Fuel imports in North America
North America: Fuel imports was 7.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fuel imports in North America, 1962–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2024, fuel imports in North America stood at 7.3%.
The figure is down 10.3% on the previous year and down 48.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fuel imports in North America peaked at 29.6% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 5.3%, in 2020.
That places North America 47th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Fuel imports in North America, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 10.7% | — |
| 1963 | 10.6% | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 10.2% | -4.0% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | -2.9% |
| 1966 | 8.5% | -14.5% |
| 1967 | 8.1% | -4.5% |
| 1968 | 7.4% | -8.1% |
| 1969 | 7.3% | -1.5% |
| 1970 | 7.4% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 7.8% | +5.7% |
| 1972 | 8.2% | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 10.8% | +32.1% |
| 1974 | 22.8% | +111.2% |
| 1975 | 24.9% | +8.9% |
| 1976 | 25.2% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 26.8% | +6.3% |
| 1978 | 22.1% | -17.4% |
| 1979 | 26.2% | +18.4% |
| 1980 | 29.6% | +13.3% |
| 1981 | 28.1% | -5.1% |
| 1982 | 24.0% | -14.5% |
| 1983 | 20.0% | -16.9% |
| 1984 | 16.7% | -16.2% |
| 1985 | 14.0% | -16.1% |
| 1986 | 9.5% | -32.1% |
| 1987 | 10.1% | +5.9% |
| 1989 | 10.3% | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 12.2% | +18.0% |
| 1991 | 10.4% | -14.5% |
| 1992 | 9.6% | -7.6% |
| 1993 | 8.9% | -7.4% |
| 1994 | 7.9% | -11.3% |
| 1995 | 7.5% | -5.6% |
| 1996 | 8.6% | +15.6% |
| 1997 | 8.4% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 6.1% | -28.0% |
| 1999 | 6.8% | +12.5% |
| 2000 | 10.2% | +49.4% |
| 2001 | 9.9% | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 9.3% | -6.6% |
| 2003 | 11.4% | +23.4% |
| 2004 | 13.1% | +15.0% |
| 2005 | 16.1% | +22.6% |
| 2006 | 16.6% | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 17.0% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 21.5% | +26.2% |
| 2009 | 16.2% | -24.8% |
| 2010 | 17.2% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 19.1% | +11.1% |
| 2012 | 17.4% | -9.0% |
| 2013 | 15.8% | -8.9% |
| 2014 | 14.1% | -10.6% |
| 2015 | 8.4% | -40.6% |
| 2016 | 7.1% | -15.5% |
| 2017 | 8.2% | +16.0% |
| 2018 | 9.0% | +9.7% |
| 2019 | 8.0% | -11.1% |
| 2020 | 5.3% | -33.7% |
| 2021 | 7.4% | +38.8% |
| 2022 | 9.3% | +25.7% |
| 2023 | 8.2% | -12.2% |
| 2024 | 7.3% | -10.3% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fuel imports in North America changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +111.2% | 10.8% | 22.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.1% | 7.3% | 10.7% | 8 |
| 1970s | 18.2% | 7.4% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.1% | 9.5% | 29.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 8.6% | 6.1% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.1% | 9.3% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.4% | 7.1% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.5% | 5.3% | 9.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 44 Mozambique 21.3% compare
- 45 Malta 21.2% compare
- 46 Timor-Leste 21.2% compare
- 47 Palestine, State of 21.2% compare
- 48 Zimbabwe 21.1% compare
- 49 Maldives 20.8% compare
- 50 Angola 20.5% compare
More energy & mining data for North America
- Ores and metals imports 2.3% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 3.8% (2024)
- Fuel exports 20.3% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 5.2% (2024)
- Mineral rents 0.2% (2021)
- Natural gas rents 0.4% (2021)
- Total natural resources rents 1.6% (2021)
- Alternative and nuclear energy 14.9% (2024)
- Electric power consumption 12,975 kWh per capita (2024)
- Combustible renewables and waste 5.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fuel imports in North America?
- Fuel imports in North America was 7.3% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest fuel imports recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 29.6% in 1980.
- What is the lowest fuel imports recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.3% in 2020.
- How does North America rank for fuel imports?
- North America ranks 47th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is fuel imports rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Fuels comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) section 3 (mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.