Foreign trade - Exports

During 1999, Colombian exports reached US$11.6 billion, this represent an increase of US$685 million (6.3%) compared with the same period in 1998. This dynamism is primarily explained by an increase in traditional exports, US$789 million, in spite of the fall in non-traditional exports by US$104 million. The behavior of traditional exports was due to the mayor petroleum sales (US$3.8 billion, 61.3% annual variation). The increase in petroleum sales was due to the rise in international prices and to the increase in the volume of delivered petroleum. Nickel exports also contributed to the total exports increased; its sales grew by 28.8%. On the other hand, external incomes from coffee, coal and gold declined due to the fall in international prices. Non-traditional exports fell by 1.9% (US$5.5 billion). This reduction in exports of non-traditional goods was due to the decline in the sales of industrial goods (US$129 million) especially food, transport, material, machinery and equipment. On the contrary, mining exports grew by US$93 million and agricultural and livestock exports grew by US$28 million. The United States was the main destination for Colombian exports, purchasing 48.5% of the total, followed by the European Union with 15.6% and the Andean Group with 14.2%.

EXPORTS

p: Provisional.
Source:   National Administrative Department of Statistics(DANE).