optical and medical instruments ($9 million).
- U.S. total exports of agricultural products to Nepal totaled $74 million in 2019. Leading domestic export categories include: soybeans ($54 million), soybean meal ($14 million), planting seeds ($978 thousand), tree nuts ($735 thousand), and live animals ($451 thousand).
Imports
- Nepal was the United States' 124th largest supplier of goods imports in 2019.
- U.S. goods imports from Nepal totaled $91 million in 2019, down 7.7% ($8 million) from 2018, but up 66.3% from 2009.
- The top import categories (2-digit HS) in 2019 were: carpets and other textile coverings ($38 million), miscellaneous textile articles ($9 million), food waste, animal feed ($8 million), woven apparel ($6 million), and knit apparel ($4 million).
- U.S. total imports of agricultural products from Nepal totaled $12 million in 2019. Leading categories include: essential oils ($1 million), spices ($247 thousand), snack foods ($219 thousand), tea, including herbal ($167 thousand), and feeds & fodders ($91 thousand).
Trade Balance
- The U.S. trade balance with Nepal shifted from a goods trade deficit of $43 million in 2018 to a goods trade surplus of $31 million in 2019.
Investment
- Data on U.S. FDI in Nepal are unavailable. There is no information on the distribution of U.S. FDI in Nepal.
- No data on Nepal's FDI in the U.S. are available. There is no information on the distribution of Nepal FDI in the U.S.
NOTE: No services trade data with Nepal are available.
|
U.S. Goods Trade with Nepal (in millions of dollars) |
|||||||
|
|
2009 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
|
Total |
85.7 |
123.6 |
123.4 |
129.1 |
167.7 |
154.1 |
213.3 |
|
Exports |
31.0 |
36.3 |
36.4 |
40.5 |
75.9 |
55.5 |
122.3 |
|
Imports |
54.7 |
87.2 |
87.0 |
88.6 |
91.9 |
98.6 |
91.0 |
|
Balance |
-23.7 |
-50.9 |
-50.5 |
-48.1 |
-16.0 |
-43.1 |
31.3 |
|
U.S. Agricultural Trade with Nepal (in millions of dollars) |
|||||||
|
|
2009 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
|
Total |
4.0 |
7.1 |
5.1 |
13.1 |
16.2 |
17.1 |
85.5 |
|
Exports |
3.2 |
2.7 |
1.0 |
6.7 |
7.1 |
5.4 |
73.5 |
|
Imports |
0.8 |
4.4 |
4.1 |
6.3 |
9.1 |
11.8 |
12.0 |
|
Balance |
2.5 |
-1.6 |
-3.0 |
0.4 |
-2.1 |
-6.4 |
61.5 |
|
U.S. Manufacturing Trade with Nepal (in millions of dollars) |
|||||||
|
|
2009 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
|
Total |
76.0 |
108.8 |
100.2 |
115.2 |
143.3 |
132.1 |
138.6 |
|
Exports |
26.4 |
30.3 |
22.8 |
32.9 |
66.1 |
48.0 |
53.7 |
|
Imports |
49.6 |
78.4 |
77.3 |
82.2 |
77.2 |
84.1 |
84.9 |
|
Balance |
-23.1 |
-48.1 |
-54.5 |
-49.3 |
-11.1 |
-36.1 |
-31.2 |
Last updated:October 2, 2020
