The country's overall exports in this year's first ten months amounted to 42.4 billion kuna or USD 7.2 billion, while imports amounted to 91.2 billion kuna or USD 15.4 billion, the Central Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.
Expressed in kuna, exports increased by seven percent and imports by 10.6 percent from the same period last year.
Expressed in US dollars, exports increased by 10.6 percent, while imports rose by 14.3 percent.
Foreign trade deficit went up by 17.8 percent or USD 1.2 billion to 48.7 billion kuna or USD 8.2 billion, exceeding the value of exports by one billion dollars.
The export-import ratio of 48.1 percent in the first ten months last year dropped to 46.6 percent this year. In the first nine months this year the ratio was 47.4 percent.
These developments were influenced by trade in October, which saw this year's lowest export-import ratio of 39.8 percent.
Exports in October amounted to USD 684 million, which is among the lower monthly exports this year.
At the same time, imports amounted to more than USD 1.7 billion, which is the second highest monthly import in 2005.