Major trading partners – calendar year results

The Northern Territory (NT) is geographically located close to major Asian economies including China, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, and as could be expected, these are some of the NT's major trading partners. The NT also relies on goods imports from the United States of America and the European Union, which are also identified as key trading partners. In this section, analysis on the NT's major trading partners is provided by calendar year, for both exports and imports.

2020 Activity

Please note, some of the main items of trade have been confidentialised by the ABS due to sensitivity of specific commodities and limited sources of goods and merchandise, which makes suppliers easily identifiable.

Map 1: The Territory’s major goods trading partners, 2020^{1, 2}

1  Current prices.
2  This map is produced from various sources. Department of Treasury and Finance cannot guarantee the accuracy, currency or completeness of the information. To be used as a guide only.
3  Excluding special administrative regions (Macau and Hong Kong) and Taiwan.
Source: Department of Treasury and Finance, ABS, International Trade in Goods and Services, Cat. No. 5368.0

China

China was the NT’s second largest export market, where exports fell 8.0% to $2.5 billion, driven by a decrease in the confidential items category (likely liquefied natural gas).
Goods imported fell 1.6% to 126 million, and the share of imports was 12.7%.

Japan

Japan was the NT’s largest export market in 2020, after overtaking China in 2019, however exports fell 17.5% to $4.4 billion, driven by a decrease in confidential goods (likely liquefied natural gas) and metalliferous ores and metal scrap categories.
Goods imported was unchanged at $117 million, although share of imports was 11.9% as imports from other countries decreased.

Taiwan

Goods exported to Taiwan fell 17.4% to $1.1 billion, driven by a decrease in the confidential items category (likely liquefied natural gas).
Goods imported fell 47.5% to $32 million, driven by a decrease in the petroleum and petroleum products category.

Malaysia

Goods exported to Malaysia rose 2.3% to $133 million, driven by an increase in the live animals category.
Goods imported fell 1.5% to $198 million, driven by a decrease in the transport equipment (excl. road vehicles).

Singapore

Goods exported to Singapore rose 8.2% to $291 million, driven by an increase in the confidential items category (likely liquefied natural gas).
Goods imported fell 66.4% to $161 million, driven by a decrease in the petroleum and petroleum products category.

Canada

Goods exported to Canada fell 23.6% to $198 million, driven by a decrease in the confidential items category (likely liquefied natural gas).
Goods imported fell 66.7% to $5 million, driven by a decrease in the power generating machinery and equipment category.

United States of America

Goods exported to the United States of America fell 62.5% to $3 million, driven by a decrease in the transport equipment (excl. road vehicles) category.
Goods imported fell 10.4% to $60 million, due to a decrease in telecommunications and sound recording equipment partly offset by increases in transport equipment (excl. road vehicles) and power generating machinery and equipment categories.

Indonesia

Goods exported remained unchanged.
Goods imported fell 7.7% to $12 million, driven by a decrease in the transport equipment (excl. road vehicles) category partly offset by an increase in confidential items category (likely liquefied natural gas).

Republic of Korea

Goods exported to the Republic of Korea rose 22.4% to $611 million, driven by increases in the confidential items (likely liquefied natural gas) and metalliferous ores and metal scrap categories.
Goods imported fell 57.9% to $24 million, driven by a decrease in the petroleum and petroleum products category.

India

Goods exported to India rose 45.6% to $182 million, driven by an increase in the confidential items category (likely liquefied natural gas).
Goods imported to India rose 50.0% to $15 million, driven by an increase in the petroleum and petroleum products category.

Vietnam

Goods exported to Vietnam fell 25.9% to $166 million, driven by a decrease in the live animals category.
Goods imported rose 166.7% to $8 million, driven by an increase in the confidential items category (likely liquefied natural gas).

Papua New Guinea

Goods exported to Papua New Guinea rose 13.0% to $191 million, driven by an increase in the petroleum and petroleum products category.
Goods imported remained unchanged.

European Union

The European Union (EU) consists of 27 member states, Austria, Belgium (including Belgium Luxembourg), Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France (including the French Antilles), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands (including the Netherlands Antilles), Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Goods exported to the EU rose 72.3% to $255 million, driven by an increases in confidential items (likely liquefied natural gas) and transport equipment (excl. road vehicles) categories partly offset by a decrease in the metalliferous ores and metal scrap category.
Goods imported fell 46.5% to $77 million, driven by a decrease in the transport equipment (excl. road vehicles) and power generating machinery and equipment categories.

Department of
Treasury and Finance

Northern Territory Economy