Export facts for kids
An export is a product or service that is sold to people or businesses in another country. Think of it as sending something you made in your home country to someone living far away.
For example, Canada exports maple syrup to the United States and many other countries. Countries in tropical areas, like those in the Caribbean, often export sugar cane to other nations.
What is an Export?
When a country exports goods, it means they are selling things they have plenty of, or things they are very good at making, to other countries that need them. This helps countries earn money and get things they don't produce themselves.
How Do Exports Travel?
Exports can be sent in many ways! They might be:
- Mailed in packages.
- Hand-delivered, especially for smaller items or services.
- Shipped by air on airplanes, which is fast for urgent or valuable goods.
- Shipped by large vessels (ships) across oceans, which is common for heavy or bulky items like cars or grain.
- Uploaded to the internet, like software or digital music.
- Downloaded from the internet, which is how many digital products are exported.
Exports also include sharing information, such as sending an email, an email attachment, a fax, or even talking during a phone call with someone in another country.
Exports and Customs
When goods are exported, they often need to go through customs authorities. Customs are government officials who check goods entering or leaving a country. They make sure everything is legal and that the correct taxes or fees are paid.
Exports and Imports
The opposite of an export is an import. An import is something a country buys from another country. So, if Canada exports maple syrup, then the United States imports maple syrup from Canada. Exports and imports are both very important parts of international trade, which is how countries buy and sell things with each other.
See also
In Spanish: Exportación para niños
