MADRID, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Spain's trade deficit rose by 34.8 percent to a total of 30.59 billion euros (34.77 billion U.S. dollars) in the first 11 months of 2018 compared to the same period a year earlier, the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism reported on Tuesday.
Exports grew by 3.4 percent from January to November, 2018 to 263.857 billion euros. Exports of capital goods increased by 0.3 percent and those of the food, drinks and tobacco sector went up by 0.3 percent.
Exports shipped to EU countries accounted for 65.7 percent of the total, rising by 3.3 percent from January to November, 2018. Exports to Eurozone countries, which accounted for 51.5 percent of the total, rose by 3.2 percent from January to November year-on-year.
Meanwhile, exports to third countries represented 34.3 percent of the total, rising by 3.6 percent in the 11-month period year-on-year. Exports to Africa topped the list with a 5 percent increase, followed by exports to North America, Asia and Latin America.
Imports went up by 6 percent from January to November, 2018 to a total of 294.450 billion euros. Imports of capital goods represented 20.6 percent of the total and rose by 23 percent year-on-year in the first 11 months.
Imports of energy products went up by 18.4 percent and those of chemical products increased by 8.5 percent year-on-year.
