The line graph highlights data about the percentage of exports from Australia to four different countries – Japan, China, India and the US – between 1990 and 2012.
Overall, what stands out from the graph is that Japan was the largest importer of Australian goods for the most of the period, while there were considerable upward trends in exports of China. However, the US and India exhibited differing trends but ended at similarly low levels.
In 1990, Japan accounted for 25%, which meant that it was the highest importers among the other three countries. This figure initially saw a slight increase, but then decreased steadily over the next 15 years, eventually stopping at just above 15%. After 2005, the figure experienced a gradual growth, after which Japan saw a slight dip, consequently closing at approximately 17%.
China, on the other hand, started off at around 3%, the highest importer after India in 1990. However, the trend for China was one of the continuous growth, especially accelerating in the second half of the period. By the end of the period, it had overtaken Japan, closing at just over 25%, the highest figure on the graph.
The other two countries – India and the US – bucked the foregoing trend. The US started with the second largest export share, but it fluctuated throughout the period, ultimately ending at just above 5%. Although India began with a mere 2%,there were steadily rising trends, reaching peak of 7% in 2010. However, this peak was not maintained, and India’s export share declined to 5% by the end of the period.