With shipments to Canada and the U.K. up 7.1% and 9.1%, respectively, total book exports rose 5.3% in the first six months of 2006, to $908.6 million, according to figures from the U.S. Commerce Department. A 22.2% decline in exports to Mexico coupled with a 15.9% increase in shipments to Australia made Australia the third largest market for exports in the first half of the year.
Book imports increased at a slightly slower rate than exports, up 3.4% in the period, to $952.5 million. Imports from China had another good gain, 16.1%, as the country continues to strengthen its position as the largest offshore manufacturer of books. Imports from China hit $285.9 million in the first half of 2006. Canadian exports to the U.S. rose 7.3% in the January to June span, reaching $144.7 million, putting Canada ahead of the U.K. as the second largest importer of books to the U.S. U.K. exports declined 7.9%, to $135.9 million. Although imports from China were up, imports from the other major Asian manufacturing countries were down: off 15.3% from Hong Kong; down 6.1% from Singapore; and off 4.8% from South Korea.
In terms of book categories, hardcover exports declined 7% in the first half of 2006, to $74.4 million, while exports of paperbacks rose 3.1%, to $107.8 million. Textbook exports had a strong six months, up 12%, to $200.4 million, and exports of professional titles increased 3%, to $219.8 million.
U.S. Book Exports, Six Months
2005—2006 ($ in millions)
Country | 2005 | 2006 | % chge |
Source: U.S. Commerce Department | |||
Canada | $388.1 | $415.4 | 7.1% |
U.K. | 129.3 | 141.1 | 9.1 |
Mexico | 47.2 | 36.7 | -22.2 |
Australia | 44.0 | 51.0 | 15.9 |
Japan | 47.6 | 43.3 | -8.9 |
Singapore | 25.6 | 23.7 | -7.4 |
S. Korea | 19.8 | 18.5 | -6.6 |
Germany | 13.1 | 20.0 | 52.6 |
India | 8.9 | 8.9 | 0.0 |
South Africa | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.1 |
Philippines | 8.9 | 8.8 | -1.4 |
Hong Kong | 7.7 | 7.9 | 3.3 |
China | 7.5 | 10.8 | 43.9 |
Taiwan | 6.4 | 7.4 | 16.0 |
Netherlands | 5.8 | 6.5 | 11.8 |
Total, top 15 | 769.4 | 810.6 | 5.3 |
Total, world | 863.0 | 908.6 | 5.3 |