Major trading partners – Financial year results

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

Japan | China | Taiwan | Korea | Indonesia | Singapore | Canada | Vietnam | Thailand | Malaysia | India | United States of America | Europe

2018-19 Activity

Please note that 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, 2018-19^{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

Japan

• Japan was the NT’s largest export market, overtaking China, with exports increasing 129.2% to $4.2 billion, driven by increases in confidential goods, likely liquefied natural gas.
• Imported goods fell 25.7% to $124 million, due to a decrease in imported petroleum and petroleum-related products.

China

• China was the NT’s second largest export market with exports increasing 19.7% to $2.6 billion, driven by increases in confidential items and coal, coke and briquettes.
• Imported goods fell 28.7% to $102 million, due to a decrease in imported machinery and equipment.

Taiwan

• Goods exported to Taiwan rose from $5 million to $557 million, driven by an increase in confidential items.
• Goods imported rose 40.0% to $35 million, due to an increase in imported inorganic chemicals.

Korea

• Goods exported to Korea rose 89.8% to $503 million, driven by an increase in confidential items (likely liquefied natural gas).
• Goods Imported fell 77.2% to $29 million, due to decreases in imported confidential items.

Indonesia

• Goods exported to Indonesia rose 13.9% to $377 million, driven by an increase in live animal exports.
• Goods imported fell 83.3% to $3 million, due to decreases in imported iron and steel, and petroleum, petroleum products and related materials.

Singapore

• Goods exported to Singapore decreased by 72.7% to $9 million, driven by a decrease in inorganic chemicals.
• Goods imported rose 64.4% to $666 million, due to increases in imported petroleum, petroleum products and related materials.

Canada

• Goods exported to Canada rose 610.3% to $277 million, overtaking the USA as our largest North American trade partner.
• Imported goods from Canada fell 90.5% to $2 million.

Vietnam

• Goods exported to Vietnam rose 89.5% to $199 million, driven by an increase in live animal exports and confidential items.
• Goods imported rose 525.0% to $25 million, due to increases in imported transport equipment.

Thailand

• Goods exported to Thailand fell 40.1% to $169 million, driven by a decrease in confidential items and petroleum, petroleum-related products.
• Goods imported fell 2.9% to $66 million, due to decreases in general industrial machinery and equipment.

Malaysia

• Goods exported to Malaysia fell 7.5% to $136 million, driven by a decrease in live animal exports.
• Goods imported fell 30.0% to $203 million, due to decreases in petroleum and petroleum‑related products .

India

• Goods exported to India fell 24.2% to $119 million.
• Goods imported rose 66.7% to $10 million.

United States of America

• Goods exported to the USA fell 91.3% to $14 million, driven by a decrease in confidential items.
• Goods imported fell 65.6% to $56 million, due to decreases in power generating machinery and equipment.

European Union

The EU consists of 28 member states, including 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, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

• Goods exported to the EU rose 82.5% to $188 million, driven by an increase in metalliferous ores and metal scraps and confidential items.
• Goods imported fell 51% to $147 million, due to decreases in transport equipment and general industrial machinery and equipment.