Amman - Jordan's trade deficit widened by 27 per cent in the first 10 months of the year even though exports expanded more strongly than imports in the period, Amman reported Thursday.

The state-run Department of Statistics reported a deficit of 5.675 billion dinars (8.02 billion dollars) in this year's January-October period, compared with 4.467 billion dinars a year earlier.

The deficit came on imports of 10.3 billion dinars, up 32.2 per cent from the same period last year. Exports rose by 39 per cent to almost 4.63 billion dinars.

Saudi Arabia, Jordan's main supplier of energy, topped the list of exporters to Jordan, followed by China and Germany.

On the export side, India was Jordan's top foreign market, followed by the United States and Iraq, the report said. (dpa)