Wiesbaden, Germany - Germany's trade surplus declined to 176.2 billion euros (227 billion dollars) in 2008 despite a new export record, the federal statistics office said Monday.

Exports last year increased 3.1 per cent to 994.9 billion euros thanks to a strong first-half performance before the US financial crisis developed into a more generalized world trade downturn.

Imports were up 6.3 per cent to 818.6 billion euros, causing the 2008 surplus to slip back from the 195.3 billion euros recorded in 2007 - the first year-on-year decline since 2003.

The foreign trade surplus is expected to decline further this year as the effect of the global economic crisis continues.

In January, the surplus was halved to 8.5 billion euros compared to the previous month's plus of 17.3 billion euros.

Exports in January plunged 20.7 per cent to 66.6 billion euros, the steepest decline in 16 years.

Some 75 per cent of Germany's exports go to European countries. (dpa)