Syria's total foreign trade volume rose to US $20 billion in 2006 with 12 percent annual increase. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics reported
Export value increased by $10.1 billion showing 19 percent yearly increase, while import value went up to $10.62 billion, displaying 5.7 percent rise as compared to $10.04 billion previous year.
The most important export item remains the crude oil with total exports touching $4.12 billion along with other minerals, which is 40 percent of the total export.
Textile and footwear export including raw cotton, yarns and garments, touched $1.88 billion.
Italy one of the main export markets of the country purchased around 20 percent the goods worth $1.979 billion. Other overseas places where the country sells its goods are France, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Spain and Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.
Syria imports goods mainly from China and in 2006, the value touched $691 million. The country imported materials like chemicals, machinery along with other items worth $1.3 billion.
Egypt, South Korea, Italy, Turkey, Japan and Germany are the countries from where syria imports.