globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Australia and the United States

In 2024, Australia exported $15.4 billion to the United States and imported $34.2 billion. Australia ran a deficit of $18.8 billion with the United States, compared with a deficit of $15.7 billion in 2019. The United States was Australia’s 3rd largest trading partner (8% of its trade), and Australia was the United States’ 22nd (1%).

Summary

Australia → United States
$15.4billion
United States → Australia
$34.2billion
Australia’s balance
-$18.8billion

Balance

Australia’s trade balance with the United States

Trade between Australia and the United States grew 3-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Australia’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 15.4
  • Imports 34.2
  • Balance -18.8

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$3.5 billion$12.8 billion-$9.3 billion
1996$4.1 billion$14.2 billion-$10.2 billion
1997$4.9 billion$13.4 billion-$8.5 billion
1998$6 billion$13.2 billion-$7.2 billion
1999$5.3 billion$13.4 billion-$8.2 billion
2000$6.3 billion$13.8 billion-$7.4 billion
2001$6.2 billion$11.7 billion-$5.5 billion
2002$6.7 billion$13.1 billion-$6.3 billion
2003$6.3 billion$14 billion-$7.7 billion
2004$7.6 billion$15.9 billion-$8.3 billion
2005$7.4 billion$17.1 billion-$9.6 billion
2006$8.4 billion$19.3 billion-$11 billion
2007$8.7 billion$20.9 billion-$12.2 billion
2008$10.8 billion$23.9 billion-$13.1 billion
2009$7.8 billion$18.8 billion-$11 billion
2010$8.5 billion$22.2 billion-$13.7 billion
2011$10 billion$27 billion-$17 billion
2012$9.1 billion$29.1 billion-$20 billion
2013$8.4 billion$24.6 billion-$16.2 billion
2014$10.3 billion$24.1 billion-$13.7 billion
2015$10.4 billion$22.8 billion-$12.4 billion
2016$9 billion$21.2 billion-$12.2 billion
2017$9.3 billion$23.9 billion-$14.6 billion
2018$9.6 billion$24.8 billion-$15.2 billion
2019$10.4 billion$26.1 billion-$15.7 billion
2020$13.5 billion$24.7 billion-$11.2 billion
2021$11.3 billion$26.5 billion-$15.2 billion
2022$13.9 billion$30.8 billion-$16.9 billion
2023$13.4 billion$32 billion-$18.6 billion
2024$15.4 billion$34.2 billion-$18.8 billion

What they sell each other

What Australia sells to the United States

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Frozen beef$1.7 billion · 11%
    278 thousand tonnes
  2. Vaccines, blood and antisera$1.3 billion · 8.1%
    810 tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  3. Other precious metal articles$1.2 billion · 7.5%
    23 tonnes
  4. Gold$1.1 billion · 7.5%
    18 tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  5. Fresh beef$1.1 billion · 7.3%
    101 thousand tonnes
  6. Lamb and goat meat$1.1 billion · 7.3%
    129 thousand tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  7. Uranium and thorium ore$432 million · 2.8%
    3 thousand tonnes
  8. Massage and respiratory therapy devices$430 million · 2.8%
    4 thousand tonnes
  9. Orthopedic and hearing devices$371 million · 2.4%
    134 tonnes
  10. Aircraft parts$365 million · 2.4%
    495 tonnes

What the United States sells to Australia

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Airplanes and helicopters$1.6 billion · 4.7%
    the United States’ destinations
  2. Vaccines, blood and antisera$1.5 billion · 4.3%
    4 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  3. Trucks$1.4 billion · 4.1%
    96 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  4. Cars$1.2 billion · 3.6%
    46 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  5. Gold$1.2 billion · 3.5%
    18 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  6. Computers$1.2 billion · 3.4%
    2 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  7. Medical and dental instruments$1.1 billion · 3.1%
    12 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  8. Batteries$1 billion · 3%
    22 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  9. Turbojets and gas turbines$920 million · 2.7%
    214 tonnes · the United States’ destinations
  10. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$884 million · 2.6%
    4 thousand tonnes · the United States’ destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Sydney to Los Angeles.

The estimated sea route between Sydney and Los Angeles is 7,283 nautical miles (13,488 km) long: ≈ 17–21.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

It does not cross any major canal or strait.

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$25.8 billion · 52%
  2. Air$23.8 billion · 48%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The United States was Australia’s 3rd largest trading partner (8% of its trade), and Australia was the United States’ 22nd (1%).

The United States in Australia’s trade
7.6%
The United States’ rank among Australia’s partners
3rd
Australia in the United States’ trade
1%
Australia’s rank among the United States’ partners
22nd

Compare with

Other partners of Australia

Other partners of the United States

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.