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
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, 2020-211, 2

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.