Until the middle of 2008, Russia’s trade balance continued to go from strength to strength. Record volumes and prices on main exports in the energy sector and metals, first and foremost, provided a steady balance of payments. The drop in oil, metal and other commodity prices had a significant impact on foreign trade turnover in 2009, which amounted to USD 469 billion – about 36 % down as compared with the previous year. Both export and import volumes decreased significantly; nevertheless, the trade balance was positive.
The government moved rapidly to protect the economy through stimulus mea¬sures and, since then, recovery has been slowly under-way. The economic crisis drew attention to the fragility of Russia’s economic growth path, which continues to be based primarily on exploiting natural resources rather than vibrant entrepreneurial industries. It thus underscored the need for a deep transformation of the Russian economy in order to enhance competitiveness and place the country on a more stable and sustainable growth path.
Russia’s main trading partners are Germany, the Netherlands, China, Italy, Belarus, Ukraine, Turkey, the US, France, Poland, Japan and Finland.
In 2010 Customs Union was inaugurated to achieve the economic reintegration of Russia with Belarus and Kazakhstan. This union aims to boost trade among the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nations, make the member nations more competitive and promote investment opportunities. The new tariff system is expected to unleash a flood of imports to Russia and its union partners. It would also strengthen Russia’s trade ties with Central Asia, the Baltic States and Central and Eastern European countries.
“Doing business and investing in the Russian Federation 2010” report (PricewaterhouseCoopers)
|
1995
|
2000
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bln. USD
|
||||||||
Export
|
78.2
|
103.1
|
133.7
|
181.6
|
241.5
|
301.2
|
351.9
|
467.6
|
301.7
|
Import
|
46.7
|
33.9
|
57.3
|
75.6
|
98.7
|
137.8
|
199.8
|
267.1
|
167.5
|
With far abroad |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
export
|
63.7
|
89.3
|
113.2
|
152.1
|
208.8
|
258.9
|
299.3
|
397.9
|
255.0
|
import
|
33.1
|
22.3
|
44.2
|
57.9
|
79.7
|
115.4
|
169.9
|
230.5
|
145.7
|
With CIS countries
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
export
|
14.5
|
13.8
|
20.5
|
29.5
|
32.6
|
42.3
|
52.7
|
69.7
|
46.7
|
import
|
13.6
|
11.6
|
13.1
|
17.7
|
19.0
|
22.4
|
29.9
|
36.6
|
21.8
|
of which with |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
export
|
5.8
|
8.0
|
11.2
|
16.3
|
17.3
|
24.1
|
32.3
|
41.1
|
29.0
|
import
|
5.1
|
6.2
|
7.5
|
10.1
|
9.2
|
12.3
|
15.4
|
18.9
|
11.8
|
|
As percentage of the previous year
|
||||||||
Export
|
123.6
|
141.4
|
125.2
|
135.9
|
133.0
|
124.8
|
116.8
|
132.9
|
64.5
|
Import
|
120.8
|
111.9
|
124.2
|
131.8
|
130.6
|
139.6
|
145.0
|
133.7
|
62.7
|
With far abroad |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
export
|
129.4
|
143.6
|
124.3
|
134.4
|
137.3
|
124.0
|
115.6
|
133.0
|
64.1
|
import
|
116.8
|
101.5
|
122.7
|
130.9
|
137.8
|
144.8
|
147.2
|
135.7
|
63.2
|
With CIS countries
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
export
|
103.2
|
129.1
|
130.5
|
143.8
|
110.7
|
129.7
|
124.5
|
132.3
|
67.1
|
import
|
131.7
|
139.1
|
129.3
|
134.8
|
107.2
|
117.8
|
133.5
|
122.6
|
59.6
|
of which with |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
export
|
104.8
|
155.1
|
131.5
|
146.2
|
105.7
|
139.5
|
134.2
|
127.2
|
70.9
|
import
|
119.9
|
129.2
|
124.2
|
134.7
|
90.5
|
133.9
|
125.4
|
122.8
|
62.4
|
1) Euro-Asian Economic Community (Euro-Asian EC) includes the following countries:
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. Since 2006 data is given including data of Uzbekistan.
Russia in figures - 2010
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