INTERESTING FINDINGS FROM AEA CYBERNATION 2.0 STUDY.

The American Electronics Association is the nation's largest high-tech trade group, representing almost 3,000 US-based technology companies. Membership spans the industry product and service spectrum, from semiconductors and software to computers, Internet and telecommunications systems and services. With 18 regional US councils and offices in Brussels, Tokyo and Beijing, AEA offers a global policy grassroots capability and a wide portfolio of valuable business services and products for the high-tech industry.

General

* High-tech goods now represent more than one-quarter of all US exports, jumping from 21 percent in 1993 to 26 percent in 1999.

* US high-tech manufacturers are increasing their investment in such dynamic, entrepreneur-friendly tech markets as Ireland, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

* Conversely, US tech manufacturers are decreasing their investment in Japan, Germany, Italy, and France.

* The United States, along with Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway, are the world leaders in Internet and computer use per capita.

* The two fastest growing large imports markets for the US between 1993 and 1999 were Hungary and Costa Rica, increasing 12,500 percent and 4,400 percent, respectively. Both increases are a direct result of American technology companies opening production facilities in these countries and transferring the finished products back to the United States.

* The US high-tech merchandise trade deficit reached a record high of $40 billion in 1999.

* Computers in use in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to surpass both the United States and the European Union by 2005, but the United States is expected to maintain its worldwide lead in total Internet users for the next five years.

The World's Tech Markets North America

* US high-tech exports to Mexico soared by 170 percent between 1993 and 1999, reaching $22 billion. Much of this growth is attributable to US tech companies establishing production facilities in Mexico.

* US tech exports to Canada and Mexico represent nearly 30 percent of all US high-tech exports.

* US tech manufacturers have invested more than $5 billion in Canada and $1.4 billion in Mexico, cumulatively through 1998.

Asia-Pacific

* In our analysis of 13 Asia-Pacific markets, the availability of venture capital in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore were rated highest while Japan ranked last, according to the 1999 World Competitiveness Yearbook. These markets are also among the region's leaders in the percentage of 24-year-olds with tech degrees.

* US high-tech exports to Japan dropped more than $2 billion between 1997 and 1999, from $18 billion to $16 billion. Nonetheless, Japan remains the leading US high-tech export destination in Asia-Pacific.

* US high-tech electronics exports to China more than doubled between 1993 and 1999, from $1.5 billion to $3.3 billion.

* US high-tech manufacturing investment in Japan dropped 21 percent between 1996 and 1998 to $5.6 billion.

* US cumulative tech investment in Singapore is now higher than in Japan, $7.5 billion versus $5.6 billion, respectively.

* The region's leader in Internet use per capita is Australia, followed by Singapore, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. Japan ranks sixth in Asia-Pacific in Internet user per capital.

Europe

* The leading tech export markets in Europe are the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands.

* However, among the 10 large markets in Europe, US high-tech exports to Ireland and the Netherlands grew the fastest, more than doubling between 1993 and 1999. Both of these countries, along with Finland, boast the best venture capital markets in Europe and Finland and Ireland rank 1st and 4th in Europe in the percentage of 24-year-olds with tech degrees.

South America/Central American and Caribbean

* Brazil was the fastest growing large tech market in South America, growing 185 percent between 1993 and 1999; however, exports have been dropping since 1997. Also, US exports have more than doubled to Peru and Chile.

* The largest export markets in Central America and the Caribbean are Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, both purchasing more than $500 million in US electronics.

* In South America, Chile and Argentina rank ahead of Brazil in Internet and computer penetration rates per capita. However, these countries rank well below other emerging markets in Central Europe and South Africa.