The foreign trade turnover with 144 world countries amounted to $14.08 billion in January-August 2015, or 32.83 percent less than in January-August 2014. The volume of exports decreased by 46.69 percent and amounted to $8.18 billion compared to January-August 2014. The volume of import increased by 5.09 percent and amounted to $5.9 billion.
Azerbaijan exported 2,106 goods and imported 5,797 different goods.
As of January-August 2015, the nominal index of export exceeded import. This formed the foreign trade surplus to the amount of $2.3 billion.
The country's foreign trade surplus exceeded $9.7 billion in January-August 2014.
At the same time, the exports amounted to $711 million, while imports - $594.8 million in August 2015. As a result, a foreign trade surplus worth almost $116.2 million was formed in August.
As in previous periods, oil, gas and oil products were mainly exported from Azerbaijan in January-August 2015.
Main products exported from Azerbaijan
Name of the product |
Jan.-Aug. 2015 |
Compared to Jan.-Aug. 2014 , % |
|
cost, thousand dollars |
Share in export volume, % |
||
Crude oil |
6 394 879,77 |
78,14 |
48,71 |
Oil products |
534 354,59 |
6,53 |
61,62 |
Natural gas |
159 535,44 |
1,95 |
70,83 |
Fruits and vegetables |
143 140,64 |
1,75 |
97,31 |
Oil and butter |
101 364,39 |
1,24 |
70,9 |
Spirits and soft drink |
16 397,70 |
0,2 |
74,63 |
Aluminum |
58 920,93 |
0,72 |
109,23 |
Ferrous metals, tons |
19 706,80 |
0,24 |
71,99 |
Chemical products |
70 164,31 |
0,86 |
153,76 |
Others |
438654,33 |
5,37 |
108,19 |
Source: Azerbaijani state customs committee
Most of Azerbaijan's exports as of January-August 2015 (78.14 percent) fell to the export of crude oil. During the reporting period, the country exported oil worth $6.39 billion. The cost of crude oil exports decreased by 51.29 percent compared to January-August 2014. This is connected with a decrease in the world oil prices.
Currently, SOCAR supplies oil from Azerbaijan to about 30 countries in Europe, Asia and America. Among its largest European importers are Italy (23 percent), Germany (11 percent), France (9 percent).
SOCAR's share in total exports of Azerbaijani oil is about 70 percent.
The export of oil products from the country amounted to 1.5 million metric tons worth $534.35 in January-August 2015. This is by 38.4 percent less than the export for the same period of 2014 ($867.16 million). The export growth was 1.25 times from year to year. The physical export of oil products from Azerbaijan increased in August 2015. This increased the export earnings. The export of oil products ensured 6.53 percent of the country's total exports in January-August.
Azerbaijan exported 219.58 million kilowatt / hours of electricity upon customs declarations in January-August 2015 compared to 394.99 million kilowatts / hours exported in the same period in 2014. Azerbaijan exported electricity worth $13.2 million in January-August 2015 compared to $ 19.26 million for the same period in 2014.
The exports of chemical products reached $70.16 million in January-August or 0.86 percent of total exports. It increased almost twofold compared to the same period of 2014.
In this period, the largest amount of export fell on Italy in January-August 2015. Thus, during this period Azerbaijan exported goods totaling $1.64 billion to Italy which makes up 20.06 percent of a total export volume. Oil and oil products are mainly exported to this country.
Germany ($993.46 million) and France $551.51 million) hold leading positions. Italy has maintained its leading position since 2008 excluding early three months. Turkey took a lead in January and U.S. in February and March 2008.
Russia ranks first on largest import volume ($978.17 million) in January-August 2015. About $16.58 percent of the Azerbaijani imports fell to it. Turkey ranks second - $742.40 million and the US - third ($642.29 million).
Most of Azerbaijan's imports or 22.56 percent in the reporting period fell to the import of machinery, mechanisms, equipment, electrical equipment and spare parts. The machinery and equipment worth $1.33 billion were imported in January-August 2014, which is by 20.37 percent less than in January-August 2014.
Many vehicles and spare parts worth $1.02 billion (a share in total imports - 17.4 percent) were supplied to the country. The car imports increased twofold (196.6 percent) compared to the same period of 2014.
However, despite an increase in the value of imports of these products, Azerbaijan reduced the import of cars twofold.
Some 21,147 cars were imported to Azerbaijan in January-August 2015 compared to 43,276 cars imported in the same period of 2014.
Some 18,821 vehicles of the total number of vehicles imported in January-August 2015 accounted for the cars and motor vehicles. Some 39,198 cars and motor vehicles were imported into the country in January-August 2014. Moreover, some 1,437 trucks were imported to Azerbaijan in January-August 2015 (3,575 trucks in January-August 2014). The rest import accounted for other types of vehicles.
Azerbaijan passed to the Euro-4 ecological standard. That's why, the car supply volumes declined. It has been used since April 1, 2014. The introduction of Euro 4 standard greatly limits the import of used vehicles. Most of vehicles imported from Georgia to Azerbaijan accounted for the used cars.
The import of ferrous metals ranks third in terms of an import volume in the country during the period. The share of these products in a total import volume of the country hit 17.05 percent in January-August 2015, while this volume was 1.005 billion manat in nominal terms or by 65.14 percent more than in 2014.
The import of wood and wood products significantly increased in January-August 2015 (by 90.07 percent compared to January-August 2014). This is associated with an increase in its using in the construction and reconstruction work in the country.
Main products imported to Azerbaijan
Name of products |
Jan.-Aug. 2015 |
Compared to Jan.-Aug. 2014, % |
|
cost (thousand dollars) |
Share in import volume, % |
||
Meat |
11 976,97 |
0,2 |
90,14 |
Butter |
14 282,48 |
0,24 |
82,17 |
Milk |
3 851,09 |
0,07 |
88,57 |
Grain |
216 262,44 |
3,67 |
134,17 |
Cars, mechanisms, electric goods, equipment |
1 330 690,32 |
22,56 |
79,63 |
Vehicles and spare parts |
1 027 095,12 |
17,41 |
196,6 |
Wood and wooden goods |
163 866,43 |
2,78 |
190,07 |
Ferrous metals, tons |
1 005 793,31 |
17,05 |
165,14 |
Furniture and its parts |
72 680,90 |
1,23 |
116,55 |
Pharmaceutical goods |
185 025,49 |
3,14 |
116,37 |
source: Azerbaijani state customs committee
According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the countries-non-EU and CIS members did not restore their status as the main trading partners of the country in January-August. These countries formed the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan by 41.22 percent or $5.805 billion, while the EU countries - by 47.79 percent ($6.730 billion). Only 10.99 percent or $1.626 billion accounted for the CIS.
Azerbaijan's exports to the EU countries amounted to $4.986 billion in January-August, or 59.95 percent of a total export volume amid a 38.9 percent decrease. Imports from EU ($1.744 billion) decreased by 3.04 percent and amounted to 29.57 percent of a total import volume. As a result, the country had a black ink of trade balance with the EU at the level of $3.242 billion. This exceeded the country's foreign trade surplus ($2.285 billion).
The exports to the countries-non-EU and CIS members dropped by 56.08 percent - to $2.968 billion in January-August or 36.27 percent of a total export volume, while imports increased by 13.32 percent and hit $2.837 billion or 51.9 percent of the total import volume. As a result, Azerbaijan received a $0.131 billion red ink with these countries.
The exports to the CIS countries for the period totaled $0.309 billion (3.77 percent of the total export volume) by decreasing by 45.13 percent and imports - $1.317 billion (22.33 percent) by increasing by 0.54 percent. As a result, the country had a red ink in trading with them to the amount of $1.009 billion.
During this period, about 5,611 legal and physical entities were involved in foreign trade operations, including 3,075 - legal entities and 2,536 - physical entities.
The share of public sector in exports totaled $7.29 billion, private sector - $782.8 million, the share of physical entities - $111.3 million.
The share of public sector in import operations amounted to $1.1 billion, the private sector - $4.56 billion, physical entities -$222.5 million.
Azerbaijan's trade operations with foreign countries in January-August 2015
Country |
Export, thousand dollars |
Compared to January-August 2014, % |
Import, thousand dollars |
Compared to import in January-August 2014, % |
Total |
8 183 486,76 |
53,31 |
5 898 689,99 |
105,09 |
Including |
||||
European countries, total |
4 906 329,44 |
61,1 |
1 744 126,27 |
96,96 |
Austria |
293 270,08 |
85,11 |
56 946,92 |
98,48 |
Belgium |
12 298,56 |
21,96 times |
39 601,00 |
64,43 |
Bulgaria |
0 |
0 |
7 845,89 |
13,37 |
Great Britain |
5 122,16 |
4,17 |
270 773,42 |
61 |
Hungary |
34,33 |
0,05 |
20 308,39 |
120,89 |
Germany |
993 464,84 |
81,38 |
477 505,08 |
112,95 |
Greece |
92 239,03 |
64,04 |
10 355,96 |
27,85 |
Denmark |
24,81 |
3,39 |
11 154,85 |
79,67 |
Ireland |
25 850,36 |
540,70 times |
5 931,78 |
67,16 |
Spain |
289 743,36 |
66,09 |
34 311,97 |
106,26 |
Italy |
1 641 441,52 |
46,06 |
310 382,05 |
186,86 |
Cyprus |
8,64 |
0 |
9 661,29 |
633,89 |
Latvia |
270,83 |
34,39 |
5 005,97 |
81,27 |
Lithuania |
228,63 |
38,57 |
24 781,70 |
93,59 |
Luxemburg |
25 |
25,51 |
7 188,82 |
340,75 |
Malta |
108 632,08 |
305,67 |
31,13 |
16,21 |
Netherlands |
91 702,82 |
595,08 |
59 353,91 |
55,53 |
Poland |
3 653,16 |
29,99 |
40 565,85 |
89 |
Portugal |
227 039,25 |
62,84 |
15 819,04 |
471,34 |
Romania |
48 844,92 |
61,59 |
30 280,46 |
70,43 |
Slovakia |
9,54 |
30,17 |
13 906,11 |
111,77 |
Slovenia |
9 422,19 |
716,34 times |
10 023,94 |
154,28 |
Finland |
95,85 |
352,25 |
25 548,12 |
48,15 |
France |
551 512,38 |
51,86 |
145 111,22 |
139,67 |
Croatia |
109 990,45 |
80,87 |
1 173,38 |
10,97 |
Czech Republic |
401 146,57 |
96,02 |
39 946,90 |
133,21 |
Sweden |
74,49 |
62,63 |
65 297,39 |
279,25 |
Estonia |
183,57 |
135,68 |
5 313,72 |
139,86 |
Other countries, total: |
2 968 254,41 |
43,92 |
2 837 137,45 |
113,32 |
Albania |
0 |
0 |
6,69 |
279,77 |
Australia |
138,18 |
65,75 |
6 838,65 |
240,49 |
Algeria |
9,21 |
3,84 |
54,04 |
25,3 |
Anguilla |
0 |
0 |
2 246,68 |
47,63 |
Angola |
34,19 |
17,48 |
0 |
0 |
Andorra |
0 |
0 |
42,23 |
329,64 |
Argentina |
4,79 |
16,51 |
10 685,07 |
162,23 |
Aruba |
17,54 |
890,12 |
0 |
0 |
Afghanistan |
135 400,32 |
81,82 |
0 |
0 |
Bahamas |
0 |
0 |
1,56 |
160,94 |
Bangladesh |
0 |
0 |
1 169,75 |
219,23 |
Bahrain |
21,09 |
96,84 |
0 |
0 |
Belize |
0 |
0 |
69,45 |
2,62 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
0 |
0 |
396,02 |
94,19 |
Botswana |
0 |
0 |
1,2 |
0 |
Brazil |
136,56 |
80,4 |
72 961,93 |
56,8 |
Brunei Darussalam |
219,96 |
124,19 times |
0,33 |
246,47 |
Bhutan |
0 |
0 |
3,79 |
0 |
Virgin Islands (Great Britain |
0 |
0 |
254,34 |
38,41 |
Venezuela |
27,54 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Vietnam |
117,94 |
0,16 |
4 582,27 |
219,98 |
Gabon |
4,6 |
23,28 |
0 |
0 |
Haiti |
0 |
0 |
0,1 |
0 |
Guyana |
0 |
0 |
87,31 |
0 |
Guinea |
0,12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Honduras |
0 |
0 |
2,43 |
0 |
Hong Kong |
517,81 |
330,98 |
657,25 |
188,66 |
Greenland |
0 |
0 |
52,27 |
0 |
Georgia |
272 680,86 |
78,11 |
48 218,65 |
68,16 |
Guam (U.S) |
0 |
0 |
13,65 |
0 |
Jabalia |
82 591,96 |
127,98 |
10 |
0 |
Dominique |
0 |
0 |
57,7 |
272,37 |
Egypt |
92,46 |
0,26 |
2 881,62 |
192,61 |
Israel |
536 421,46 |
58,95 |
15 582,46 |
259,14 |
India |
218 312,33 |
31,86 |
25 459,42 |
112,67 |
Indonesia |
381 704,54 |
21,58 |
18 908,94 |
81,57 |
Jordan |
0,24 |
0,71 |
509,33 |
105,77 |
Iceland |
0 |
0 |
352,43 |
107,85 |
Iraq |
126 022,66 |
71,28 |
198,99 |
78,3 |
Iran |
18 117,48 |
78,67 |
55 933,75 |
52,94 |
Cambodia |
0 |
0 |
100,89 |
102,17 |
Cameroon |
1,96 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
0 |
0 |
89,87 |
0 |
Cayman Islands |
0 |
0 |
21,66 |
0 |
Canada |
119 141,87 |
54,48 |
12 987,00 |
50,24 |
Qatar |
104,87 |
39,5 |
9,11 |
70,55 |
Congo |
554,58 |
990,60 times |
0 |
0 |
Kenya |
13,86 |
0 |
43,2 |
42,9 |
Kiribati |
0 |
0 |
14,75 |
0 |
China |
36 955,22 |
98,66 |
339 932,45 |
81,94 |
Columbia |
27,72 |
31,07 times |
457,82 |
22,03 times |
Korea |
0 |
0 |
0,44 |
0 |
Republic of Korea |
6,3 |
51,75 |
97 708,06 |
74,28 |
Costa-Rica |
0 |
0 |
232,83 |
136,16 |
Côte d'Ivoire |
0,37 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Cuba |
5,8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Kuwait |
23,94 |
125,47 |
2 560,93 |
26,99 times |
Curaçao |
0 |
0 |
1,3 |
9,28 |
Lesotho |
0 |
0 |
0,22 |
0 |
Lebanon |
0 |
0 |
653,03 |
67,6 |
Libya |
407,72 |
1,58 |
2,95 |
0,59 |
Liechtenstein |
0 |
0 |
5,71 |
0 |
Mauritius |
0 |
0 |
14,26 |
22,24 times |
Madagascar |
0 |
0 |
137,67 |
546,95 |
Macedonia |
0 |
0 |
691,54 |
129,59 |
Malaysia |
217,89 |
2,51 |
26 794,02 |
239,01 |
the Maldives |
0 |
0 |
1,09 |
0 |
Morocco |
52,63 |
136,71 |
4 562,25 |
173,58 times |
Marshall Islands |
0 |
0 |
12,75 |
0 |
Mexico |
21,94 |
233,25 |
18 529,87 |
347,8 |
Mozambique |
2,03 |
0 |
6,36 |
17,34 |
Mongolia |
76,8 |
93,03 |
0 |
0 |
Montenegro |
0 |
0 |
0,47 |
126,83 |
Myanmar |
0 |
0 |
16,26 |
104,96 |
Nepal |
66,11 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Niger |
2,13 |
0 |
8,4 |
0 |
Nigeria |
13,15 |
0 |
8,4 |
0 |
New Zealand |
0 |
0 |
10 780,00 |
74,51 |
Norway |
645,91 |
41,28 |
62 681,72 |
302,06 |
United Arab Emirates (UAE) |
3 307,72 |
103,84 |
37 972,03 |
112,34 |
Oman |
5,03 |
79,52 |
34,9 |
56,48 |
Pakistan |
250,24 |
131,22 |
1 245,52 |
60,07 |
Paraguay |
0 |
0 |
43,73 |
330,29 |
Palestine |
0 |
0 |
46,09 |
421,74 |
Peru |
4,19 |
0 |
15,88 |
39,85 |
Polynesia |
0 |
0 |
5,69 |
0 |
Puerto Rico (USA) |
0 |
0 |
199,76 |
410,28 |
Samoa (USA) |
0 |
0 |
0,22 |
0 |
Saudi Arabia |
77,73 |
312,75 |
6 149,30 |
57,22 |
San Marino |
0 |
0 |
103,9 |
140,19 |
Sao Tomé and Príncipe |
0 |
0 |
5,16 |
0 |
Saint-Martin |
0 |
0 |
0,38 |
0 |
Serbia |
26,63 |
517,47 |
3 192,52 |
106,59 |
Seychelles |
0 |
0 |
132 |
126,53 |
Singapore |
211,1 |
38,14 |
93 750,58 |
651,09 |
Syria |
0 |
0 |
106,04 |
92,49 |
United States of America (USA) |
262 785,93 |
58,72 |
642 292,54 |
158,86 |
Sudan |
42,12 |
246,6 |
0 |
0 |
Sierra-Leone |
0 |
0 |
3,44 |
0 |
Tanzania |
0 |
0 |
93,56 |
314,4 |
Taiwan |
50 068,57 |
11,59 |
9 771,41 |
138,09 |
Thailand |
166 875,64 |
29,68 |
17 965,34 |
92,92 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
11,57 |
9,43 |
0 |
0 |
Tunisia |
269 813,03 |
105,75 |
308,1 |
31,9 |
Turkey |
212 259,57 |
63,52 |
742 400,90 |
92,86 |
Faeroe Islands |
0 |
0 |
780,75 |
0 |
the Fiji Islands |
0 |
0 |
0,14 |
0 |
Philippines |
0 |
0 |
495,49 |
125,68 |
the Falkland Islands |
0 |
0 |
11,2 |
0 |
Chile |
0 |
0 |
1 167,60 |
182,46 |
Switzerland |
70 241,87 |
55,85 |
41 141,16 |
75,55 |
Sri-Lanka |
0 |
0 |
8 992,85 |
92,81 |
Uganda |
37,12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Uruguay |
0 |
0 |
146,11 |
4,52 |
Ecuador |
1,52 |
90,68 |
13 380,62 |
300,23 |
Ethiopia |
0 |
0 |
2,08 |
0 |
South African Republic |
0,7 |
0,83 |
2 376,04 |
207,66 |
Jamaica |
0 |
0 |
124,43 |
2,54 |
Japan |
812,59 |
71,91 |
367 806,37 |
293,48 |
Others |
541,66 |
72,6 |
0 |
0 |
CIS countries, total: |
308 902,91 |
54,87 |
1 317 426,27 |
100,54 |
Belarus |
5 061,78 |
52,34 |
52 496,61 |
92,8 |
Kazakhstan |
8 860,39 |
40,58 |
60 353,24 |
37,9 |
Kyrgyzstan |
3 162,11 |
13,61 |
1 051,98 |
90,58 |
Moldova |
90,51 |
15,74 times |
1 891,32 |
47,24 |
Uzbekistan |
9 006,65 |
36,96 |
5 184,11 |
31,99 |
Russia |
241 577,74 |
56,37 |
978 177,86 |
123,64 |
Tajikistan |
5 144,83 |
287,83 |
0 |
0 |
Turkmenistan |
24 792,13 |
112,69 |
18 313,35 |
513,41 |
Ukraine |
11 206,77 |
35,63 |
199 957,80 |
71,86 |
source: Azerbaijani state customs committee