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

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




   Period                 Trade balance
                      Customs        C.I.F.
                       Seasonally Adjusted
1997             
                 
Jan.- Dec.          -181,871.6     -210,322.4
Jan.- Mar.           -45,500.6      -52,315.8
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.- Mar.           -53,469.8      -60,835.5
January              -17,131.5      -19,579.7
February (R)         -17,524.9      -19,897.0
March                -18,813.4      -21,358.8
April            
May              
June             
July             
August           
September        
October          
November         
December         
                     Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                 
Jan.- Dec.          -181,871.6     -210,322.4
Jan.- Mar.           -37,722.4      -44,342.7
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.- Mar.           -44,817.4      -51,970.2
January              -15,109.7      -17,466.5
February (R)         -13,543.1      -15,757.7
March                -16,164.6      -18,746.0
April            
May              
June             
July             
August           
September        
October          
November         
December         
_________________________________________

   Period             Exports
                    F.a.s. value

                 Seasonally Adjusted
1997             
                 
Jan.- Dec.           688,697.3
Jan.- Mar.           164,552.0
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.- Mar.           172,062.9
January               57,315.1
February (R)          56,345.4
March                 58,402.4
April            
May              
June             
July             
August           
September        
October          
November         
December         
                 Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                 
Jan.- Dec.           688,697.3
Jan.- Mar.           165,021.8
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.- Mar.           172,691.0
January               55,349.6
February (R)          55,235.9
March                 62,105.5
April            
May              
June             
July             
August           
September        
October          
November         
December         
______________________________________

                             Imports
                      Customs         C.i.f.
    Period             Value          Value

                       Seasonally Adjusted
1997             
                 
Jan.- Dec.           870,568.8      899,019.7
Jan.- Mar.           210,052.6      216,867.8
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.- Mar.           225,532.6      232,898.4
January               74,446.6       76,894.9
February (R)          73,870.3       76,242.3
March                 77,215.8       79,761.2
April            
May              
June             
July             
August           
September        
October          
November         
December         
  
                     Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                 
Jan.- Dec.           870,568.8      899,019.7
Jan.- Mar.           202,744.2      209,364.5
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.- Mar.           217,508.4      224,661.2
January               70,459.3       72,816.1
February (R)          68,779.1       70,993.6
March                 78,270.0       80,851.5
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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