That dollar amount reflects a 22.8% increase since 2017 and a 50.7% acceleration from 2020 to 2021.
Aluminum is the world’s second-most used metal behind only iron. Typically blended into an alloy, aluminum is commonly combined with zinc, copper, silicon, magnesium and manganese. Pure aluminum is silvery-white, non-magnetic and is also notable for its low density, relatively light weight and resistance to corrosion.
America’s top 6 suppliers (Canada, mainland China, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Thailand) sold over two-thirds (67.3%) worth of international aluminum provided to the US in 2021.
Russia furnished 2.3% of global aluminum furnished to America.
US import data presented below is at the two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level, specifically 76 for aluminum including articles made with aluminum.
Of the $19.1 billion in total American imports under HTS code 76 during 2021, 40.2% was for unwrought aluminum metal, 12.8% was aluminum plates and sheets, 8.2% was miscellaneous items made from aluminum, 7.8% was for aluminum structures such as towers or bridges, 6.9% was aluminum tableware, kitchenware or other household items, 5.3% was aluminum bars and rods, 4.9% was aluminum foil, 4.4% was aluminum cans, boxes and similar containers, 4.3% was aluminum scrap, 3.9% was aluminum wire or cable including stranded versions, while about 1% was aluminum tubes, pipes, powder and similar miscellaneous goods.
Top 15 Countries Supplying Aluminum to America
Below are the 15 countries from which the United States purchases the highest dollar value worth of aluminum. These suppliers accounted for over four-fifths (82.8%) of all US aluminum imports during 2021.
- Canada: US$11 billion (38.2% of total US imported aluminum)
- China: $3.7 billion (12.8%)
- Mexico: $1.8 billion (6.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $1.5 billion (5.1%)
- Bahrain: $728.7 million (2.5%)
- Thailand: $674.7 million (2.4%)
- Russia: $657.4 million (2.3%)
- Germany: $637.2 million (2.2%)
- India: $624.2 million (2.2%)
- South Africa: $529.1 million (1.8%)
- South Korea: $491.1 million (1.7%)
- Colombia: $422.1 million (1.5%)
- Turkey: $375.8 million (1.3%)
- Australia: $370.4 million (1.3%)
- Saudi Arabia: $355.1 million (1.2%)
Note that North American trade partners, Canada and Mexico, accounted for 44.5% of all US aluminum imports.
Fastest-Growing Suppliers of Aluminum to the US
The following ranking is sorted in descending order. The list presents the top 15 suppliers of aluminum shipments to America based on the greatest percentage increases in the value from 2020 to 2021.
- Australia: Up 97.9% from 2020
- Bahrain: Up 97.5%
- Thailand: Up 89%
- Turkey: Up 70.3%
- South Africa: Up 61.4%
- United Arab Emirates: Up 61.1%
- Canada: Up 58.1%
- Russia: Up 56.7%
- South Korea: Up 54.2%
- India: Up 51.1%
- Colombia: Up 48.4%
- Mexico: Up 44.1%
- China: Up 44%
- Saudi Arabia: Up 23.4%
- Germany: Up 1.8%
The fastest-growing suppliers of aluminum to the United States of America originate from a diverse array of continents (Australia in Oceania; Thailand in Asia; South Africa in Africa; Canada in North America; and Russia in Europe.)
Supplier Countries Causing America the Greatest Aluminum Deficits
America does produce and sell its own aluminum on international markets. In 2021, the United States shipped $12 billion worth of aluminum to its trade partners. However, American revenues from exported aluminum fall far short of the $28.7 billion that the US spent on imported aluminum thus resulting in a -$16.7 billion product category deficit.
Below you will find the 15 countries that caused America’s highest deficits from buying and selling aluminum on international markets, incurring a subtotal deficit amounting to -$16.7 billion for 2021.
- Canada: -US$7.9 billion (product deficit up 77.6% since 2020)
- China: -$3.4 billion (up 60.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$1.4 billion (up 61.9%)
- Bahrain: -$724.7 million (up 97%)
- Russia: -$557.8 million (up 47.7%)
- South Africa: -$524.4 million (up 61.5%)
- Thailand: -$518 million (up 106%)
- Germany: -$485.4 million (up 0.9%)
- Colombia: -$404.3 million (up 49.2%)
- Oman: -$342 million (up 71%)
- Argentina: -$337.3 million (up 4.9%)
- Saudi Arabia: -$332.9 million (up 25.6%)
- Turkey: -$327.3 million (up 114.9%)
- Vietnam: -$308.4 million (up 65.5%)
- Australia: -$307.1 million (up 145.4%)
Among these top suppliers, aluminum deficits at America’s expense expanded in triple-digits from 2020 to 2021 via trade with: Australia (up 145.4%), Turkey (up 114.9%) and Thailand (up 106%).
Searchable List of US Aluminum Suppliers
The table below shows the dollar amount for aluminum supplied to the US in 2021 by 100 key countries. Collectively, those countries represent 99.994% of the dollar value for America’s total aluminum imports.
Also shown is the percentage value change for each supplier since 2020.
| Rank | Supplier | Imported Aluminum (US$) | 2020-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Canada | $10,975,264,000 | +58.1% |
| 2. | China | $3,660,743,000 | +44% |
| 3. | Mexico | $1,820,860,000 | +44.1% |
| 4. | United Arab Emirates | $1,458,038,000 | +61.1% |
| 5. | Bahrain | $728,710,000 | +97.5% |
| 6. | Thailand | $674,701,000 | +89% |
| 7. | Russia | $657,409,000 | +56.7% |
| 8. | Germany | $637,167,000 | +1.8% |
| 9. | India | $624,189,000 | +51.1% |
| 10. | South Africa | $529,082,000 | +61.4% |
| 11. | South Korea | $491,055,000 | +54.2% |
| 12. | Colombia | $422,078,000 | +48.4% |
| 13. | Turkey | $375,778,000 | +70.3% |
| 14. | Australia | $370,411,000 | +97.9% |
| 15. | Saudi Arabia | $355,101,000 | +23.4% |
| 16. | Argentina | $349,106,000 | +6.1% |
| 17. | Oman | $343,550,000 | +70.9% |
| 18. | Vietnam | $342,205,000 | +57.3% |
| 19. | Italy | $326,769,000 | +8.6% |
| 20. | Japan | $317,034,000 | +79.8% |
| 21. | Taiwan | $270,130,000 | +1.5% |
| 22. | Qatar | $238,169,000 | +28.1% |
| 23. | United Kingdom | $230,524,000 | +30% |
| 24. | Malaysia | $211,492,000 | +108.1% |
| 25. | Austria | $203,175,000 | +33.8% |
| 26. | France | $181,902,000 | -7.5% |
| 27. | Indonesia | $172,771,000 | +47% |
| 28. | Spain | $156,659,000 | +42% |
| 29. | Greece | $149,538,000 | +68.2% |
| 30. | Brazil | $137,198,000 | -24.1% |
| 31. | Netherlands | $103,251,000 | +42.3% |
| 32. | Belgium | $89,712,000 | +85.3% |
| 33. | Switzerland | $83,470,000 | +24% |
| 34. | Dominican Republic | $82,700,000 | +112.9% |
| 35. | Poland | $68,745,000 | +54.4% |
| 36. | Hungary | $67,297,000 | +775.4% |
| 37. | Sweden | $63,976,000 | +42.1% |
| 38. | Ecuador | $57,468,000 | +51.5% |
| 39. | Azerbaijan | $48,207,000 | +481.6% |
| 40. | Egypt | $44,857,000 | +921.6% |
| 41. | Luxembourg | $42,043,000 | -3.9% |
| 42. | Norway | $40,887,000 | +176.3% |
| 43. | Jordan | $37,710,000 | +786.3% |
| 44. | Slovenia | $36,960,000 | +17.1% |
| 45 | Honduras | $34,047,000 | +58.6% |
| 46 | Israel | $32,277,000 | +21.7% |
| 47 | Bulgaria | $32,129,000 | +499.6% |
| 48 | Denmark | $28,142,000 | +35.2% |
| 49 | Costa Rica | $25,455,000 | +70.9% |
| 50 | Romania | $21,887,000 | +5.3% |
| 51 | Hong Kong | $21,163,000 | +52.2% |
| 52 | Guatemala | $20,384,000 | +47.4% |
| 53 | Singapore | $20,288,000 | +17% |
| 54 | Armenia | $17,780,000 | -46.4% |
| 55 | Croatia | $17,775,000 | +58.6% |
| 56 | Czech Republic | $16,264,000 | +20.9% |
| 57 | Philippines | $11,355,000 | +7.7% |
| 58 | El Salvador | $10,920,000 | +101.2% |
| 59 | Cambodia | $10,668,000 | +9.5% |
| 60 | Chile | $10,647,000 | +12% |
| 61 | Myanmar | $9,621,000 | +93.7% |
| 62 | Portugal | $8,143,000 | +60.6% |
| 63 | Sri Lanka | $6,939,000 | +11863.8% |
| 64 | Finland | $6,658,000 | +53.1% |
| 65 | Slovakia | $6,006,000 | +15.3% |
| 66 | Panama | $5,685,000 | +223.9% |
| 67 | Pakistan | $5,227,000 | +159.3% |
| 68 | Serbia | $4,999,000 | -25.9% |
| 69. | Bolivia | $4,156,000 | +651.5% |
| 70. | Ireland | $4,022,000 | +45.8% |
| 71. | New Zealand | $3,144,000 | -76.9% |
| 72. | Peru | $3,001,000 | +381.7% |
| 73. | Venezuela | $2,940,000 | +716.7% |
| 74. | Ukraine | $2,883,000 | +98.1% |
| 75. | Belarus | $2,720,000 | +75.3% |
| 76. | Tunisia | $2,562,000 | +551.9% |
| 77. | Brunei Darussalam | $2,403,000 | +335.3% |
| 78. | Estonia | $1,814,000 | +517% |
| 79. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $1,319,000 | -55.6% |
| 80. | Bahamas | $1,281,000 | +119% |
| 81. | Albania | $1,203,000 | +39.4% |
| 82. | Lithuania | $883,000 | +20% |
| 83. | Haiti | $594,000 | +159.4% |
| 84. | Curaçao | $570,000 | +23.6% |
| 85. | Latvia | $558,000 | +160.7% |
| 86. | Trinidad/Tobago | $504,000 | -4.9% |
| 87. | Paraguay | $449,000 | +75.4% |
| 88. | Nicaragua | $416,000 | 0% |
| 89. | Morocco | $401,000 | +267.9% |
| 90. | Barbados | $389,000 | +4.6% |
| 91. | Bangladesh | $363,000 | +24.3% |
| 92. | Suriname | $332,000 | +3.1% |
| 93. | Cayman Islands | $302,000 | +72.6% |
| 94. | Jamaica | $246,000 | +77% |
| 95. | Kazakhstan | $245,000 | +1125% |
| 96. | Georgia | $191,000 | 0% |
| 97. | Saint Lucia | $188,000 | +157.5% |
| 98. | Turks/Caicos Islands | $177,000 | +532.1% |
| 99. | Bermuda | $159,000 | +65.6% |
| 100. | Iceland | $154,000 | -87% |
You can change presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the above columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that 2021 data was unavailable.
See also US Iron and Steel Imports by Supplier Countries, America’s Top Trading Partners, United States Top 10 Imports and Top Aluminum Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on March 16, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 16, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 16, 2022
SoftSchools.com, Aluminum Facts, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on March 16, 2022
Wikipedia, Aluminium. Accessed on March 16, 2022
Wikipedia, Category:Aluminum companies by country. Accessed on March 16, 2022
