DUSHANBE, November 16, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- In January-October 2012, the external trade turnover of Tajikistan, including electrical power and natural gas, has amounted to 4.117 billion U.S. dollars, which was 112 percent of the January-October 2011 level or 442 million U.S. dollars more, according to the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan.

The trade balance was negative and amounted to some 1.905 billion U.S. dollars.

Exports of goods over the ten eight months of this year have amounted to 1.1 billion U.S. dollars, which is 5.7 percent more than in January-October 2011.

Imports of goods into the country over the same ten-month period have amounted to more than 3 billion U.S. dollars, which is 14.6 percent more than in the same period last year.

Over the report period, Tajikistan has reportedly had relations with 97 countries of the world, including ten CIS nations.

Over the first ten months of this year, Tajikistan’s fuel imports have reportedly risen 50 percent and Tajikistan’s wheat imports have increased 2.1 times.

Meanwhile, the country’s natural gas imports have fallen 23 percent over the same ten-month.  In January-October 2012, Tajikistan has imported 116.3 million cubic meters of natural gas from Uzbekistan for a total amount of 33.8 million U.S. dollars.  

In January-October of 2012, Tajikistan’s major trading partners were: Russia – some 835 million U.S. dollars; China – 565 million U.S. dollars; Kazakhstan – 554 million U.S. dollars; Turkey – 468 million U.S. dollars; Afghanistan – 188 million U.S. dollars, and Iran – 154 million U.S. dollars.