Nicknamed “The Heart of Dixie” and “The Cotton State” located in America’s southeastern region, Alabama shipped US$27.4 billion worth of exported products around the globe in 2023.

That dollar amount results from a 57.8% acceleration from $17.4 billion four years earlier in 2020.

Year over year, the overall value of Alabamian exports gained 6% compared to $25.9 billion during 2022.

Alabama ranks 22nd among America’s 25 biggest exporters by state behind front-runners including Texas, California, Louisiana, New York state, and Illinois.

The value of Alabama’s exports equals 1.4% of the United States’ overall exported products for 2023, up from 1.2% in 2022.

Based on research from IBIS World, Alabama’s exported products represent 12.8% of the state’s total economic output or Gross Domestic Product ($215.1 billion).

Given Alabama’s population of 5.2 million people, its total $27.4 billion in 2023 exported goods translates to roughly $5,200 for every resident in the Cotton State. That dollar metric exceeds the average $5,000 per capita for the prior year.

Alabama’s unemployment rate was 3% in March 2024, up from 2.3% in March 2023 per YCharts.

Alabama’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Alabama global shipments during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Alabama.

Figures are shown at the more granular six-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, for more precise product identification.

1. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): US$4.6 billion (16.7% of Alabama’s total exports)
2. Automobiles with electric motors only: $2.3 billion (8.4%)
3. Coal (non-agglomerated, bituminous) $2.2 billion (8%)
4. Civilian aircraft including engines, parts: $1.64 billion (6%)
5. Larger automobiles (diesel engine): $1.46 billion (5.3%)
6. Large automobiles (piston engine): $1.42 billion (5.2%)
7. Automobiles with diesel plus electric motors: $619 million (2.3%)
8. Processed petroleum oils excluding biodiesel: $558.1 million (2%)
9. Chemical woodpulp, soda: $472.7 million (1.7%)
10. Automobiles with spark ignition plus electric motors: $454.5 million (1.7%)

Alabama’s top 10 exports represent nearly three-fifths (57.1%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Automobiles with electric motors only posted the fastest gain via a 575.4% advance, ahead of mid-sized automobiles powered by piston engine (up 25%) and civilian aircraft including aircraft engines or other parts (up 23.5%).

Incurring the severest percentage declines were Alabama’s exports of automobiles with diesel plus electric motors (down -50.4%) and chemical woodpulp and soda (down -24.1%).

More Key Facts about Alabama’s International Trade

Alabama recorded an overall -US$9.7 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2023. That dollar amount reflects a -13.4% year-over-year reduction from -$11.2 billion in red ink in 2022.

Another way of saying surplus or deficit is positive or negative net exports. In a nutshell, the term “net exports” quantifies the amount by which foreign spending on a state’s goods or services exceeds or lags that same state’s spending on foreign goods or services.

Below are Alabama’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2023.

1. Crude petroleum oils: US$3 billion (8.2% of Alabama’s total imports)
2. Large spark-ignition piston engines: $1.43 billion (3.8%)
3. Motor vehicle body parts, accessories: $1.25 billion (3.4%)
4. Motor vehicle gear boxes: $1 billion (2.7%)
5. Insulated wiring (vehicle, aircraft): $995.5 million (2.7%)
6. Motor vehicle parts or accessories: $871.5 million (2.3%)
7. Miscellaneous aircraft parts: $799.2 million (2.2%)
8. Parts of seats: $727.1 million (2%)
9. Electric storage battery parts: $715.5 million (1.9%)
10. Turbojets: $692.6 million (1.9%)

Alabama has highly negative net exports in the international trade of crude petroleum oils. In turn, these cashflows indicate Alabama’s competitive disadvantages under that mineral fuels-related category.

Alabama’s Major Trading Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased almost three-quarters (73.6%) worth of the total value of products exported from Alabama during 2023.

1. Germany: US$5.1 billion (18.4% of Alabama’s total exports)
2. Canada: $3.9 billion (14.3%)
3. mainland China: $3.75 billion (13.7%)
4. Mexico: $3.2 billion (11.6%)
5. South Korea: $1.2 billion (4.3%)
6. Japan: $952.1 million (3.5%)
7. Brazil: $586.5 million (2.1%)
8. Poland: $523.6 million (1.9%)
9. India: $514.7 million (1.9%)
10. Saudi Arabia: $505.6 million (1.8%)

Alabama’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) bought 25.9% of the overall value of exported goods from the Cotton State.

In comparison, major importers in Asia (mainland China, South Korea, Japan and India) accounted for 23.3% of total Alabamian exports versus 20.4% for leaders in Europe (Germany and Poland).

Alabama Export Companies

Three Alabama-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Those firms are listed below.

• Encompass Health Corp (healthcare services)
• Regions Financial Corp (retail/commercial banking)
• Vulcan Materials Company (crushed stone, gravel, sand)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of products or services that each business offers, some of which are related to Alabama’s international trade transactions.

Alabama’s capital is Montgomery, a city nicknamed “The Gump”, “Cradle of the Confederacy” and “Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement”.

See also Utah’s Top 10 Exports, New York State’s Top 10 Exports, Top 10 Exports from Texas and Maine’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on April 19, 2024

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on April 19, 2024

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List, Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on April 19, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 19, 2024

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 19, 2024

IBIS World, Alabama Economic Overview (GDP, population). Accessed on April 19, 2024

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Alabama. Accessed on April 19, 2024

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on April 19, 2024

Wikipedia, Alabama. Accessed on April 19, 2024

Wikipedia, List of Alabama Companies. Accessed on April 19, 2024

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on April 19, 2024

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on April 19, 2024