Germany saw a strong year of growth in 2010, with an overall increase in exports of 18.5 percent. The National Statistics Office announced Wednesday that German exports rose by 0.5 percent in December, after also gaining 0.5 percent in November.

The figures rounded off a good year for the world's second biggest exporter after China. The increase in exports last year kick-started the German economy, which bounced back to grow by 3.6 percent.

Germany exported goods and services worth a total of 81.7 billion euros ($111.3 billion) in December and 951.9 billion euros over the whole of 2010.

Meanwhile, imports jumped 20 percent last year, but slumped by 2.3 percent month-on-month in December after rising by 4.1 percent in November.

This resulted in the seasonally adjusted trade surplus widening to 14 billion euros ($19 billion) in December, from 11.8 billion euros in November.

Despite the debt crisis gripping the eurozone, German exports to the currency bloc climbed by 12.7 percent last year.

German exports to non-European nations, which include the world's leading emerging economies as well as the United States, also jumped by 24.7 percent in 2010.

Author: Joanna Impey (AP, dpa)
Editor: Martin Kuebler