EXHIBIT 5. EXPORTS (F.A.S. VALUE),  IMPORTS (CUSTOMS AND C.I.F.
VALUES) AND MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND NOT 
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: August 1998 TO August 1999

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
1998                    
Jan.- Dec.                         -229,758.4             -260,507.6
Jan.- Aug.                         -151,436.0             -171,587.6

January                             -15,923.6              -18,372.9
February                            -16,470.0              -18,859.3
March                               -18,831.2              -21,345.0
April                               -19,875.1              -22,362.6
May                                 -21,191.2              -23,739.6
June                                -19,141.1              -21,666.0

July                                -19,731.5              -22,311.0
August                              -20,272.2              -22,931.1
September                           -20,116.2              -22,715.7
October                             -19,190.7              -21,893.2
November                            -19,409.5              -22,072.6
December                            -19,606.0              -22,238.4
                        
1999                
Jan.- Aug.                         -210,129.4             -232,397.1

January                             -22,225.1              -24,812.1
February                            -23,847.5              -26,482.6
March                               -24,416.3              -27,027.9
April                               -24,068.9              -26,717.6
May                                 -26,543.3              -29,280.7
June                                -29,700.6              -32,676.0

July (R)                            -30,192.8              -33,182.5
August                              -29,134.9              -32,217.6
September               
October                 
November                
December                
_______________________                                              

                                        Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                         -229,758.4             -260,507.6
Jan.- Aug.                         -147,682.9             -167,720.2

January                             -15,052.1              -17,407.3
February                            -13,160.0              -15,371.4
March                               -15,798.8              -18,371.0
April                               -19,068.9              -21,573.3
May                                 -17,325.7              -19,805.1
June                                -19,923.9              -22,509.3

July                                -24,759.8              -27,417.0
August                              -22,593.6              -25,265.8
September                           -22,807.1              -25,432.1
October                             -22,398.5              -25,278.5
November                            -19,625.0              -22,256.7
December                            -17,244.9              -19,820.0

1999                
Jan.- Aug.                         -206,706.9             -228,900.1

January                             -19,475.1              -21,887.3
February                            -20,665.8              -23,111.2
March                               -23,704.1              -26,449.2
April                               -22,701.5              -25,355.8
May                                 -24,284.1              -26,988.3
June                                -29,797.4              -32,819.4

July (R)                            -33,511.9              -36,544.4
August                              -32,567.1              -35,744.5
September               
October                 
November                
December                
____________________________________________________________________


                                    Exports
        Period                    F.a.s. value
                               Seasonally Adjusted
1998                    
Jan.- Dec.                          682,137.7
Jan.- Aug.                          451,594.2

January                              58,384.9
February                             57,319.8
March                                57,292.4
April                                55,989.9
May                                  55,607.5
June                                 55,919.7

July                                 55,136.9
August                               55,943.1
September                            56,418.5
October                              58,400.7
November                             58,533.4
December                             57,190.8
                        
1999                
Jan.- Aug.                          453,155.9

January                              56,216.1
February                             55,816.2
March                                55,363.6
April                                56,263.0
May                                  56,263.4
June                                 56,673.1

July (R)                             56,922.2
August                               59,638.3
September               
October                 
November                
December                
______________________________________________

                             Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                          682,137.7
Jan.- Aug.                          448,040.7

January                              55,172.0
February                             55,233.6
March                                62,296.8
April                                56,674.6
May                                  56,672.2
June                                 56,994.0

July                                 51,577.5
August                               53,420.1
September                            55,627.2
October                              61,313.0
November                             58,394.8
December                             58,762.2

1999                
Jan.- Aug.                          448,490.3

January                              52,382.9
February                             53,442.9
March                                60,622.3
April                                57,250.0
May                                  56,589.4
June                                 57,953.0

July (R)                             53,079.6
August                               57,170.2
September               
October                 
November                
December                
_____________________________________________


                                                Imports
        Period                    Customs value          C.i.f. value
                                          Seasonally Adjusted
1998                    
Jan.- Dec.                          911,896.1              942,645.3
Jan.- Aug.                          603,030.2              623,181.8

January                              74,308.5               76,757.8
February                             73,789.8               76,179.1
March                                76,123.6               78,637.4
April                                75,865.0               78,352.5
May                                  76,798.7               79,347.1
June                                 75,060.8               77,585.7

July                                 74,868.4               77,447.9
August                               76,215.3               78,874.3
September                            76,534.7               79,134.2
October                              77,591.5               80,294.0
November                             77,943.0               80,606.0
December                             76,796.8               79,429.3

1999                
Jan.- Aug.                          663,285.2              685,552.9

January                              78,441.2               81,028.1
February                             79,663.7               82,298.8
March                                79,779.9               82,391.6
April                                80,331.9               82,980.6
May                                  82,806.7               85,544.2
June                                 86,373.7               89,349.1

July (R)                             87,115.0               90,104.7
August                               88,773.1               91,855.9
September               
October                 
November                
December                
___________________________________________________________________

                                         Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                          911,896.1              942,645.3
Jan.- Aug.                          595,723.5              615,760.8

January                              70,224.0               72,579.3
February                             68,393.7               70,605.0
March                                78,095.6               80,667.7
April                                75,743.5               78,247.9
May                                  73,997.9               76,477.3
June                                 76,917.9               79,503.3

July                                 76,337.2               78,994.5
August                               76,013.6               78,685.9
September                            78,434.3               81,059.3
October                              83,711.5               86,591.5
November                             78,019.7               80,651.5
December                             76,007.1               78,582.2

1999                
Jan.- Aug.                          655,197.2              677,390.4

January                              71,858.0               74,270.2
February                             74,108.7               76,554.1
March                                84,326.3               87,071.4
April                                79,951.6               82,605.9
May                                  80,873.4               83,577.7
June                                 87,750.4               90,772.3

July (R)                             86,591.5               89,624.0
August                               89,737.3               92,914.8
September               
October                 
November                
December                

CONTACT: For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or
         Nick Orsini (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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