The Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) issued its foreign trade report of year 2019, encompassing data on the balance of trade, imports, exports (national origin), and re-exports.
The value of imports decreased by 11%. Reaching BD 4.984 billion during year 2019 compared to BD 5.594 billion for the same previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 68% of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for just 32%.
According to the report, China ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain with a total of BD777 million. Australia was second with BD352 million and the United Arab Emirates was third with BD349 million.
Non-Agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD380 million. Aluminum oxide was second with BD340 million and four-wheel drive cars third with BD206 million.
Exports
The value of exports of national origin increased by .52% to BD2.298 billion during year 2019. Compared to BD2.286 billion for the same previous year. The top 10 countries in terms of the value of exports of national origin purchased from Bahrain accounted for 77% of the total value. The remaining countries accounting for 23%.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD534 million from Bahrain. Meanwhile, the United States of America was second with BD284 million and United Arab Emirates third with BD272 million.
Agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top products exported during year 2019 with BD421 million. Aluminum wire was second with a value of BD201 million and unwrought aluminum alloyed third with BD191 million.
The total value of re-exports increased by 54% to reach BD795 million fourth quarter 2019, compared to BD515 million for the same previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 87% of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the 13%. The United Arab Emirates ranked first with BD268 million. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia second with BD229 million and China third with BD70 million.
Four-wheel drive cars emerged as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD103 million, Gold ingots came in second place with BD95 million, and Agglomerated iron ores and concentrates came third with BD79 million.
The trade balance, the difference between exports and imports, recorded a deficit totaling BD1.892 billion during year 2019 compared to BD2.793 billion for the same quarter the previous year, an improvement of the trade balance by 32%.
Note: For more details, please visit the foreign trade page on the Bahrain Open Data Portal www.data.gov.bh.