Bahrain's trade surplus rose 53 percent in 2003 to 454 million dinars ($1.2 billion) compared to a 294 million dinar surplus in 2002, the central bank said.
An annual report by the Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA), obtained by Reuters on Sunday, said the surplus was the kingdom's fifth in as many years.
The report said the oil sales contributed 982.6 million dinars to the surplus, compared to 858.8 million a year earlier.
Non-oil trade, however, showed a deficit of 528.5 million dinars in 2003, which was narrower from 2002's deficit of deficit of 564.8 million.
BMA said crude oil production rose by 1.5 percent to 68.9 million barrels in 2003 compared to 67.9 million barrels in 2002. The offshore Abu-Sa'afa oilfield production level reached 55.1 million barrels, accounting for 80 percent of total crude oil production, it added.
Bahrain, a small independent oil producer, uses the entire production of the field which it shares with Saudi Arabia. It also imports Saudi crude for refining.
The report said imports of Saudi Arabian crude increased by three percent to reach 79 million barrels in 2003.
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