According to its data, as against 2002, the country's foreign trade turnover increased by 25 percent, with the exports rising by 25.3 percent to $133.7 billion, and the imports - by 24.3 percent to $57.4 billion. The Committee explains the growth of exports by the favorable world market situation, and of imports - by increase in domestic demand and rising incomes of the population.
The more favorable trade situation in 2003 has led to a substantial growth in the trade export surplus. It increased to $76.3 billion as against $60.5 billion in 2002.
The foreign countries outside the former USSR remained Russia's major trade partners in 2003. Their share in Russia's trade turnover was 82.2 percent, including in exports - 84.7 percent and in imports - 76.3 percent. As compared to 2002, Russian exports to these countries increased by 24.4 percent to $113.2 billion, while imports from these countries grew by 21.6 percent to $43.8 billion.
Fuel and energy accounted for 59.5 percent of exports to these countries. The second, in importance, group of export goods included metals and metal products. Machinery and equipment accounted for the bulk of imports in 2003 - 40.8 percent against 38.7 per cent in 2002. As for agricultural produce and vegetable raw materials, their imports, on the contrary, fell to 21.2 per cent as against 23.9 percent in 2002.
Russia's trade with the CIS states in 2003 totaled $34.1 billion, thus increasing by 31.8 percent. The share of these countries in the total Russian trade turnover grew to 17.8 percent as against 16.9 percent in 2002.
As far as the structure of Russia's trade with particular countries is concerned, the European Union states accounted for 36.1 percent of Russian foreign trade turnover (36.8 percent in 2002), the CIS states - for 17.8 percent (16.9 percent in 2002), the EurAsEC countries - for 10 percent (9.5 percent in 2002), the APEC states - for 16.1 percent (16.4 percent in 2002), the countries of Eastern and Central Europe - for 12.4 percent (12.9 percent in 2002).
Russia's ten major trade partners outside the former Soviet Union in 2003 included Germany (mutual trade turnover being $18.5 billion), China ($11.7 billion), Italy ($10.9 billion), the Netherlands ($10.0 billion), the USA ($7.1 billion ), Great Britain ($6.3 billion), Switzerland ($6.3 billion), Poland ($6.3 billion), Finland ($6.2 billion) and France ($5.8 billion).
