As the shipping gateway to the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana benefits from not only from its own exports but also from its role as a main port for billions of dollars in goods from across the country. In 2021, Louisana exported $76.8 billion worth of goods to international markets, which helped support more than 555,000 good-paying Louisiana jobs.

• In Louisiana, 555,300 jobs were supported by international trade in 2019, representing 20.2% of all jobs in the state.^1,2
• In 2020, 3,479 companies exported goods from Louisiana of which 84% were small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2018, 75,800 people were employed by affiliates of companies at least 50% foreign-owned.^3,4

• Louisiana exported $76.8 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2021, a 32% increase compared to 2020 driven by continued economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy.⁵
  • China ($12.3 billion)
  • Mexico ($7.3 billion)
  • South Korea ($5.1 billion)
  • Japan ($4.5 billion)
  • Brazil ($3.7 billion)
• Agricultural exports are important to Louisiana's' economy, totaling $1.7 billion in 2020, according to the USDA.⁶
• Since 2014, the U.S. Export-Import Bank has financed $1 billion in exports from 113 companies in Louisiana.⁷
• Since 1971, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation - which has been modernized into the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) - has invested $493 million in Louisiana companies for overseas investment.⁸
• Since 1992, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has helped facilitate $221 million in exports from Louisiana companies.⁹

• In 2018-2019, 2,384 Louisiana students studied abroad.¹⁰
• During 2020, 7,177 international students were enrolled in Louisiana colleges and universities and contributed $250 million to the Louisiana economy.¹⁰

• Since 1961, 1,214 Peace Corps volunteers from Louisiana have served in dozens of countries overseas.¹¹

1. https://tradepartnership.com/reports/trade-and-american-jobs-the-impact-of-trade-on-u-s-and-state-level-employment-update-2020/
2. https://www.businessroundtable.org/policy-perspectives/trade-international/benefits-of-trade-data
3. https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/edb/2019/index.html
4. https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/imne1120.pdf
5. https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/state-economy-and-trade-factsheets
6. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets.aspx#.U2ERwbQzqX8
7. https://www.exim.gov/customer-map/
8. https://www.opic.gov/sites/default/files/docs/OPIC_local_impact.pdf
9. https://ustda.gov/ustda-success-by-state/
10. https://opendoorsdata.org/fact_sheets/
11. https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-announces-top-volunteer-producing-states-2018/