External trade in ICT goods (discontinued), 2001

This article is based on a delimitation drawn up by the national statistical offices in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. The delimitation includes the product groups telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, computers, electronic components, office machines and measurement- and control equipment, and are described in greater detail in "About the statistics." Exports and imports of software are not included in the delimitation. Preliminary figures from the External trade in goods constitute the foundation for the article.

Norway's net import of ICT goods is huge. In 2001 imports were about two and a half times as big as the value of exports. However, in this year the product group measurement- and control equipment for the first time had an export surplus. Total exports of ICT goods increased in current prices from NOK 9 222 million in 1996 to 15 223 million in 2001, while total imports of ICT goods grew from NOK 22 569 million in 1996 to 34 203 million in 2001. In 2001 this resulted in a negative balance of NOK 18 980 million. From 1996 to 2001, the relative trade deficit in such goods fell. The ration between exports and imports of ICT goods in Norwegian external trade was 0,445 in 2001 compared with 0,409 in 1996.

Exports and imports of ICT goods grew faster than the average external trade. From 1996 to 2001 Norwegian exports of ICT goods grew 65,1 per cent in current prices, while imports in the same period increased by 51,5 per cent. From 1996 to 2001 total Norwegian exports, oil and natural gas excluded, grew by 38,0 per cent at the same time as imports rose by 28,8 per cent. Consequently, ICT good's share of total external trade increased slightly. From 1996 to 2001, ICT good's percentage of total exports increased from 5,9 to 7,1 per cent. During the same period the percentage of ICT goods in relation to imports increased by 10,2 to 12,0 per cent.

In 2001, telecommunications equipment, measurement- and control equipment and computers were the three top export groups, with NOK 5 160, 3 273 and 2 814 millions respectively. Telecommunications equipment accounted for about 34 per cent of the value of ICT exports. In 2001, computers made up the largest import group by far, accounting for NOK 13 889 millions or about 41 per cent of the value of ICT imports. In second place was telecommunications equipment, with NOK 8 240 million. From 1996 to 2001 the distribution of the product groups within external trade in ICT goods was relatively stable.

Tables:

• Table 1 Exports and imports of ICT goods. 1996-2001. Million kroner
• Table 2 External trade 1996-2001. Index. 1996=100
• Table 3 The export-import ratio of ICT goods. 1996-2001. Per cent
• Table 4 Exports and imports of ICT goods as a proportion of total external trade. 1996-2001. Million kroner