CHELYABINSK, July 25 - RIA Novosti. Trade turnover in the Chelyabinsk Region reached $3.5 billion in the period from January to May, with $2.5 billion in exports, according to Yury Klyopov, the regional government official in charge of economic development.
The turnover was 45.2% larger than in the first five months of 2006. Exports, traditionally dominated by the ferrous and non-ferrous metals industries, accounted for 71.3% of the total. Mr. Klepov named Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States as the principal importers.
The Chelyabinsk Region is 2,300 km southeast of Moscow, on the border between Europe and Asia. It ranks tenth in Russia for industrial output. The ferrous and non-ferrous metals industry is its principal economic activity, accounting for 27% of rolled and other steel and 13.5% of steel piping manufactured in Russia.
