International trade

Growth in exports of merchandise in Asia-Pacific slowed down in 2012 (2.2%) and 2013 (2.1%) from 29.9% in 2010 and 19.5% in 2011. A similar slowdown was also recorded in imports of merchandise, where growth rates dropped to 4.3% in 2012 and 2.3% in 2013. Despite the slowdown, the Asia-Pacific region accounts for 36.6% of global merchandise exports and 36.1% of global merchandise imports, making it the biggest trading region in the world, in terms of both imports and exports, overtaking Europe in 2012.

Related Subject(s): Population and Demography