An import is the purchase of foreign manufactured goods in the buyer's domestic market it is a process that any product that's produced abroad and then brought into another country. While An export is the sale of goods to a foreign country. It is the process by which companies from one country sell their goods and services to companies or consumers in a different country.

Exports and imports are important because together they make up a country's balance of trade, which can impact an economy's overall health. In a healthy economy, both imports and exports see continual growth. This usually represents a sustainable and strong economy. When exports and imports become unbalanced, it can cause either a trade surplus or a trade deficit.