World’s 66th biggest importer

Trade volume at $5.97 billion in the first quarter of 2011: WTO report

July 25, 2011- Lebanon ranked in 83rd place among 95 countries around the world and in last place among 10 Arab countries in terms of merchandise exports during the first quarter of 2011.

According to figures issued by the World Trade Organization, the country’s regional ranking was unchanged from the same period last year, but its global rank dropped by one notch.

Exports decreased marginally by 0.5 percent year-on-year compared to an increase of 22 percent for world exports and a rise of 36 percent for the exports of Arab countries included in the survey. Lebanese exports accounted for 0.03 percent of global exports and for 0.7 percent of aggregate Arab exports in the first quarter of 2011.

Lebanon ranked in 66th place among 94 countries globally and in 7th place among 9 Arab countries included in the survey in terms of merchandise imports in the first quarter of 2011. Lebanon's ranking was unchanged regionally, but was up by one spot globally relative to the same period of 2010.

Lebanon's trade volume amounted to $5.97 billion in the first quarter of 2011 compared to $5.77 billion in the same period last year.