The line graph illustrates the value of Australian exports to four countries between 1990 and 2012.
Overall, exports to China and the US increased, with China experiencing a dramatic rise and becoming the largest export destination by the end of the period. In contrast, exports to Japan declined steadily, while India showed a gradual upward trend despite a slight fall at the end.
Exports to Japan were the highest at the beginning, standing at approximately 26 billion in 1990. However, this figure decreased consistently over the period, reaching around 17 billion in 2012. Meanwhile, exports to the US fluctuated. They started at about 11 billion, fell to 8 billion in 1995, then recovered to roughly the same level in 2000 before declining slightly again towards the end of the period.
By comparison, exports to China began at a very low level of around 1 billion in 1990 but rose sharply throughout the period. By 2012, they had surged to approximately 27 billion, overtaking Japan and the US to become Australia’s largest export market. Similarly, exports to India increased steadily from about 2 billion to around 7 billion in 2010, before experiencing a minor decline in the final years.