Nicknamed “The Aloha State” and “Paradise of the Pacific” comprised of Polynesia’s northernmost group of islands within the central Pacific Ocean, Hawaii shipped US$395.4 million worth of exported products around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount results from an -8.6% drop from $432.5 million four years earlier during 2022.

Year over year, the overall value of Hawaiian exports for 2025 retreated by -14.5% compared to $462.2 million in 2024.

Hawaii’s most valuable exports include civilian aircraft either fully assembled or aircraft engines or other parts which generated almost one-half (47.8%) of the state’s total revenues from exports.

Geographically distant, Hawaii is America’s smallest exporter by state well behind front-runners Texas, California, Louisiana, New York state and Illinois. The value of Hawaii’s exports equals a tiny 0.02% worth of United States’ overall exported products for 2025 (US$2.178 trillion). That percentage mirrors the 0.02% score one year earlier.

Also, consider that Hawaii’s exported products comprise 0.3% of the tourism-based state’s total economic output in 2024 known as nominal Gross Domestic Product ($115.6 billion).

Given Hawaii’s population of 1.45 million people, its total US$395.4 million in 2025 exports translates to roughly $320 for every resident in the Aloha State. That metric lags the average $397 per capita one year earlier during 2024.

Hawaii’s unemployment rate was 3% at December 2025, same as 3% in December 2024 per YCharts.

Hawaii’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Hawaii global shipments during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Hawaii.

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

1. Civilian aircraft, full or engines or other parts: US$119.7 million (30.3% of Hawaii’s total exports)
2. Iron or steel scrap: $39.6 million (10%)
3. Light oil mixes excluding biodiesel: $29.5 million (7.5%)
4. Aluminum waste, scrap: $20.5 million (5.2%)
5. Larger turbo-jets: $14.4 million (3.6%)
6. Cold-water shrimps, prawns: $13.7 million (3.5%)
7. Copper waste, scrap: $12.3 million (3.1%)
8. Unsweetened and non-flavored waters: $9 million (2.3%)
9. Plastic household items: $6 million (1.5%)
10. Macadamia nuts in shell: $5.8 million (1.5%)

Hawaii’s top 10 exports surpassed two-thirds (68.4%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Cold-water shrimps and prawns represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 24.9% from 2024 to 2025.

In second place for improving export sales were Hawaiian shipments of copper waste and scrap which grew 9.4%.

The other gainer was Hawaii’s exports of aluminum waste and scrap, which increased 8% year over year.

There were 4 double-digit percentage decliners among Hawaii’s top 10 export products. Sales of Hawaii’s exported macademia nuts in shell fell -49.5% compared to 2024. Exports of Hawaiian light oil mixes excluding biodiesel depreciated by -48.5% year over year. Meanwhile, Hawaiian shipments of iron or steel scrap (down -24.7%) and unsweetened and non-flavored waters (down -10.6%) were the other big losers.

More Key Facts about Hawaiian International Trade

Overall, Hawaii incurred a -US$2.45 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2025. That dollar amount reflects a 31.7% expansion compared to Hawaii’s -$1.86 billion in red ink for 2024.

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 Hawaii’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2025. All told, Hawaiian imports cost a total $2.85 billion for 2025.

1. Crude oil: US$533.1 million (18.7% of Hawaii’s total imports)
2. Light oil mixes excluding biodiesel: $350.9 million (12.3%)
3. Refined petroleum oils excluding biodiesel: $323.5 million (11.4%)
4. Mid-sized automobiles (piston engine): $209.4 million (7.3%)
5. Refined copper cathodes: $150.6 million (5.3%)
6. Hybrid vehicles (with both combustion/electrical motors): $66.8 million (2.3%)
7. Liquefied propane: $56 million (2%)
8. Original sculptures, statues: $26.1 million (0.9%)
9. Wooden kitchen furniture (not chairs): $26 million (0.9%)
10. Petroleum bitumen: $25.4 million (0.9%)

Hawaii racks up highly negative net exports in the international trade of crude and processed petroleum oils and automobiles. In turn, these cashflows indicate Hawaii’s competitive disadvantages under those product categories.

Major Trade Partners Buying Hawaiian Exports

The following list shows the top 10 international customers that purchased nearly four-fifths (79.9%) worth of the total value for products exported from Hawaii during 2025.

1. Australia: US$102.3 million (25.9% of Hawaii’s total exports)
2. Japan: $61 million (15.4%)
3. South Korea: $26.3 million (6.6%)
4. Germany: $24.6 million (6.2%)
5. Bangladesh: $21.4 million (5.4%)
6. India: $19.8 million (5%)
7. Hong Kong: $17.2 million (4.3%)
8. Canada: $16.3 million (4.1%)
9. Philippines: $14 million (3.5%)
10. mainland China: $13.2 million (3.3%)

Hawaii’s top trade partners located in Asia (Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, India, Hong Kong, Philippines and mainland China) bought over two-fifths (43.7%) of the overall value of goods exported from the Aloha State during 2025.

In contrast, leading importers in Europe (Germany) consumed 6.2% of Hawaii’s total exported product sales.

Hawaii Export Companies

Two Hawaii-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Listed below are both firms that have their headquartered in Hawaii’s capital city, Honolulu.

• Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (airliner for passengers, cargo)
• Hawaiian Electric Industries (electricity)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the products or services which in each business deals, some of which are related to international trade.
 

Hawaii’s capital is Honolulu, a city nicknamed “Crossroads of the Pacific” and “Sheltered Bay”.

See also America’s Top 20 Export States, United States Top 10 Exports and Top United States Trade Balances

Research Sources:
FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on March 3, 2026

Forbes, 2017 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 3, 2026

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2017 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on March 3, 2026

Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Census. Accessed on March 3, 2026

hawaii.gov, Actual and Forecast of Key Economic Indicators for Hawaii. Accessed on March 3, 2026

IBIS World, Hawaii – State Economic Profile (including GDP). Accessed on March 3, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 3, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 3, 2026

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on March 3, 2026

United States Census Bureau, U. S. Exports of Goods by State, Based on Origin of Movement, by NAICS-Based Product. Accessed on March 3, 2026

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on March 3, 2026

Wikipedia, Category: Companies. Accessed on March 3, 2026

Wikipedia, Hawaii. Accessed on March 3, 2026

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on March 3, 2026

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on March 3, 2026