EXHIBIT 5. EXPORTS (F.A.S. VALUE),  IMPORTS (CUSTOMS AND C.I.F.
VALUES) AND MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND NOT 
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: April 1997 TO April 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.              -181,488.2     -209,936.8
Jan.- Apr.               -60,113.9      -69,356.4
January                  -16,677.0      -18,941.0
February                 -15,353.8      -17,603.5
March                    -13,302.8      -15,649.0
April                    -14,780.3      -17,162.8
May                      -15,082.4      -17,488.7
June                     -13,876.2      -16,215.6
July                     -14,594.2      -16,968.2
August                   -15,617.1      -18,012.4
September                -15,518.8      -17,931.6
October                  -14,965.5      -17,376.3
November                 -15,694.0      -18,120.3
December                 -16,026.2      -18,467.4
                     
1998                

Jan.- Apr.               -72,565.5      -82,453.6
January                  -15,861.2      -18,308.4
February                 -17,087.3      -19,471.9
March                    -19,113.6      -21,655.9
April                    -20,503.3      -23,017.4
May                  
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
                         Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                     
Jan.- Dec.              -181,488.2     -209,936.8
Jan.- Apr.               -51,335.7      -60,359.7
January                  -16,761.3      -18,980.6
February                 -12,018.7      -14,108.6
March                     -9,485.6      -11,824.9
April                    -13,069.9      -15,445.6
May                      -12,772.3      -15,182.8
June                     -13,607.7      -15,947.0
July                     -19,987.1      -22,440.2
August                   -16,343.6      -18,723.8
September                -19,360.8      -21,849.5
October                  -19,028.1      -21,632.5
November                 -13,966.8      -16,298.9
December                 -15,086.2      -17,502.3

1998                
                     
Jan.- Apr.               -63,615.4      -73,283.4
January                  -15,109.7      -17,466.5
February                 -13,543.1      -15,757.7
March                    -15,865.2      -18,442.3
April                    -19,097.4      -21,616.9
May                  
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
______________________________________________

                         Exports
                       F.a.s. value
       Period  
                    Seasonally Adjusted
1997                 
                     
Jan.- Dec.               689,182.4
Jan.- Apr.               222,777.8
January                   53,221.0
February                  55,022.5
March                     57,505.0
April                     57,029.4
May                       57,105.7
June                      57,652.1
July                      58,495.6
August                    58,147.1
September                 58,486.1
October                   59,517.4
November                  58,151.3
December                  58,849.3
                     
1998                
                     
Jan.- Apr.               229,729.3
January                   58,537.9
February                  57,156.8
March                     58,098.8
April                     55,935.8
May                  
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
                   Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                     
Jan.- Dec.               689,182.4
Jan.- Apr.               223,124.9
January                   50,590.9
February                  53,152.6
March                     61,201.2
April                     58,180.1
May                       58,738.3
June                      58,048.6
July                      54,909.4
August                    56,661.9
September                 57,470.4
October                   62,401.5
November                  58,163.6
December                  59,663.8

1998                
                     
Jan.- Apr.               229,729.8
January                   55,349.6
February                  55,235.9
March                     62,328.9
April                     56,815.4
May                  
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
________________________________


                                Imports
                     Customs value    C.i.f. value
       Period
                           Seasonally Adjusted
1997                 
                     
Jan.- Dec.               870,670.7      899,119.2
Jan.- Apr.               282,891.7      292,134.2
January                   69,898.0       72,162.0
February                  70,376.2       72,626.0
March                     70,807.8       73,154.1
April                     71,809.6       74,192.2
May                       72,188.0       74,594.4
June                      71,528.3       73,867.7
July                      73,089.8       75,463.8
August                    73,764.2       76,159.4
September                 74,005.0       76,417.7
October                   74,482.9       76,893.7
November                  73,845.3       76,271.6
December                  74,875.5       77,316.7

1998                
                     
Jan.- Apr.               302,294.8      312,182.9
January                   74,399.1       76,846.3
February                  74,244.1       76,628.7
March                     77,212.5       79,754.8
April                     76,439.1       78,953.2
May                  
June                 
July                 
August               
September            
October              
November             
December             
                         Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
                     
Jan.- Dec.               870,670.7      899,119.2
Jan.- Apr.               274,460.6      283,484.6
January                   67,352.3       69,571.6
February                  65,171.4       67,261.3
March                     70,686.9       73,026.1
April                     71,250.0       73,625.7
May                       71,510.6       73,921.2
June                      71,656.3       73,995.6
July                      74,896.4       77,349.5
August                    73,005.5       75,385.6
September                 76,831.2       79,319.9
October                   81,429.7       84,034.1
November                  72,130.4       74,462.5
December                  74,750.0       77,166.1

1998                
                     
Jan.- Apr.               293,345.2      303,013.2
January                   70,459.3       72,816.1
February                  68,779.1       70,993.6
March                     78,194.0       80,771.1
April                     75,912.8       78,432.4
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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