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 1998 TO December 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

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.- Dec.                             -330,022.4               -364,851.3

January                                 -22,284.5                -24,878.8
February                                -23,906.9                -26,549.3
March                                   -24,475.7                -27,094.6
April                                   -24,128.4                -26,784.3
May                                     -26,602.7                -29,347.4
June                                    -29,760.0                -32,742.7

July                                    -30,252.2                -33,249.2
August                                  -28,868.2                -31,958.1
September                               -28,259.0                -31,373.7
October                                 -30,460.7                -33,572.4
November (R)                            -31,271.3                -34,405.8
December                                -29,752.9                -32,894.9
 
                                               Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                             -229,758.4               -260,507.6

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.- Dec.                             -330,022.4               -364,851.3

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                                    -33,511.9                -36,544.4
August                                  -32,254.7                -35,432.0
September                               -30,974.6                -34,148.5
October                                 -32,117.5                -35,354.3
November (R)                            -33,046.6                -36,229.6
December                                -27,489.1                -30,531.3
___________________________________________________________________________


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

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.- Dec.                              695,009.2

January                                  56,121.5
February                                 55,721.6
March                                    55,269.0
April                                    56,168.4
May                                      56,168.8
June                                     56,578.5

July                                     56,827.6
August                                   59,900.0
September                                59,988.1
October                                  59,732.4
November (R)                             59,860.3
December                                 62,672.9

                                Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                              682,137.7

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.- Dec.                              695,009.2

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                                     53,079.6
August                                   57,521.6
September                                59,244.0
October                                  62,305.5
November (R)                             60,913.1
December                                 63,704.8
_________________________________________________


                                                     Imports
    Period                            Customs value            C.i.f. value
                                               Seasonally Adjusted
1998                      
Jan.- Dec.                              911,896.1                942,645.3

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.- Dec.                            1,025,031.6              1,059,860.5

January                                  78,406.0                 81,000.2
February                                 79,628.5                 82,270.9
March                                    79,744.7                 82,363.7
April                                    80,296.7                 82,952.7
May                                      82,771.5                 85,516.3
June                                     86,338.6                 89,321.2

July                                     87,079.8                 90,076.8
August                                   88,768.2                 91,858.1
September                                88,247.1                 91,361.7
October                                  90,193.1                 93,304.9
November (R)                             91,131.7                 94,266.2
December                                 92,425.8                 95,567.8

                                             Not Seasonally Adjusted
1998                
Jan.- Dec.                              911,896.1                942,645.3

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.- Dec.                            1,025,031.6              1,059,860.5

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                                     86,591.5                 89,624.0
August                                   89,776.4                 92,953.6
September                                90,218.7                 93,392.5
October                                  94,423.0                 97,659.8
November (R)                             93,959.7                 97,142.7
December                                 91,193.9                 94,236.1

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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