Houston's economy is deeply tied to global trade and foreign investment, serving as the base of operations for the international oil and gas exploration and production industry as well as for many of the nation's largest international engineering and construction firms. The region has trading relationships with over 200 countries and is also a key center for international finance, leading the Southwest U.S. with 17 foreign banks from nine nations.
Since 2009, more than 500 foreign-owned firms have announced over 700 projects in metro Houston, stretching across 65 industries and hailing from nearly 40 countries.
Foreign consulates
Active foreign chambers of commerce and trade associations
Sister-city relationships
With over 90 different nations represented, Houston is home to the third-largest consular corps in the United States. Learn more about the Houston Consular Corps and the countries that maintain an active diplomatic presence in our region.
Foreign companies operating in Texas grew jobs in the Lone Star State by 21% over five years. The report by the Global Business Alliance trade group shows foreign direct investment (FDI) accounts for more than 678,000 jobs in Texas, with roughly 30% of those in the manufacturing sector.
President Laurentino Cortizo came to Houston in July to celebrate the five year anniversary of the expansion of the Panama Canal and discuss opportunities to further expand trade between Houston and Asia and other global markets through Panama.
As a thriving, global city, Houston’s ties stretch to all corners of the world. The region's geographic location makes it easy to move both goods and people around the world efficiently.
Houston is one of the largest international trading hubs in the Americas. In fact, more of the region's economy is tied to exports than any other metro in the U.S. The region has trading relationships with more than 200 countries and for 37 of those countries, combined trade (imports and exports) exceeds $1 billion annually.
This publication examines Houston's place in the global market and provides insight into our major trading partners. Houston’s ties to the global economy have grown with the city, and in many ways, those ties propelled Houston’s growth. The region’s fortunes now rise and fall with those of the global economy, making it even more important to examine our ties to the global economy and what they portend for Houston’s future growth.
The Houston Airport System ranks as one of the largest multi-airport systems in North America. George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport offer direct passenger service to 118 domestic and 71 international destinations via 28 different airlines. HAS handled a total of 461,425 metric tons of air freight in 2017, with about half of that domestic and the other half international.
The region is home to a number of ports including the ports of Houston, Galveston, Freeport and Texas City. The Port of Houston ranks first in the nation in foreign tonnage and is the largest container port on the Gulf Coast.
Houston is home to a strong university system and a large supply of young talent shaping the region's future workforce. This year's State of Education features Reggie DesRoches, President of Rice University, who will…
From energy and life sciences to manufacturing and aerospace, the Houston region offers a dynamic infrastructure to support a number of thriving, core industries.
Our nation’s space dreams launched at Rice University in 1962 and were realized in the years that followed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, but Houston’s drive to explore did not stop at the moon. For more than 60…
For international companies looking to establish a presence in Houston and existing businesses in the region looking to expand their footprint abroad, there are a number of resources that can help.
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