The Dominican Republic imported 10,719,032 metric tons of cargo from January to December 1998. Export cargo was only 1,672,993 metric tons. The nation balances its high import bill with receipts from the export of free zone and tourism services. Most of the cargo entered the DR by the Haina Oriental and Haina Occidental ports in western Santo Domingo. Those ports handled 6.9 million metric tons in imports and 733,782 million metric tons of exports. Ports handling the remaining 4.6 million metric tons were Santo Domingo, Boca Chica, San Pedro de Macor?s, Puerto Plata, Azua, Barahona, Manzanillo, La Romana and Pedernales.
