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Georgia in Int’l Trade in Services 2021

Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Photo: Mostafa Meraji / Unsplash

The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) published its first report on preliminary data regarding Georgia’s international trade in services in 2021. Trade in services refers to trade between residents and non-residents that is not related to the physical movement of goods across the border.

According to the preliminary data published on 10 August, in 2021 the export of services of Georgia amounted to USD 2.5 billion, which is 61.2% higher than in 2020. Imports amounted to USD 1.8 billion, which is 25.2% higher than the previous year. The positive trade balance meanwhile was USD 724 million, amounting to almost 6 times more than in 2020.

Per Geostat such statistics are used by both government and various international organizations to monitor a country’s economic growth and competitiveness and create policies aimed at economic development. Geostat underscored that producing statistics on international trade in services is one of the priorities outlined by the National Strategy for the Development of Official Statistics of Georgia 2020-2023 (NSDS) and the 2021-2023 Action Plan for the Implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union. Geostat plans to disseminate statistics on international trade in services on a regular basis from 2023.

Exports

In 2021, travel reclaimed first place in the list of top export types of services in Georgia, amounting to USD 1.2 billion (48.9% of total exports). Travel is followed by transport services, totaling USD 822.6 million (32.3%); and telecommunications which totaled USD 215.9 million (8.5%).

Source: Geostat

Other exports are government services – USD 82.6 million, personal, cultural, and recreational services – USD 23.1 million, financial services – USD 21.9 million, insurance services – USD 13.1 million, construction services – USD 8.7 million, manufacturing services – USD 7.7 million, charges for the use of intellectual property – 6.1 million, and other services – 99.7 million.

Georgia’s exports to EU countries amounted to 16.6% of the total exports, while 36.1% went to CIS countries, and 47.2% to other countries.

Source: Geostat

In 2021 the share of the top ten trading partners by exports in the total exports of services amounted to 61.4%. The largest exporters were Turkey (USD 365.5 million), Azerbaijan (USD 242.1 million), and Ukraine (USD 206.7 million). They are followed by Russia – USD 189.03 million, Israel – 144.7 million, Kazakhstan – 93.7 million, Saudi Arabia – 84.4 million, Germany – 81.3 million, the U.S. – 79.7 million, Belarus – 77.1 million, and other countries – 982.4 million.

Imports

The top types of services by imports in 2021 were transport services which equaled USD 1.08 billion (59.6% of total imports). It was followed by travel with USD 184.1 million (10.1%); insurance services with USD 119.3 million (6.5%).

Source: Geostat

Other imports are telecommunications – USD 95.5 million, charges for the use of intellectual property – 61.6 million, government services – 59.4 million, financial services – 25.08 million, construction services – 15.3 million, personal, cultural, and recreational services – 8.9 million, manufacturing services – 1.1 million, and other services – 165.8 million.

Georgia’s imports from EU countries amounted to 21.9% of the total imports, while 18.1% came from CIS countries, and 60% from other countries.

In 2021, the share of the top ten trading partners by imports of service of Georgia was 53.6%. The largest importers were China (USD 344.7 million), Iran (USD 121.5 million), and Turkey (USD 102.3 million). They are followed by Azerbaijan – USD 101.6 million, Germany – USD 83.5 million, Ukraine – USD 60.6 million, Bulgaria – USD 47.8 million, United Arab Emirates – 43.2 million, Poland – 37.3 million, the U.S. – USD 35.06 million, and other countries – USD 845.06 million.

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