Shrinking cities are dense cities that have experienced notable population loss. Emigration (migration from a place) is a common reason for city shrinkage. Since the infrastructure of such cities was built to support a larger population, its maintenance can become a serious concern. A related phenomenon is counter urbanization.
DEFINITION of 'Trade Surplus'. An economic measure of a positive balance of trade, where a country's exports exceeds its imports. A trade surplus represents a net inflow of domestic currency from foreign markets, and is the opposite of a trade deficit, which would represent a net outflow. Next Up.
The U.S. trade deficit with China was a whopping $365.7 billion in 2015 â a new record high, up slightly from 2014's record of $343 billion. This massive trade deficit exists because U.S. exports to China were only $116.2 billion last year, while imports from China hit a new record high at $481.9 billion â a gap that's expected to continue to grow because, to put it simply, imports are rising faster than exports. Here's what lead up to this gigantic U.S.-China trade gapâ¦ What Caused the U.S. Trade Deficit with China. China can produce goods for Americans at the cheapest cost. It's able to do so because: It has a lower standard of living than many countries, which allows companies in China to pay lower wages to workers.