The latest American figure is 10 percent below the peak. That compares with figures showing falls of 20 percent or more in most of Europe.

Even China, the world’s strongest exporter, has seen a dip in exports this year. This week, it reported that its September exports were about equal to those of July 2008, but below its exports in several months earlier this year.

To some extent, the varying figures reflect changes in currency values relative to the dollar. The summer of 2008, when world trade was at its highest level ever, was also a period of a weak dollar. Since then, most currencies have lost value relative to the dollar, which benefited from fearful investors’ flight to safety.

The charts show the change in the value of each currency against the dollar, comparing the average currency value in July 2008 to the average value in August of this year, which is the last month for which export data is available for most of the countries.

China is the anomaly there. By the summer of 2008, it had stopped allowing its currency to appreciate against the dollar. As a result, the Chinese currency was essentially unchanged against the dollar over the period, while it appreciated against most other currencies.