Investigation of foreing trade of forest products of Turkey with gravity model

Globalization exceeds the economic limits, so that many countries want to get more share world trade volume by reducing barriers in trade. As long as export and import, which done in general product groups, are analyzed correctly by trade partners, they make a contribution to economic growth and development. Forest products industry sector has different structure from expected in Turkey?s foreign trade volume. This deficiency can be compensated with investigations and evaluations, and so due place can be gotten in foreign trade. In this study, it is aimed to determine worldwide quantity and volume of forest products? export and import of Turkey. Therefore, panel data set between 2003 and 2008 is examined by gravity model. Export and import quantity are dependent variables. Industrial wood of the countries, economic size of trading countries, population of the country, distances between capital cities, language and border conterminous countries are used as independent variables.According to the results, it is determined that GDP of exporting and importing countries have positive effect on trade flows. Economic and population size of countries have positive effect on trade flow but distance has negative effect on it. Empirical findings show that there is a positive and strong relationship between foreign trade of forest products and foreign trade in Turkey.Key Words: Forest Products, Trade, Turkey, Export, Import, Gravity model