Foreign economic activity

In 2011, the total Ukrainian export and import amounted to USD68,409.8 mln and USD82,606.9 mln correspondingly, which was 33.1% and 36% more compared to the previous year. Credit balance of international trade in goods amounted to USD14,197.1 mln, compared to credit balance of USD9,337 mln in 2010.

Ukraine exchanged goods with its partners from 222 world countries. 38.3% of goods were exported to CIS countries, 26.3% - to EU countries, compared to 36.5% and 25.4% of goods exported in 2010 correspondingly.

The export of goods to all of the main partner countries increased: China – by 65.6% (due to deliveries of ores and iron-ore concentrates, organic chemicals, animal and vegetable fats and oils), India – by 58.9% (due to deliveries of animal and vegetable fats and oils, ferrous materials, fertilizers), Poland – by 56.3% (due to deliveries of ferrous materials, ores and iron-ore concentrates, electrical machinery), the Russian Federation – by 47.6%, Italy – by 26%, Turkey – by 24%.

In 2011, the exports of mineral fuels, crude oil and petroleum products, ores and iron-ore concentrates, locomotives, cereal crops, ferrous products, fertilizers increased compared to 2010. 45% of goods (of total imports) were imported from CIS countries, 31.2% – from EU countries, compared to 44% and 31.4% of goods imported in 2010 correspondingly.

Imports from Belorussia increased by 64% (due to deliveries of mineral fuels, crude oil and petroleum products, overland vehicles, except rail vehicles, mechanical machinery), from Germany – by 49.1% (due to deliveries of mechanical machinery, overland vehicles, except rail vehicles, electric machinery), from the USA – by 46.7% (due to deliveries of  mineral fuels, crude oil and petroleum products, overland vehicles, except rail vehicles, mechanical machinery), from Italy – by 44.3%, from China – by 33.3%, the Russian Federation – by 31.2%, from Poland – by 14.1%.

The imports of mineral fuels, crude oil and petroleum products, mechanical machinery, electric machinery, overland vehicles, except rail vehicles increased. The imports of plastics, polymer materials, pharmaceutical products, paper and cardboard products declined.

In 2011, the total volume of services exported by Ukraine amounted to USD13,697.6 mln, 16.5% more than in 2010. Ukrainian service imports increased by 14.7% and amounted to USD6,246 mln. Positive balance of international trade in services amounted to USD7,449.6 mln, compared to positive balance of USD6,311.7 mln in 2010.

Ukraine exchanged services with its partners from 217 world countries. 45.5% of services were exported to CIS countries, 26.1% - to EU countries, compared to 47.7% and 21.1% of services exported in 2010 correspondingly.

The Russian Federation remained being the largest trading partner of Ukraine (41.1% of total exports of services, 15.2% of total imports of services).

In 2011, the exports of services significantly increased to other major trading partners, i.a. the Marshal Islands – 4.1 times, Spain – 2.8 times, Switzerland – by 91.8%, Kazakhstan – by 90.2%, Israel – by 71.1%, Sweden – by 45 %, Estonia – by 43.9%, Poland – by 43.7%, Belize – by 40.8%, Turkmenistan – by 37.7%, Canada – by 37%, Belgium – by 36.2%, the British Virgin Islands – by 32%, Great Britain – by 25.4%, Germany – by 20.9%, Belorussia – by 17.2%, the USA – by 15.6% and the Russian Federation – by 9.1% . In the meantime, exports of services to Hungary declined by 62.9%, the United Arab Emirates – by 15.3% and France – by 9%.

The major services in Ukrainian foreign trade structure still are transportation, business, professional and technical services, financial, travel, computer, maintenance and government services.

In 2011, exports of pipeline transportation, various business, professional and technical services, maintenance services, air and rail transportation services increased compared to 2010.

However, volumes of financial and sea transportation services declined.

18.6% of total services were imported from CIS countries, 53.6% - from EU countries, compared to 17.3% and 55.5% of services imported in 2010 correspondingly.

The imports of services from most of the largest partner countries increased, i.a. Turkmenistan – 3.8 times, Israel – 3.3 times, Finland – 2.1 times, Kazakhstan – by 97%, Hungary – by 90.5%, Italy – by 68.6%, Austria – by 60.1%, the Czech Republic – by 51.8%, Germany – by 27.9%, Belorussia – by 25.2%, Turkey – by 25.1%, Switzerland – by 24.3% and the Russian Federation – by 19.3%.

However, the imports of services from Panama declined by 50.8%, from Egypt – by 41.5%, from France – by 25.7% and from Sweden – by 11.9%.

The imports of business, professional and technical, air and rail transportation, travel, government services (which are not classified to any other categories), computer, construction, individual services, cultural and recreational services increased in 2011. In the meantime, volumes of financial, royalty and other business services imported from Ukraine declined.

Vast majority of export-import operations were effected by enterprises of Kyiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Lugansk and Zaporyzhia regions.

Prepared based on information provided by:
State Statistics Committee of Ukraine
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine