
PART A:    SEASONALLY ADJUSTED

EXHIBIT 8. IMPORTS OF GOODS BY END-USE CATEGORY AND COMMODITY

(In millions of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to seasonal
adjustment and rounding. The commodities in this exhibit are ranked on 
the month-to-month change within each major commodity grouping. 
(-) Represents zero or less than one half unit of measurement shown.
(R) Revised.)


              Item(1)                  March    February (R)    Monthly
                                       1999          1999       Change

Total, Balance of Payments Basis         81,337       80,291        1,046
Net Adjustments                             224          213           12
Total, Census Basis                      81,113       80,078        1,034

Foods, feeds, and beverages               3,539        3,528           10

Meat products                               374          316           58
Green coffee                                287          255           32
Food oils, oilseeds                         136          104           32
Tea, spices, etc.                            58           44           14
Fish and shellfish                          684          672           12
Feedstuff and foodgrains                    127          120            7
Nuts                                         66           62            5
Cane and beet sugar                          48           47            1
Nonagricultural foods, etc.                  42           43          (-)
Cocoa beans                                  66           70           -4
Alcoholic bevs, exc. wine                   194          199           -5
Other foods                                 219          225           -6
Wine and related products                   361          371          -11
Bakery products                             212          223          -11
Vegetables                                  253          272          -20
Dairy products and eggs                      74           95          -21
Fruits, frozen juices                       336          411          -74

Industrial supplies and materials        16,052       15,223          829

Crude oil                                 2,629        2,416          213
Iron and steel mill products                833          696          137
Gas-natural                                 477          365          112
Chemicals-organic                         1,019          908          111
Petroleum products, other                   479          396           83
Nonmonetary gold                            279          226           54
Copper                                      196          149           47
Industrial supplies, other                  974          934           40
Tobacco, waxes, etc                         300          268           31
Plywood and veneers                         121           93           27
Chemicals-fertilizers                       259          234           25
Shingles, wallboard                         542          523           19
Coal and related fuels                       68           50           18
Pulpwood and woodpulp                       193          176           17
Farming materials, livestock                 76           60           16
Synthetic rubber--primary                   116          100           16
Sulfur, nonmetallic minerals                 45           33           12
Nickel                                       70           59           10
Cotton, natural fibers                       22           13            9
Tin                                          28           19            9
Nontextile floor tiles                      151          143            8
Iron and steel, advanced                    339          332            7
Chemicals-inorganic                         320          314            6
Glass-plate, sheet, etc.                     47           41            6
Zinc                                         95           92            3
Wool, silk, etc.                             67           64            3
Electric energy                              73           71            3
Finished textile supplies                   146          143            2
Blank tapes, audio & visual                 179          177            2
Paper and paper products                    432          430            2
Steelmaking materials                       216          214            2
Hides and skins                              14           12            1
Nonferrous metals, other                    120          121           -1
Hair, waste materials                        31           33           -2
Natural rubber                               58           60           -2
Stone, sand, cement, etc.                   251          253           -3
Cotton cloth, fabrics                       185          188           -4
Iron and steel products, n.e.c.             319          323           -4
Bauxite and aluminum                        492          496           -4
Synthetic cloth                             343          347           -4
Plastic materials                           492          497           -4
Materials, exc. chemicals                   137          141           -4
Chemicals-other, n.e.c.                     413          419           -6
Finished metal shapes                       456          462           -6
Leather and furs                             74           82           -7
Other precious metals                       458          468          -10
Newsprint                                   307          320          -13
Liquified petroleum gases                   170          189          -19
Lumber                                      580          604          -24
Nuclear fuel materials                       58           97          -38
Fuel oil                                    305          370          -66

Capital goods, except automotive         23,346       23,770         -424

Computer accessories                      5,573        6,118         -545
Semiconductors                            2,798        2,956         -158
Civilian aircraft                           497          577          -80
Business machines and equipment             542          595          -54
Medicinal equipment                         691          741          -50
Agricultural machinery, equipment           298          342          -44
Food, tobacco machinery                     124          149          -25
Textile, sewing machines                    160          178          -19
Laboratory testing instruments              162          177          -16
Industrial engines                          637          652          -15
Metalworking machine tools                  654          664          -11
Photo, service industry                     653          663           -9
Generators, accessories                     787          796           -9
Materials handling equipment                486          490           -4
Wood, glass, plastic                        420          424           -4
Vessels, except scrap                       (-)          (-)          (-)
Spacecraft, exc. military                     2            1            1
Commercial vessels, other                     4            2            2
Nonfarm tractors and parts                   69           67            3
Drilling & oilfield equipment                59           51            8
Telecommunications equipment              1,633        1,619           14
Marine engines, parts                        67           52           15
Industrial machines, other                1,244        1,228           17
Specialized mining                           35           18           17
Excavating machinery                        495          475           19
Railway transpor. equipment                 232          212           20
Parts-civilian aircraft                     485          451           34
Measuring, testing, control instru          661          614           47
Electric apparatus                        1,796        1,734           62
Engines-civilian aircraft                   804          734           70
Pulp and paper machinery                    423          324          100
Computers                                   857          663          193

Auto. vehicles, parts and engines        14,938       14,574          364

Consumer goods                           19,459       19,626         -168

Toys/games/sporting goods                 1,584        1,711         -127
Artwork, antiques, stamps, etc.             453          554         -101
Writing and art supplies                    695          786          -90
Stereo equipment, etc                       673          713          -40
Photo equipment                             155          182          -28
Apparel, household goods - wool             255          283          -27
Footwear                                    929          954          -25
Apparel, textiles, nonwool or cotto       1,835        1,853          -17
Cookware, cutlery, tools                    314          330          -16
Jewelry                                     649          662          -13
Nursery stock, etc.                          83           89           -6
Toiletries and cosmetics                    227          233           -6
Glassware, chinaware                        173          176           -3
Camping apparel and gear                    442          445           -3
Books, printed matter                       234          235          (-)
TV's, VCR's, etc                          1,312        1,312          (-)
Gem stones, other                           120          116            4
Furniture, household goods, etc.            942          937            5
Numismatic coins                             51           45            6
Records, tapes, and disks                    96           90            6
Musical instruments                         102           93            9
Rugs                                        106           95           11
Pleasure boats and motors                   125          114           12
Apparel,household goods-nontextile          481          468           13
Gem diamonds                                750          733           18
Apparel, household goods - cotton         2,671        2,627           44
Household appliances                        609          564           45
Other household goods                     1,435        1,388           47
Motorcycles and parts                       214          157           58
Pharmaceutical prep                       1,740        1,681           59

Other Goods                               3,780        3,358          422
__________________________________________________________________________

              Item(1)              Year-to-date Year-to-date Year-to-date
                                       1999         1998        Change

Total, Balance of Payments Basis        240,055      227,226       12,830
Net Adjustments                             608        1,311         -703
Total, Census Basis                     239,447      225,914       13,533

Foods, feeds, and beverages              10,696       10,422          274

Meat products                             1,015        1,072          -57
Green coffee                                782        1,043         -261
Food oils, oilseeds                         358          380          -21
Tea, spices, etc.                           158          164           -6
Fish and shellfish                        2,075        2,024           51
Feedstuff and foodgrains                    367          409          -42
Nuts                                        193          167           25
Cane and beet sugar                         149          129           20
Nonagricultural foods, etc.                 125          124          (-)
Cocoa beans                                 245          277          -32
Alcoholic bevs, exc. wine                   601          532           69
Other foods                                 662          589           74
Wine and related products                 1,064          907          157
Bakery products                             643          599           44
Vegetables                                  843          830           13
Dairy products and eggs                     270          193           76
Fruits, frozen juices                     1,147          983          165

Industrial supplies and materials        46,805       50,819       -4,014

Crude oil                                 7,634       10,248       -2,614
Iron and steel mill products              2,352        2,756         -404
Gas-natural                               1,244        1,361         -116
Chemicals-organic                         2,890        2,788          102
Petroleum products, other                 1,232        1,513         -282
Nonmonetary gold                            803          987         -185
Copper                                      543          552           -9
Industrial supplies, other                2,823        2,775           47
Tobacco, waxes, etc                         849          965         -116
Plywood and veneers                         305          288           17
Chemicals-fertilizers                       741          788          -47
Shingles, wallboard                       1,552        1,206          345
Coal and related fuels                      177          177          (-)
Pulpwood and woodpulp                       557          657         -100
Farming materials, livestock                190          184            6
Synthetic rubber--primary                   313          331          -18
Sulfur, nonmetallic minerals                117          145          -29
Nickel                                      189          280          -91
Cotton, natural fibers                       52           56           -4
Tin                                          63           53           10
Nontextile floor tiles                      431          387           44
Iron and steel, advanced                    999          978           22
Chemicals-inorganic                         985        1,087         -102
Glass-plate, sheet, etc.                    126          131           -5
Zinc                                        288          232           56
Wool, silk, etc.                            202          220          -18
Electric energy                             236          231            6
Finished textile supplies                   424          422            2
Blank tapes, audio & visual                 518          488           30
Paper and paper products                  1,265        1,270           -5
Steelmaking materials                       681          926         -245
Hides and skins                              39           49          -10
Nonferrous metals, other                    378          473          -94
Hair, waste materials                        97           80           17
Natural rubber                              182          260          -77
Stone, sand, cement, etc.                   730          618          112
Cotton cloth, fabrics                       547          555           -8
Iron and steel products, n.e.c.             983          991           -8
Bauxite and aluminum                      1,494        1,646         -152
Synthetic cloth                           1,021        1,096          -75
Plastic materials                         1,473        1,539          -66
Materials, exc. chemicals                   414          390           23
Chemicals-other, n.e.c.                   1,250        1,314          -64
Finished metal shapes                     1,360        1,317           44
Leather and furs                            228          278          -50
Other precious metals                     1,249          792          457
Newsprint                                   947          934           12
Liquified petroleum gases                   525          797         -271
Lumber                                    1,812        1,779           33
Nuclear fuel materials                      241          274          -32
Fuel oil                                  1,056        1,156         -101

Capital goods, except automotive         70,208       67,217        2,991

Computer accessories                     17,362       16,175        1,187
Semiconductors                            8,577        9,196         -619
Civilian aircraft                         1,704        1,211          493
Business machines and equipment           1,731        1,930         -198
Medicinal equipment                       2,160        1,835          326
Agricultural machinery, equipment           985        1,172         -187
Food, tobacco machinery                     403          326           76
Textile, sewing machines                    519          646         -126
Laboratory testing instruments              511          374          136
Industrial engines                        1,944        1,814          130
Metalworking machine tools                1,967        2,076         -109
Photo, service industry                   1,951        1,784          167
Generators, accessories                   2,421        2,088          334
Materials handling equipment              1,449        1,274          175
Wood, glass, plastic                      1,277        1,171          106
Vessels, except scrap                       (-)          (-)          (-)
Spacecraft, exc. military                     8            2            6
Commercial vessels, other                     9            8          (-)
Nonfarm tractors and parts                  204          202            2
Drilling & oilfield equipment               186          405         -219
Telecommunications equipment              4,715        4,407          308
Marine engines, parts                       191          178           13
Industrial machines, other                3,577        3,642          -65
Specialized mining                           80           92          -12
Excavating machinery                      1,437        1,319          118
Railway transpor. equipment                 639          484          156
Parts-civilian aircraft                   1,373        1,200          173
Measuring, testing, control instru        1,879        1,900          -22
Electric apparatus                        5,283        5,303          -20
Engines-civilian aircraft                 2,320        2,061          260
Pulp and paper machinery                  1,104        1,017           87
Computers                                 2,238        1,924          315

Auto. vehicles, parts and engines        43,416       37,076        6,341

Consumer goods                           57,758       52,294        5,463

Toys/games/sporting goods                 4,854        4,883          -30
Artwork, antiques, stamps, etc.           1,643        1,265          378
Writing and art supplies                  2,138        1,941          197
Stereo equipment, etc                     1,984        2,112         -128
Photo equipment                             514          506            8
Apparel, household goods - wool             820          812            8
Footwear                                  2,828        2,736           91
Apparel, textiles, nonwool or cotto       5,425        5,287          138
Cookware, cutlery, tools                    950          852           98
Jewelry                                   1,934        1,837           96
Nursery stock, etc.                         255          272          -17
Toiletries and cosmetics                    666          631           36
Glassware, chinaware                        522          518            4
Camping apparel and gear                  1,336        1,336          (-)
Books, printed matter                       703          688           15
TV's, VCR's, etc                          3,786        2,957          829
Gem stones, other                           353          330           24
Furniture, household goods, etc.          2,798        2,335          463
Numismatic coins                            123           62           61
Records, tapes, and disks                   270          282          -13
Musical instruments                         296          298           -2
Rugs                                        303          254           49
Pleasure boats and motors                   391          329           63
Apparel,household goods-nontextile        1,404        1,379           25
Gem diamonds                              2,167        2,072           94
Apparel, household goods - cotton         7,724        6,638        1,086
Household appliances                      1,700        1,606           94
Other household goods                     4,144        3,845          299
Motorcycles and parts                       491          367          124
Pharmaceutical prep                       5,236        3,863        1,372

Other Goods                              10,564        8,086        2,478

(1)  Detailed data are presented on a Census basis.  The information 
needed to convert to a BOP basis is not available.

SOURCE: Report FT900 (CB-99-89), Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade
        Division, March 1999.  For more information, contact Haydn R. 
        Mearkle (301-457-2246) or (301-457-2311), Foreign Trade Division.