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World's Top Exports

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Top Asphalt Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

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Leaf on asphalt surface
Leaf on asphalt
In 2023, worldwide export sales of asphalt from all countries totaled US$1.44 billion.

Asphalt exports fell by an overall average -3.2% compared to 5 years earlier in 2019 when export sales for asphalt were $1.48 billion.

From 2022 to 2023, the dollar value of exported asphalt shrank by -32.7%.

Asphalt is principally used to make asphalt concrete for road surfacing. Asphalt concrete is typically composed from 5% asphalt cement plus 95% aggregates like stone, sand and gravel. Paving with asphalt concrete is also widely used for airport runways around the globe due to the materials’ sturdiness and repairability.

By value, the 5 biggest exporters of asphalt (Japan, Canada, Germany, United States of America and Spain) generated nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of all international asphalt exported during 2023.

From a continental perspective, countries in Asia sold the highest dollar worth of exported asphalt during 2023 with shipments valued at $668.1 million or 47.5% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Europe (34%) trailed by those in North America (14.8%). Tinier percentages originated from sellers in Africa (2.1%), Latin America (1.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania’s Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea (0.1%).

Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of asphalt in 2023 are mainland China, United States of America, Malaysia, Dominican Republic and Chile. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought 87.6% of globally imported asphalt as measured by dollar value.

Those percentages suggest the total 105 asphalt exporters (65.6% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a less concentrated cohort compared to over 200 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers consumed a more intensive 87.6% propelled by a world-leading share of asphalt imports overweighted by mainland China.

As for the global imports total seen through a continental lens, 84.4% of asphalt was delivered to countries in Asia ahead of importers located in Europe (6%), Latin America (4.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, North America (3.5%), Africa (1.3%) and Oceania (0.6%) led by New Zealand and Australia.

Worldwide, the average unit price paid by asphalt importers was $271 per ton in 2023. That dollar amount results from a -42.3% setback from the average tonnage rate of $470 for 2022.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 271500 bituminous mastics, cut-backs and other bituminous mixtures based on natural asphalt.

Top Asphalt Exports by Country

Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of asphalt during 2023.

  1. Japan: US$578.7 million (40.3% of total asphalt exports)
  2. Canada: $131.2 million (9.1%)
  3. Germany: $83.9 million (5.8%)
  4. United States: $76.3 million (5.3%)
  5. Spain: $71.2 million (5%)
  6. Russia: $59.4 million (4.1%)
  7. Belgium: $50.6 million (3.5%)
  8. Netherlands: $37.6 million (2.6%)
  9. Austria: $33.8 million (2.4%)
  10. Poland: $27.5 million (1.9%)
  11. United Kingdom: $21.4 million (1.5%)
  12. South Africa: $21.1 million (1.5%)
  13. Thailand: $20.2 million (1.4%)
  14. France: $17.2 million (1.2%)
  15. Iran: $16.3 million (1.1%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 86.8% of globally exported asphalt in 2023.

Among the top exporters, growth asphalt exporters since 2022 were: Austria (up 23%), United Kingdom (up 15.3%), South Africa (up 7.6%) and Iran (up 5.7%).

Major suppliers that posted the severest declines in their exported asphalt sales were led by: Russia (down -49% from 2022), Netherlands (down -41%), United States of America (down -39.2%), Japan (down -32%) and Germany (down -20.2%).

Top Asphalt Imports by Country

The overall cost for imported asphalt inflated by 273% over the 5-year period starting in 2019 but reversed to a -28.2% year-over-year drop since 2022.

Below are the 15 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of asphalt imported during 2023.

  1. mainland China: US$5.3 billion (81.1% of total imported asphalt)
  2. United States: $185.6 million (2.8%)
  3. Malaysia: $109.1 million (1.7%)
  4. Dominican Republic: $69.1 million (1.1%)
  5. Chile: $63.8 million (1%)
  6. Netherlands: $49.5 million (0.8%)
  7. Poland: $40.6 million (0.6%)
  8. United Kingdom: $40 million (0.6%)
  9. Canada: $39.2 million (0.6%)
  10. Panama: $34.3 million (0.5%)
  11. Bolivia: $32.4 million (0.5%)
  12. New Zealand: $32.4 million (0.5%)
  13. Austria: $31.5 million (0.5%)
  14. France: $30.7 million (0.5%)
  15. Brazil: $29.3 million (0.4%)

By value, the listed 15 countries bought 93% of globally imported asphalt in 2023.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing asphalt importers since 2022 were: New Zealand (up 93.2%), Brazil (up 42.3%), Austria (up 40.7%) and the Netherlands (up 33.8%).

Leading buyer countries that posted declines in their imported asphalt purchases were: Chile (down -56.5% from 2022), mainland China (down -30.6%), France (down -25%), Dominican Republic (down -20.5%) and the United States of America (down -5.9%).

Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Asphalt

In 2023, the world’s average unit price for imported asphalt was US$271 per ton.

The average tonnage charge for the number one asphalt importer, mainland China, was much higher at $401.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the cheapest average unit prices for imported asphalt in 2023.

  1. Djibouti: US$1 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
  2. Liberia: $52 per ton (down -97.4% from 2022)
  3. Gibraltar: $61 per ton (down -71.8%)
  4. Samoa: $111 per ton (down -99.1%)
  5. Slovenia: $149 per ton (up 7.2%)
  6. Croatia: $149 per ton (down -20.7%)
  7. Austria: $155 per ton (up 13.1%)
  8. France: $257 per ton (down -8.5%)
  9. Belgium: $259 per ton (down -17.8%)
  10. South Sudan: $295 per ton (up 1.4%)
  11. Papua New Guinea: $326 per ton (down -27.7%)
  12. Senegal: $364 per ton (down -26%)
  13. Slovakia: $366 per ton (down -11.8%)
  14. Kazakhstan: $367 per ton (down -34.3%)
  15. Mauritania: $370 per ton (down -16.7%)

Experiencing the severest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for asphalt from 2022 to 2023 were low-cost importers in Samoa (down -99.1%), Liberia (down -97.4%), Gibraltar (down -71.8%), Kazakhstan (down -34.3%) and Papua New Guinea (down -27.7%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported asphalt.

  1. Montserrat: US$40,000 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
  2. Greece: $8,870 per ton (up 301.4% from 2022)
  3. Tunisia: $5,455 per ton (up 147.4%)
  4. Antigua/Barbuda: $5,000 per ton (up 900%)
  5. Cuba: $4,784 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
  6. British Virgin Islands: $4,000 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
  7. Iceland: $3,662 per ton (up 60.2%)
  8. Saint Helena: $3,429 per ton (up 433.3%)
  9. Guinea: $3,127 per ton (up 222%)
  10. Nicaragua: $3,100 per ton (up 165%)
  11. Cameroon: $3,058 per ton (up 34.5%)
  12. Bonaire, St Eustatius, Saba: $3,000 per ton (down -10.9%)
  13. Mauritius: $2,980 per ton (up 71.5%)
  14. Belarus: $2,979 per ton (up 81.3%)
  15. Haiti: $2,667 per ton (up 86.8%)

The strongest increases in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2023 compared to 2022 were experienced by importers in Antigua and Barbuda (up 900%), Saint Helena (up 433.3%), Greece (up 301.4%), Guinea (up 222%), Nicaragua (up 165%) and Tunisia (up 147.4%).

See also Top Cement Exporting Countries, Top Gravel Exporters by Country, Top Sand Exporters by Country, Sawn Wood Exports by Country and Top Tin Exporters

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Asphalt Showroom. Accessed on October 23, 2024

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 23, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 23, 2024

Wikipedia, Asphalt. Accessed on October 23, 2024