DUSHANBE, February 15, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- In January 2012, the external trade turnover of Tajikistan, including electrical power and natural gas, amounted to 398.7 million U.S. dollars, which was 104.6 percent of the January 2011 level or 17.7 million U.S. dollars more, according to the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan.

The trade balance was negative and amounted to more than 186.3 million U.S. dollars.

Exports of goods last month amounted to 106.2 million U.S. dollars, which is 22.5 percent or 30.9 million U.S. dollars fewer than in January 2011.

Imports of goods into the country last month amounted to 292.5 million U.S. dollars, which is 19.9 percent or 48.6 million dollars more than in January 2011.

In January 2012, Tajikistan had trade relations with 66 countries of the world, including nine CIS nations.

The CIS nations accounted for 46.6 percent (185.9 million U.S. dollars) of Tajikistan’s external trade turnover for the report period and other countries accounted for 53.4 percent (212.8 million U.S. dollars).

Compared to January 2011, Tajikistan’s cotton fiber exports last month decreased by 30.3 percent and export of non-precious metals decreased by 40.3 percent.

In January 2012, Tajikistan’s major export partners were: Turkey – 37.6 percent (of the overall volume of Tajikistan’s exports); China – 22.7 percent; Switzerland – 12.7 percent; Afghanistan – 10.4 percent; Iran – 3.9 percent; and Russia – 3.5 percent.  Tajikistan’s major import partners in January 2012 were: Russia – 27 percent; Kazakhstan – 23.2 percent; China – 9.3 percent; Brazil – 4.6 percent; and Turkmenistan – 4.3 percent.