when an economy can specialize in production it benefits from international trade 1 if for example a country can produce bananas at a lower cost than oranges it can choose to specialize and dedicate all its resources to the production of bananas using some of them to trade for oranges 
specialization also occurs within a country s borders as is the case with the united states for example citrus goods grow better in the warmer climate of the south and west 2 many grain products come from the farms of the midwest 3 and maple syrup comes from the maple trees of new england 4 all these areas focus on the production of these specific goods and they trade or purchase other goods 