From January to August 2004, the Dominican Republic exported goods and services to the United States worth US$2.8188 billion and imported US$2.9358 billion, for a favorable balance of US$117 million, reports El Caribe newspaper today. The newspaper explains that fewer goods were imported given the economic recession and the peso’s depreciation, while exports increased slightly. The trade balance between the US and the DR favored the US in 2000, 2001 and 2002, years of economic slow-down in the US economy. The DR exports 85% of all its goods to the US. An additional 7.5% is exported to Europe and 1.5% to Asia. The US is also the source of 30% of all visitors and 80% of remittances from family members abroad.