The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today’s globalized system

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The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today’s globalized system

Just how 'open' is the U.S. after all? Nancy Nehring/Moment via Getty ImagesGiven the spate of news about international trade lately, Americans might be surprised to learn that the U.S. isn’t very dependent on it. Indeed, looking at trade as a percentage of gross domestic product – a metric economists sometimes call the “openness index” – the U.S. is one of the least trade-oriented nations in the world. In 2022, the U.S. trade-to-GDP ratio was 2…