Foreign trade - Exports
During 1998, Colombian exports
reached US$10.9 billion, 5.9% less than that in 1997, as a consequence of the decrease in
the sales of traditional exports (by 13.5%, US$834 million), which was not compensated by
the growth in exports of non-traditional products (2.9%, US$156 million). The largest
reductions were registered in the external sales of oil (US$409 million), coffee (US$368
million), gold (US$62 million) and emeralds (US$58 million), as a result of low
international prices andespite larger export volumes. On the other hand, non-traditional
exports increased by 2,9%, rising from US$5.3 billion in 1997 to US$5.5 billion in 1998.
This dynamism is explained by an increase in the external sales of industrial goods,
particularly food, beverages and tobacco, machinery and equipment, and chemicals. The
United States was the main destination for Colombian exports, purchasing 38.0% of the
total, followed by the European Union with 21.4% and the Andean Group with 19.8%. For
1999, exports are expected to grow by 6.6%.
EXPORTS
EXPORTS |
1998 % |
U.S.A. |
38,0 |
ANDEAN GROUP |
21,4 |
EUROPEAN UNION |
19,8 |
JAPAN |
2,5 |
REST |
18,3 |
|
|
|
US$ Millions FOB
YEAR |
Total
exports |
Variation
% |
Non traditional exports |
Variation
% |
Traditional
exports |
Variation
% |
1987 |
5.254,4 |
-1,45 |
1.556,3 |
14,22 |
3.698,1 |
-6,83 |
1988 |
5.342,7 |
1,68 |
1.855,9 |
19,25 |
3.486,8 |
-5,71 |
1989 |
6.031,8 |
12,90 |
2.144,8 |
15,57 |
3.887,0 |
11,48 |
1990 |
7.079,4 |
17,37 |
2.663,7 |
24,19 |
4.415,7 |
13,60 |
1991 |
7.507,4 |
6,05 |
3.541,1 |
32,94 |
3.966,3 |
-10,18 |
1992 |
7.263,2 |
-3,25 |
3.564,7 |
0,67 |
3.698,5 |
-6,75 |
1993 |
7.428,5 |
2,28 |
3.984,3 |
11,77 |
3.444,2 |
-6,88 |
1994 |
8.546,0 |
15,04 |
4.539,0 |
13,92 |
4.007,0 |
16,34 |
1995 |
10.095,0 |
18,13 |
5.129,0 |
13,00 |
4.966,0 |
23,93 |
1996 |
10.524,0 |
4,25 |
4.831,0 |
-5,81 |
5.693,0 |
14,64 |
1997 |
11.529,0 |
7,20 |
5.333,0 |
6,90 |
6.196,0 |
7,40 |
1998 p |
10.851,0 |
-5,88 |
5.489,0 |
2,93 |
5.362,0 |
-13,46 |
|
p: Provisional.
Source: National Administrative Department of Statistics(NADS). |
