Trade partner
U.S. Imports
$744.7M
August 2026
U.S. Exports
$23.8M
August 2026
Trade deficit
$720.9M
August 2026 · U.S. imports more than it exports
In August 2026 the United States imported $744.7M from Democratic Republic of the Congo and exported $23.8M to it, across 56 imported product categories.
Over the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $3.1B from Democratic Republic of the Congo and exported $203.0M to it. In August 2026, the U.S. ran a monthly goods trade deficit of $720.9M with Democratic Republic of the Congo, importing 31.3× as much as it exported. Compared with August 2025, U.S. goods imports from Democratic Republic of the Congo in August 2026 (preliminary) were 104% higher, and exports to Democratic Republic of the Congo were 63% higher. U.S. goods imports from Democratic Republic of the Congo of $744.7M in August 2026 ran 108% above the year-to-date monthly average of $358.5M.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (country code 7660), often called Congo-Kinshasa in trade contexts, is a critical source of cobalt and coltan — minerals that are essential inputs for lithium-ion batteries and electronics manufacturing. Importers of DRC-origin minerals face heightened due-diligence obligations under conflict-minerals regulations, including SEC Section 1502 disclosure requirements for companies using tin, tantalum, tungsten, or gold. Careful country-code selection is essential, as the DRC (7660) is frequently confused with the neighboring Republic of the Congo (7630) in filing systems.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
Companies that are SEC reporting issuers and use tin, tantalum, tungsten, or gold (the '3TG' minerals) from the DRC or adjoining countries must conduct supply-chain due diligence and file a Conflict Minerals Report under Dodd-Frank Section 1502. While cobalt is not itself a 3TG mineral, many DRC mining operations co-produce regulated minerals, so importers should map their full supply chain and consult legal counsel on disclosure obligations.
The two countries share a similar name but have separate CBP country codes — 7660 for the DRC and 7630 for the Republic of the Congo. A misdeclaration can affect sanctions screening, statistical reporting, and origin-based duty treatment. Importers should verify the exporting country on commercial invoices and cross-check against the CBP country code list before each ACE entry filing.
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Annual data from BEA | 2025
Services Exports
$258.0M
Services Imports
$106.0M
The top U.S. imports from Democratic Republic of the Congo are Refined Copper Cathodes and Sections of Cathodes, Cocoa Beans, Whole or Broken, Raw or Roasted and Sapele (Sapelli) Lumber, by value in the latest month.
| Rank | Product | Import value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $742.0M | |
| 2 | $1.8M | |
| 3 | $418K | |
| 4 | $251K | |
| 5 | US-Origin Articles Exported & Returned Without AdvancementChapter 98 · Special Classification Provisions | $127K |
| 6 | $41K | |
| 7 | $25K | |
| 8 | $19K | |
| 9 | $16K | |
| 10 | $15K |
| $2.7M |
| 4 | Civilian Aircraft, Engines, Equipment, and PartsChapter 88 · Aircraft, Spacecraft & Parts | $1.1M |
| 5 | $891K |
| 6 | Low-Value Export Shipments & Canadian Estimated Late ReceiptsChapter 98 · Special Classification Provisions | $784K |
| 7 | $742K |
| 8 | $497K |
| 9 | $478K |
| 10 | $371K |