Alaska had 951 wholesale trade establishments in 1997, according to the Census of Wholesale Trade, with growth in number of 4.7% since 1992. That year, the Census of Retail Trade counted 4,090 retail establishments in the state, with $6.6 billion in sales. More than 71% of all retail sales were in the Anchorage metropolitan area. Eating and drinking places accounted for one-third of all establishments; followed by food stores, 10%; and automotive dealers, 10%. General merchandise stores sold a total of $978 million in goods, while food stores sold $1,434 million.
During 1998, Alaskan exporters sold $2 billion of merchandise. Many of Alaska's resource products, including the salmon and crab catch, pass through the Seattle customs district. By federal law, Alaskan petroleum cannot be exported to other countries, a provision many Alaskans would like to see repealed. One-third of Alaska's manufactured goods were exported to other countries, the highest ratio of all the states, with paper and food products being the leading items. Alaska was the leading fish-exporting state and the largest exporter of salmon.