Sharp Increase in Maryland Exports to Russia

Exports of goods from Maryland to Russia have skyrocketed since 2009, due in large part to a spike in transportation equipment, which could include car components and aerospace parts. However, former Russian finance minister Alexei Kudrin said at a conference last month that trade sanctions against Russia initiated in March could cause the Russian economy to suffer negative growth in 2015, Reuters reported. It is unclear what impact the sanctions could have on Maryland's economy.

The chart shows export data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Division and could reflect products manufactured in Maryland; parts of an item manufactured in other states that are assembled in Maryland; and items produced in other states that are packaged together in Maryland before export.