EXHIBIT 5. EXPORTS (F.A.S. VALUE),  IMPORTS (CUSTOMS AND C.I.F.
VALUES) AND MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND NOT 
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: February 1997 TO February 1998

In millions of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to seasonal
adjustment and rounding. (R) - Revised.




                       Trade balance
      Period         Customs        C.I.F.

                       Seasonally Adjusted
1997               
                   
Jan.- Dec.           -181,871.6    -210,322.4
Jan.- Feb.            -33,048.7     -37,536.2
January               -17,368.7     -19,621.9
February              -15,680.0     -17,914.3
March                 -12,451.8     -14,779.6
April                 -13,830.3     -16,206.9
May                   -14,489.6     -16,904.8
June                  -13,514.6     -15,875.9
July                  -15,608.8     -17,986.8
August                -15,292.0     -17,664.4
September             -17,165.7     -19,609.5
October               -15,215.7     -17,646.3
November              -14,844.6     -17,232.2
December              -16,409.7     -18,879.7
                   
1998                

Jan.- Feb.            -34,669.0     -39,485.9
January (R)           -17,131.5     -19,579.7
February              -17,537.6     -19,906.2
March              
April              
May                
June               
July               
August             
September          
October            
November           
December           
                                              
1997                 Not Seasonally Adjusted
                   
Jan.- Dec.           -181,871.6    -210,322.4
Jan.- Feb.            -28,352.4     -32,644.3
January               -16,359.0     -18,564.1
February              -11,993.5     -14,080.2
March                  -9,370.0     -11,698.3
April                 -12,837.3     -15,202.6
May                   -12,759.3     -15,165.1
June                  -13,730.1     -16,088.5
July                  -20,115.8     -22,574.1
August                -16,296.8     -18,677.1
September             -19,646.3     -22,137.7
October               -19,350.1     -21,966.4
November              -13,854.7     -16,182.5
December              -15,558.7     -17,985.8

1998                
                   
Jan.- Feb.            -28,664.3     -33,232.4
January (R)           -15,109.7     -17,466.5
February              -13,554.6     -15,765.8
March              
April              
May                
June               
July               
August             
September          
October            
November           
December           
_____________________________________________

                     Exports
      Period       F.a.s. value

                Seasonally Adjusted
1997               
                   
Jan.- Dec.            688,697.3
Jan.- Feb.            106,471.2
January                52,175.2
February               54,296.0
March                  58,080.8
April                  57,797.0
May                    57,804.3
June                   58,173.6
July                   57,714.1
August                 58,307.9
September              57,440.4
October                59,428.7
November               58,186.8
December               59,292.5
                   
1998                
                   
Jan.- Feb.            113,734.3
January (R)            57,315.1
February               56,419.1
March              
April              
May                
June               
July               
August             
September          
October            
November           
December           

             Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                   
Jan.- Dec.            688,697.3
Jan.- Feb.            103,746.4
January                50,544.2
February               53,202.1
March                  61,275.4
April                  58,340.6
May                    58,719.1
June                   58,036.7
July                   54,829.0
August                 56,704.7
September              57,221.5
October                62,158.5
November               58,199.2
December               59,466.3

1998                
                   
Jan.- Feb.            110,650.1
January (R)            55,349.6
February               55,300.5
March              
April              
May                
June               
July               
August             
September          
October            
November           
December           
_____________________________________________

                            Imports
      Period          
                       Customs        C.i.f. 
                        value         value

                       Seasonally Adjusted
1997               
                   
Jan.- Dec.            870,568.8     899,019.7
Jan.- Feb.            139,520.0     144,007.4
January                69,543.9      71,797.1
February               69,976.0      72,210.3
March                  70,532.6      72,860.4
April                  71,627.3      74,003.9
May                    72,293.9      74,709.2
June                   71,688.2      74,049.5
July                   73,322.9      75,700.9
August                 73,599.9      75,972.4
September              74,606.1      77,049.9
October                74,644.4      77,075.0
November               73,031.4      75,418.9
December               75,702.2      78,172.2

1998                
                   
Jan.- Feb.            148,403.3     153,220.2
January (R)            74,446.6      76,894.9
February               73,956.7      76,325.3
March              
April              
May                
June               
July               
August             
September          
October            
November           
December           

                     Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                   
Jan.- Dec.            870,568.8     899,019.7
Jan.- Feb.            132,098.8     136,390.7
January                66,903.2      69,108.3
February               65,195.6      67,282.4
March                  70,645.4      72,973.8
April                  71,177.9      73,543.1
May                    71,478.4      73,884.1
June                   71,766.8      74,125.2
July                   74,944.8      77,403.0
August                 73,001.5      75,381.8
September              76,867.7      79,359.2
October                81,508.6      84,124.8
November               72,053.9      74,381.7
December               75,025.1      77,452.1

1998                
                   
Jan.- Feb.            139,314.3     143,882.4
January (R)            70,459.3      72,816.1
February               68,855.1      71,066.3
March              
April              
May                
June               
July               
August             
September          
October            
November           
December           

CONTACT: For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or
         Richard M. Preuss (301-457-2311) Foreign Trade Division or see 
         our web site at "http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/"

NOTE:  For information on more detailed data available, please see
       record titled "MORE DETAILED FOREIGN TRADE DATA AVAILABLE." 



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