Germany's third quarter exports increased from the same quarter last year, data from the Federal Statistical Office showed on Tuesday.

Exports rose by 3.6 percent to EUR 275 billion in the third quarter, largely driven by shipments to countries outside the European Union. Shipments to these countries surged 9.9 percent to EUR 122.3 billion and their share of total German exports rose to 44.4 percent.

German exports to the U.S., South Korea and Japan grew strongly. Shipments to Russia and China also increased.

European Union countries received less German exports than last year. Exports to the EU nations dropped 0.9 percent to EUR 153 billion. Within this, exports to the euro area declined 3 percent from last year.

Shipments to France grew, while those to Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece declined. Outside Eurozone, exports to the U.K. jumped 13.9 percent.

In contrast, Germany's imports fell by 0.4 percent year-on-year to EUR 225.3 billion, during the third quarter. Arrivals from the EU were unchanged from last year with imports from euro area rising 0.9 percent and those from non-euro countries falling 1.9 percent.

Imports from countries outside the EU decreased 0.9 percent and their share of total imports was 44.5 percent.

RTTNews