Norway's exports of goods reached NOK 659.3 billion increasing by NOK 112.0 billion or 20.5 per cent from 2004. Imports amounted to NOK 350.4 billion, an increase of NOK 30.1 billion or 9.4 per cent. The record high trade balance came to NOK 308.9 – up 36.1 per cent from 2004.
The figures are preliminary and exclude the imports and exports of ships and oil platforms.
Both imports, exports and the trade surplus represent the highest values ever recorded. It is mainly exports and therefore also the trade surplus that increased strongly.
Imports for December 2005 increased by NOK 3.5 billion – up 12.6 per cent – compared with December 2004. Exports for the same period rose by NOK 17.1 billion, up 38.1 per cent mainly due to the increase in value of the petroleum products (crude oil, condensates and natural gas).
Clothing was the main commodity group, amounting to NOK 4.3 billion and making China our main supplier of clothing. 36.4 per cent of the total import of clothes came from China followed by Turkey – 8.6 per cent. As in 2004 the second most important commodity groups from China in 2005 were office machines and telecommunications apparatus.
Last year's high prices of crude oil lead to a growth of NOK 60 billion for this product compared with 2004. The number of exported barrels fell from 927 million to 845 million. The average price per barrel rose from NOK 256 in 2004 to NOK 352 in 2005. Close to half of the crude oil was exported to the United Kingdom.
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