Top Australian Exports & Imports

Most Popular Products Traded Between Australia & America

Sep 10, 2007 Daniel Workman

Exports from the United States, particularly military supplies, spearhead the growing U.S. surplus with America's Aussie trade mates.

With a population of some 21 million, Australia exported US$8.2 billion worth of merchandise to the United States in 2006, up 11.8% from 2005 and up 26.7% since 2002.

Australian imports from the U.S. rose 12.3% to $17.8 billion in 2006, up 36% since 2002. The United States is Australia's top trade partner in terms of imports, well ahead of China and Japan.

In terms of the merchandise flow between the two countries, America’s trade surplus with Australia was $9.6 billion in 2006, up 45% from 2002. The U.S. trade surplus with Australia increased 12.8% in 2006 – down from the 27% surplus increase in 2005 from the year earlier.

Australian Exports to U.S.

Of the $8.2 billion in American imports from Australia in 2006, the following product categories had the highest values.

1. Meat products including poultry …US$1.3 billion (15.7% of Australian to U.S. exports, up 2.8% from 2005)
2. Wine & related products … $768 million (9.4%, up 0.2%)
3. Semi-finished iron & steel mill products … $454.5 million (5.5%, up 96.5%)
4. Items returned to U.S. then reimported … $392.7 million (4.8%, down 4.8%)
5. Nickel … $365.9 million (4.5%, up 92.7%)
6. Other scientific, medical & hospital equipment … $339.2 million (4.1%, up 26.1%)
7. Industrial inorganic chemicals … $336.3 million (4.1%, up 21.1%)
8. Medicinal, dental & pharmaceutical preparations … $305.3 million (3.7%, up 25.1%)
9. Non-steel finished metal shapes … $276.7 million (3.4%, up 871.3%)
10. New & used passenger cars … $242.8 million (3%, down 12.7).

Fastest-Growing Australian Exports to U.S.

Below are American imports from Australia in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.

1. Other petroleum products … US$13.8 million (up 1,116% from 2005)
2. Non-steel finished metal shapes … $276.7 million (up 871%)
3. Zinc … $43.9 million (up 581%)
4. Plywood and veneers … $5.8 million (up 407%)
5. Plastic materials … $20.3 million (up 145%).

Australian Imports from U.S.

Of the $17.8 billion in American exports to Australia in 2006, the following product categories had the highest values.

1. Materials handling equipment … US$876.9 million (4.9% of Australian from U.S. imports, up 46.6% from 2005)
2. Civilian aircraft … $744.6 million (4.2%, up 8.3%)
3. Medicinal equipment … $733 million (4.1%, up 18.3%)
4. Minimum value shipments … $718.6 million (4%, up 14%)
5. Excavating equipment … $714 million (4%, up 7.3%)
6. Telecommunications equipment … $710.9 million (4%, up 14.5%)
7. Pharmaceutical preparations … $663.7 million (3.7%, up 0.5%)
8. Computer accessories … $586 million (3.3%, up 15.3%)
9. Other vehicle parts & accessories … $478 million (2.7%, up 9.2%)
10. Other industrial machines … $469.8 million (2.6%, up 26.3%).

Fastest-Growing Australian Imports from U.S.

Below are American exports to Australia in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.

1. Complete military aircraft … US$114.4 million (up 43,545% from 2005)
2. Natural gas liquids … $20.5 million (up 3,661%)
3. Aircraft launching gear and related items (e.g. parachutes) … $22.4 million (up 551%)
4. Non-monetary gold … $125.7 million (up 309%)
5. Military trucks & armoured vehicles … $89.9 million (up 302%).

Sources

This analysis is based on latest statistics from the US Census Bureau - Foreign Trade Statistics and CIA World Factbook as of the date of article publication.

Sources for this Article

For a list of source materials complete with links to the most current information on country-specific GDP, trade partners, imports and exports, visit the Richest Research Sources panel at the top right of the World’s Richest Countries website. That site is a reference toolkit developed specifically for international trade researchers.

The copyright of the article Top Australian Exports & Imports in International Trade is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish Top Australian Exports & Imports in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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