Despite a difficult global economic environment, Ireland’s total trade in goods increased in each of the past three years. The total value of merchandise exports in 2011 was €91,595m, up 2.4% from 2010, while merchandise imports were valued at €48,286m, up 6% on 2010. This resulted in a merchandise trade surplus of €43,309m. For the first eight months of 2012 merchandise exports amounted to €62,493 million and imports to €32,591 million representing a trade surplus of €29,902 million. Services exports also increased last year, from €74.3bn in 2010 to €81.4bn in 2011. Below is a table listing total merchandise trade figures for the years 2009 to 2011. As the Deputy will note, the value of this trade increased in 152 of the 223 places listed over the three year period. Total trade with our EU partners increased to €80,432million from €76,737 in 2010.
While the USA, UK and other EU partners continue to be key markets for Ireland, the Government is also fully committed to developing and expanding engagement with key high potential markets. The BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa- are among the 27 priority markets identified in the Government Trade Strategy and, by the end of this year, all five countries will have received Minister- led trade missions in accordance with the programme for 2012.
In addition, there is also a focus on other emerging markets, such as Turkey and markets in South East Asia and the Gulf. Furthermore, the Africa Strategy, launched in September 2011, acknowledges the significant progress in terms of economic and social development taking place throughout the continent. It recognises that demand for goods and services is growing from African countries and that Irish-based companies are well placed to play a greater role with the assistance of my Department, our Embassy network and State Agencies.
Bilateral Trade - Figures in €000
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
Afghanistan
|
6,858
|
6,903
|
7,809
|
Albania
|
5,877
|
5,508
|
8,848
|
Algeria
|
61,333
|
59,714
|
86,642
|
American Samoa
|
5
|
5
|
73
|
Andorra
|
6,219
|
6,952
|
8,680
|
Angola
|
6,330
|
11,633
|
14,442
|
Anguilla
|
642
|
287
|
125
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
201
|
106
|
42
|
Argentina
|
134,466
|
165,269
|
220,218
|
Armenia
|
318
|
604
|
699
|
Aruba
|
6
|
29
|
183
|
Australia*
|
833,224
|
894,299
|
814,983
|
Austria*
|
507,887
|
477,267
|
478,397
|
Azerbaijan
|
2,517
|
4,929
|
3,867
|
Bahamas
|
6,261
|
7,927
|
9,396
|
Bahrain
|
29,013
|
31,328
|
47,013
|
Bangladesh
|
72,591
|
102,344
|
114,729
|
Barbados
|
2,171
|
1,063
|
981
|
Belarus
|
7,170
|
6,140
|
4,793
|
Belgium*
|
15,568,898
|
14,615,075
|
14,395,276
|
Belize
|
11,105
|
9,588
|
9,402
|
Benin
|
5,332
|
5,397
|
4,560
|
Bermuda
|
119,777
|
521
|
783
|
Bhutan
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
Bolivia
|
1,131
|
2,806
|
5,031
|
Bosnia & Herzegovina
|
12,862
|
10,864
|
14,307
|
Botswana
|
1,361
|
2,626
|
1,687
|
Brazil*
|
370,033
|
425,979
|
494,692
|
British Indian Ocean Territory
|
6
|
21
|
18
|
British Virgin Islands
|
75
|
179
|
1,074
|
Brunei
|
996
|
2,393
|
1,316
|
Bulgaria
|
50,479
|
56,685
|
69,599
|
Burkina Faso
|
1,385
|
1,660
|
3,010
|
Burma
|
440
|
574
|
458
|
Burundi
|
71
|
129
|
68
|
Cambodia
|
21,358
|
21,684
|
26,684
|
Cameroon
|
21,179
|
24,669
|
31,639
|
Canada*
|
822,106
|
812,444
|
883,605
|
Cape Verde
|
969
|
155
|
60
|
Cayman Islands
|
514
|
738
|
389
|
Central African Rep
|
441
|
269
|
142
|
Ceuta
|
193
|
433
|
425
|
Chad
|
8,717
|
2,845
|
1,011
|
Chile
|
79,392
|
94,630
|
109,056
|
China*
|
5,275,096
|
5,249,917
|
5,034,027
|
Christmas Island
|
0
|
95
|
877
|
Cocos Islands
|
0
|
27
|
77
|
Colombia
|
31,432
|
33,201
|
43,594
|
Comoros
|
187
|
464
|
177
|
Congo
|
7,521
|
8,892
|
14,842
|
Congo (Dem Rep)
|
14,926
|
25,969
|
32,981
|
Cook Islands
|
295
|
4
|
8
|
Costa Rica
|
76,422
|
112,863
|
54,918
|
Croatia
|
57,575
|
47,076
|
44,278
|
Cuba
|
985
|
2,077
|
459
|
Cyprus
|
50,833
|
34,628
|
27,555
|
Czech Republic*
|
406,625
|
629,470
|
700,799
|
Denmark*
|
1,160,220
|
1,191,616
|
1,069,693
|
Djibouti
|
138
|
119
|
416
|
Dominica
|
160
|
183
|
191
|
Dominican Republic
|
14,617
|
15,709
|
17,124
|
Ecuador
|
8,740
|
10,681
|
11,012
|
Egypt
|
133,060
|
148,920
|
163,380
|
El Salvador
|
1,946
|
8,341
|
4,740
|
Equatorial Guinea
|
3
|
346
|
795
|
Eritrea
|
54
|
499
|
58
|
Estonia
|
48,200
|
25,516
|
26,498
|
Ethiopia
|
9,362
|
21,165
|
16,737
|
Falkland Islands
|
180
|
54
|
195
|
Faroe Islands
|
3,228
|
2,025
|
1,608
|
Fiji
|
2,289
|
2,330
|
1,949
|
Finland
|
464,614
|
480,407
|
425,762
|
France*
|
6,780,827
|
6,324,655
|
6,980,654
|
French Polynesia
|
3,231
|
3,659
|
1,590
|
French Southern Terr
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
7
|
Gabon
|
5,350
|
4,290
|
8,718
|
Gambia
|
186
|
344
|
850
|
Georgia
|
4,241
|
5,781
|
7,477
|
Germany*
|
7,833,403
|
9,847,489
|
10,092,307
|
Ghana
|
38,686
|
46,260
|
52,308
|
Gibraltar
|
2,966
|
1,687
|
1,814
|
Great Britain*
|
24,887,807
|
26,259,200
|
28,569,516
|
Greece
|
408,298
|
335,912
|
344,886
|
Greenland
|
10
|
41
|
7
|
Grenada
|
234
|
268
|
333
|
Guam
|
204
|
441
|
435
|
Guatemala
|
5,242
|
7,461
|
7,618
|
Guinea
|
69,930
|
100,381
|
90,551
|
Guinea-Bissau
|
8
|
2
|
15
|
Guyana
|
1,193
|
1,127
|
2,688
|
Haiti
|
1,528
|
2,939
|
2,833
|
Heard Island
|
1
|
1
|
284
|
Holy See
|
6
|
0
|
8
|
Honduras
|
2,279
|
4,682
|
8,673
|
Hungary
|
429,592
|
364,852
|
324,923
|
Iceland
|
23,145
|
25,231
|
24,388
|
India*
|
442,802
|
462,984
|
576,417
|
Indonesia
|
130,088
|
122,863
|
139,981
|
Iran
|
46,718
|
86,935
|
66,342
|
Iraq
|
33,413
|
47,524
|
38,677
|
Israel
|
278,867
|
322,429
|
542,817
|
Italy*
|
3,683,857
|
3,489,157
|
3,820,780
|
Ivory Coast
|
4,169
|
5,220
|
5,927
|
Jamaica
|
3,731
|
5,914
|
4,785
|
Japan*
|
2,390,474
|
2,551,888
|
2,538,740
|
Jordan
|
49,601
|
59,924
|
57,369
|
Kazakhstan
|
20,494
|
21,252
|
30,491
|
Kenya
|
24,273
|
28,863
|
34,433
|
Kiribati
|
2
|
0
|
89
|
Kosovo
|
1,210
|
1,609
|
360
|
Kuwait
|
99,678
|
63,959
|
99,625
|
Kyrgyz Republic
|
280
|
125
|
242
|
Laos
|
1,676
|
4,761
|
4,453
|
Latvia
|
58,863
|
67,161
|
93,222
|
Lebanon
|
34,964
|
59,264
|
53,874
|
Lesotho
|
233
|
254
|
140
|
Liberia
|
1,205
|
1,424
|
2,446
|
Libya
|
284,599
|
378,841
|
97,961
|
Liechtenstein
|
1,010
|
897
|
1,517
|
Lithuania
|
45,850
|
74,023
|
92,483
|
Luxembourg
|
165,498
|
103,682
|
122,964
|
Macedonia
|
13,524
|
11,559
|
8,504
|
Madagascar
|
829
|
551
|
824
|
Malawi
|
4,546
|
4,036
|
4,181
|
Malaysia*
|
1,121,353
|
898,204
|
615,262
|
Maldives
|
213
|
319
|
3,092
|
Mali
|
8,887
|
11,719
|
18,564
|
Malta
|
27,010
|
41,401
|
34,243
|
Mauritania
|
366
|
957
|
1,437
|
Mauritius
|
10,485
|
10,915
|
13,445
|
Mayotte
|
432
|
1,744
|
4,563
|
Melilla
|
269
|
200
|
100
|
Mexico
|
638,173
|
697,648
|
795,414
|
Micronesia
|
25
|
1
|
7
|
Moldova
|
2,242
|
3,103
|
3,138
|
Mongolia
|
363
|
679
|
4,295
|
Montenegro
|
2,491
|
268
|
148
|
Montserrat
|
3
|
89
|
53
|
Morocco
|
81,731
|
81,648
|
86,551
|
Mozambique
|
3,807
|
4,350
|
2,265
|
Namibia
|
1,311
|
699
|
3,987
|
Nauru
|
108
|
2,199
|
448
|
Nepal
|
270
|
281
|
366
|
Netherlands*
|
5,134,495
|
5,316,902
|
5,565,577
|
Netherlands Antilles
|
1,074
|
795
|
499
|
New Caledonia
|
2,610
|
2,446
|
4,522
|
New Zealand
|
104,410
|
117,006
|
114,512
|
Nicaragua
|
3,485
|
6,049
|
10,789
|
Niger
|
1,533
|
4,470
|
236
|
Nigeria
|
205,693
|
206,215
|
627,992
|
Norfolk Island
|
1
|
0
|
5
|
North Korea
|
731
|
1,407
|
1,047
|
North Mariana Is
|
15
|
1
|
134
|
Norway
|
1,341,215
|
1,709,809
|
1,572,032
|
Palestine
|
485
|
3,059
|
734
|
Oman
|
28,816
|
45,163
|
47,055
|
Pakistan
|
70,097
|
63,643
|
69,295
|
Panama
|
14,126
|
13,889
|
12,715
|
Papua New Guinea
|
9,046
|
10,971
|
1,494
|
Paraguay
|
319
|
949
|
2,234
|
Peru
|
18,289
|
25,176
|
28,623
|
Philippines
|
165,038
|
143,843
|
119,887
|
Pitcairn Islands
|
26
|
6
|
1
|
Poland*
|
1,010,015
|
912,348
|
900,497
|
Portugal
|
499,626
|
524,275
|
577,832
|
Qatar
|
29,997
|
36,384
|
45,034
|
Romania
|
327,759
|
357,298
|
462,091
|
Russian Federation*
|
326,025
|
532,468
|
627,862
|
Rwanda
|
1,238
|
457
|
815
|
Saint Helena
|
230
|
376
|
67
|
Samoa
|
467
|
239
|
426
|
San Marino
|
768
|
633
|
445
|
Sao Tome & Principe
|
49
|
19
|
12
|
Saudi Arabia*
|
403,435
|
510,300
|
526,760
|
Senegal
|
6,619
|
31,268
|
46,694
|
Serbia
|
43,343
|
48,443
|
52,955
|
Seychelles
|
1,224
|
1,648
|
1,825
|
Sierra Leone
|
1,701
|
2,076
|
3,292
|
Singapore*
|
1,021,589
|
1,058,188
|
854,449
|
Slovakia
|
89,422
|
109,834
|
112,806
|
Slovenia
|
35,655
|
60,130
|
37,396
|
Solomon Islands
|
4
|
33
|
1
|
Somalia
|
199
|
534
|
652
|
South Africa*
|
321,784
|
369,913
|
440,105
|
South Korea*
|
631,494
|
601,060
|
684,482
|
Spain*
|
4,042,121
|
4,024,697
|
3,730,963
|
Sri Lanka
|
44,484
|
55,133
|
55,057
|
St Kitts and Nevis
|
151
|
225
|
142
|
St Lucia
|
299
|
316
|
407
|
St Vincent
|
458
|
278
|
261
|
Sudan
|
12,889
|
16,967
|
13,843
|
Suriname
|
428
|
735
|
401
|
Swaziland
|
1,558
|
803
|
2,958
|
Sweden*
|
1,071,291
|
1,013,058
|
1,375,455
|
Switzerland*
|
2,896,848
|
4,404,161
|
4,446,945
|
Syria
|
25,246
|
28,827
|
26,552
|
Taiwan
|
531,732
|
353,388
|
375,559
|
Tajikistan
|
2
|
123
|
16
|
Tanzania United Rep
|
11,151
|
13,514
|
13,223
|
Thailand
|
424,216
|
383,032
|
386,411
|
Timor-Leste
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
Togo
|
3,163
|
6,095
|
10,464
|
Tokelau Islands
|
2,981
|
2,154
|
3,245
|
Tonga
|
30
|
5
|
67
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
13,303
|
12,767
|
13,293
|
Tunisia
|
24,914
|
32,126
|
27,947
|
Turkey
|
641,627
|
686,221
|
750,739
|
Turkmenistan
|
853
|
487
|
3,901
|
Turks & Caicos Is
|
64
|
41
|
128
|
Uganda
|
6,813
|
7,717
|
10,311
|
Ukraine
|
38,633
|
34,119
|
78,016
|
United Arab Emirates*
|
291,069
|
379,351
|
313,788
|
United States*
|
25,422,765
|
27,188,555
|
27,509,539
|
Uruguay
|
15,327
|
16,740
|
13,458
|
US Minor Islands
|
77
|
144
|
508
|
US Virgin Islands
|
814
|
742
|
280
|
Uzbekistan
|
796
|
679
|
1,248
|
Vanuatu
|
9
|
110
|
42
|
Venezuela
|
39,723
|
47,418
|
51,270
|
Vietnam
|
124,529
|
123,047
|
147,840
|
Yemen
|
4,638
|
13,584
|
29,916
|
Zambia
|
6,545
|
14,200
|
16,812
|
* Priority markets identified under the Government’s Trade Strategy