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

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.- Dec.                          -230,851.5               -261,609.0

January                              -15,972.6                -18,423.5
February                             -17,198.6                -19,587.0
March                                -19,224.9                -21,771.0
April                                -20,468.9                -22,979.0
May                                  -21,646.3                -24,202.9
June                                 -19,388.4                -21,910.9

July                                 -19,817.3                -22,387.4
August                               -20,837.5                -23,473.9
September                            -19,427.6                -22,004.9
October                              -18,520.9                -21,237.3
November (R)                         -19,552.2                -22,212.5
December                             -18,796.3                -21,418.8
_________________________________________________________________                                                  

                                           Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                          -181,488.2               -209,936.8

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.- Dec.                          -230,851.5               -261,609.0

January                              -15,109.7                -17,466.5
February                             -13,543.1                -15,757.7
March                                -15,865.2                -18,442.3
April                                -18,957.0                -21,468.7
May                                  -17,339.0                -19,818.4
June                                 -19,931.7                -22,513.9

July                                 -24,608.7                -27,258.3
August                               -22,649.6                -25,302.3
September                            -23,037.1                -25,660.8
October                              -22,609.9                -25,507.2
November (R)                         -19,821.6                -22,455.5
December                             -17,378.9                -19,957.4
_______________________________________________________________________


                                     Exports
   Period                          F.a.s. value

                               Seasonally Adjusted
1997                   
Jan.- Dec.                           689,182.4

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.- Dec.                           682,976.7

January                               58,445.4
February                              57,064.3
March                                 58,006.4
April                                 55,897.6
May                                   55,381.7
June                                  55,572.3

July                                  54,698.0
August                                55,082.7
September                             56,852.0
October                               59,448.3
November (R)                          58,712.4
December                              57,815.6
_____________________________________________

                             Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                           689,182.4

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.- Dec.                           682,976.7

January                               55,349.6
February                              55,235.9
March                                 62,328.9
April                                 56,869.2
May                                   56,660.9
June                                  57,081.2

July                                  51,676.3
August                                53,234.5
September                             55,634.4
October                               61,450.9
November (R)                          58,359.8
December                              59,095.2
____________________________________________________________

                                               Imports

   Period                        Customs value            C.i.f. value
                                         Seasonally Adjusted
1997                   
Jan.- Dec.                           870,670.7                899,119.2

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.- Dec.                           913,828.2                944,585.8

January                               74,418.0                 76,868.9
February                              74,263.0                 76,651.3
March                                 77,231.3                 79,777.4
April                                 76,366.5                 78,876.6
May                                   77,028.0                 79,584.5
June                                  74,960.7                 77,483.2

July                                  74,515.4                 77,085.5
August                                75,920.2                 78,556.5
September                             76,279.5                 78,856.8
October                               77,969.3                 80,685.7
November (R)                          78,264.5                 80,924.9
December                              76,611.9                 79,234.4
____________________________________________________________________

                                          Not Seasonally Adjusted
1997                
Jan.- Dec.                           870,670.7                899,119.2

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.- Dec.                           913,828.2                944,585.8

January                               70,459.3                 72,816.1
February                              68,779.1                 70,993.6
March                                 78,194.0                 80,771.1
April                                 75,826.2                 78,337.9
May                                   73,999.9                 76,479.3
June                                  77,012.9                 79,595.1

July                                  76,285.0                 78,934.6
August                                75,884.1                 78,536.9
September                             78,671.5                 81,295.2
October                               84,060.8                 86,958.0
November (R)                          78,181.4                 80,815.3
December                              76,474.1                 79,052.5


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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