Indonesia's total export rose by 23. 94 percent to 54.77 billion US dollars in the first eight months of 2005 from 44.19 billion in the corresponding period last year, according to a report from the Central Statistics Agency distributed on Monday.

Oil and gas exports increased by 21.85 percent to 12.2 billion and non-oil export climbed 24.55 percent to 42.57 billion, the agency said.

Japan was the largest non-oil export destination with 6.22 billion, trailed by the United States with 6.12 billion, Singapore with 4.77 billion and China with 2.5 billion.

In August alone, total export was up slightly by 0.56 percent to 7.03 billion against 6.99 billion in the preceding month.

The agency also reported a 32.22 percent surge in total import, which stood at 38.68 billion dollars in the January-August period of this year, as opposed to 29.25 billion in the same period last year.

Over the period, crude oil import rose by 30.99 percent to 5.03 billion dollars and refined oil products import rocketed 97.95 percent to 6.42 billion.

Non-oil import was up 22.81 percent to 27.21 billion dollars.

The largest non-oil import came from Japan, amounting to 4.87 billion dollars or 17.91 percent of Indonesia's total non-oil import. China ranked second with 4.1 billion (11.41 percent), the United States third with 2.52 billion (9.28 percent) and Thailand fourth with 2.16 billion (7.96 percent).

Monthly import rose by 32.22 percent to 5.4 billion dollars in September from 4.81 billion in July.

Source: Xinhua