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VILNIUS, Jun 30, BNS - Lithuania's exports grew by 28.5 percent in 2008 compared with 2007 to reach 55.511 billion litas (EUR 16.1 b), while its imports rose by 18.7 percent to 73.006 billion litas, revised data from the Statistics Department showed on Tuesday.

The country's foreign trade deficit last year narrowed by 4.5 percent to 17.495 billion litas, according to final data from customs declarations and Intrastat reports. Excluding mineral products, the country's exports increased by 11.8 percent and imports were up by 1 percent.

The export of Lithuanian-origin goods alone rose by 31.6 percent; excluding mineral products, the increasewas 5.8 percent.

Russia remained Lithuania's biggest export partner in 2008, accounting for 16 percent of all exports, followed by Latvia with 11.6 percent, Germany with 7.2 percent and Poland with 5.8 percent. Russia also topped the import rankings, with 29.9 percent of all imports, followed by Germany with 11.8 percent, Poland with 10 percent and Latvia with 5.2 percent.

The European Union accounted for 60.3 percent of all exports in 2008 and 57.6 percent of all imports. Some 25.8 percent of Lithuania's exports went to the CIS markets, and 33.9 percent of its imports came from those countries. (EUR 1 = LTL 3.45)