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.

2021-22 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, 2020-21^{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, with exports increasing 134.2% to $7.6 billion, reflecting increases in confidential goods, likely liquefied natural gas.
Imported goods increased 10.3% to $150 million, due to an increase in iron and steel.

China

China was the NT’s second largest export market with exports increasing 1.5% to $2.3 billion, driven by increases in metalliferous ores and metal scrap.
Imported goods increased by 37.0% to $137 million, due to an increase in confidential items.

Taiwan

Goods exported to Taiwan grew by 48.2% to $1.3 billion, reflecting an increase in confidential items.
Goods imported increased by 370.3% to $174 million, due to increases in petroleum and petroleum-related products and inorganic chemicals.

Republic of Korea

Goods exported to the Republic of Korea rose 88.3% to $1.3 billion, driven by an increase in confidential items (likely liquefied natural gas).
Goods imported rose 497.4% to $466 million, due to increases in petroleum and petroleum-related products.

Indonesia

Goods exported to Indonesia increased by 42.1% to $554 million, driven by an increase in confidential items.
Goods imported decreased from $16 million to $9 million, due to a decrease in confidential items.

Singapore

Goods exported to Singapore increased by 194.5% to $1.8 billion, due to an increase in confidential items.
Goods imported increased by 109.7% to $323 million, due to increases in petroleum, petroleum-related products and confidential items.

Canada

Goods exported to Canada decreased by 81.8% to $29 million, due to decreases in confidential items and metalliferous ores and metal scrap.
Imported goods from Canada fell from $17 million to $1 million, reflecting a decrease in power generating machinery and equipment.

Vietnam

Goods exported to Vietnam fell by 5.5% to $103 million, reflecting a decrease in live animal exports.
Goods imported increased from $6 million to $10 million, reflecting an increase in confidential items.

Thailand

Goods exported to Thailand increased by 432.8% to $730 million, reflecting an increase in confidential items.
Goods imported increased by 9.2% to $107 million, reflecting an increase in manufactures of metals.

Malaysia

Goods exported to Malaysia decreased 7.1% to $144 million, reflecting a decrease in metalliferous ores and metal scrap.
Goods imported fell by 34.8% to $191 million, reflecting a decrease in petroleum and petroleum‑related products.

India

Goods exported to India fell 1.5% to $191 million, reflecting a decrease in electricity machinery, apparatus and appliances.
Goods imported rose from $13 million to $14 million, reflecting increases in manufactures of metals, confidential items and inorganic chemicals.

United States of America

Goods exported to the USA increased from $4 million to $6 million, reflecting an increase in transport equipment.
Goods imported rose by 30.8% to $68 million, reflecting an increase in transport equipment.

European Union

The 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 fell by 25.0% to $189 million, reflecting a decrease in confidential items and transport equipment.
Goods imported rose 29.2% to $93 million, reflecting increases in iron and steel and non-metallic mineral manufactures.

Department of
Treasury and Finance

Northern Territory Economy