Rich in nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, guano is an excellent fertiliser, and its collection and export on an industrial scale provoked territorial disputes, even wars, during the 19th century.
If you have to import cars and all sorts of manufactured goods, you will be importing on a large scale; to trade for them you will need to create additional goods or services that you can export on an equally large scale.
It both imports and exports on a large scale, but overall it is a net exporter.
Spanish exports, on a positive trend until recently, have stopped rising.
Sheep breeding was the basis for a woolen industry, and textiles collected by the palace were exported on a large scale.
Total exports on a customs-cleared basis, which excludes ships, rose 8.5percentt in October from a year earlier, compared with a 27.7percentt gain in September.
In response to local concerns about the loss of critical food supplies, several governments have imposed taxes or other restrictions on exports: on a key ingredient of fertiliser in China, on grain in Argentina, on rice in India.
Despite this, sales of previously owned homes fell by 5.3% in January.Japan's exports on a customs basis plunged, leaving them 45.7% lower in the year to January.
Imports rose by 4.8%, faster than exports, which grew by 3.3%.In this section Overview Output, prices and jobs The Economist commodity-price index China Trade, exchange rates, budget balances and interest rates Markets Foreign direct investment ReprintsChina's exports on a customs basis grew by 21% in the twelve months to January.
