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

2019-20 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, 2019-20^{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 30.8% to $5.5 billion, reflecting increases in confidential goods, likely liquefied natural gas.
• Imported goods fell 16.9% to $103 million, due to a decrease in road vehicles.

China

• China was the NT’s second largest export market with exports increasing 4.7% to $2.7 billion, driven by increases in confidential items.
• Imported increased by 32.4% to $135 million, due to increases in electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances and general industrial machinery and equipment.

Taiwan

• Goods exported to Taiwan rose from $555 million to $1.4 billion, reflecting an increase in confidential items.
• Goods imported rose 62.9% to $57 million, due to an increase in petroleum and petroleum-related products.

Republic of Korea

• Goods exported to the Republic of Korea rose 20.3% to $605 million, driven by an increase in confidential items (likely liquefied natural gas).
• Goods imported rose 89.7% to $55 million, due to increases in petroleum and petroleum-related products.

Indonesia

• Goods exported to Indonesia rose 24.9% to $471 million, driven by an increase in live animal exports.
• Goods imported rose from $3 million to $15 million, due to an increase in transport equipment.

Singapore

• Goods exported to Singapore rose from $9 million to $385 million, due to a significant increase in confidential items.
• Goods imported decreased by 52.3% to $318 million, due to decreases in petroleum, petroleum-related products.

Canada

• Goods exported to Canada decreased by 27.4% to $201 million, due to decreases in confidential items and metalliferous ores and metal scrap.
• Imported goods from Canada rose from $2 million to $14 million, reflecting an increase in power generating machinery and equipment.

Vietnam

• Goods exported to Vietnam rose 19.6% to $238 million, reflecting an increase in live animal exports.
• Goods imported decreased by 76.0% from $25 million to $6 million, due to a decrease in transport equipment.

Thailand

• Goods exported to Thailand fell 51.5% to $82 million, reflecting a decrease in and petroleum, petroleum-related products.
• Goods imported fell 16.7% to $55 million, due to decreases in road vehicles.

Malaysia

• Goods exported to Malaysia fell 39.7% to $82 million, reflecting a decrease in confidential items and live animal exports.
• Goods imported fell 13.3% to $176 million, due to decreases in petroleum and petroleum‑related products .

India

• Goods exported to India rose 7.6% to $128 million, reflecting an increase in confidential items.
• Goods imported rose 20.0% to $12 million, due to increases in petroleum and petroleum-related products.

United States of America

• Goods exported to the USA fell 71.4% to $4 million, reflecting a decrease in meat and meat preparations, and power generating machinery and equipment.
• Goods imported rose 23.2% to $69 million, due to an increase in power generating machinery and 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 1.1% to $183 million.
• Goods imported fell 9.2% to $109 million, due to decreases in transport equipment (excl. road vehicles) and power generating machinery and equipment.