Mexico’s Growing Trade Dependence on the U.S. vs. Minimal U.S. Reliance on Mexico

Mexico's trade with the U.S. as a share of its GDP grew significantly, from 15.4% in 1993 to 28.5% in 1995, following the establishment of NAFTA in 1994. This ratio continued to rise, reaching 31.6% in 2008 and peaking at 53.0% in 2022. In stark contrast, U.S. trade with Mexico as a share of its GDP increased modestly, from 1.2% in 1993 to 1.4% in 1995, around 2.2% from 2001 to 2005, and approximately 3% between 2011 and 2023. This stark asymmetry underscores Mexico's heightened economic vulnerability to shifts in U.S. trade policies.