The three line graphs compare the value of Australian imports and exports with China, India, and the USA between 2004 and 2009, measured in billions of Australian dollars. Overall, import values were consistently higher than export values in all three countries throughout the period examined. Of particular note is that China experienced by far the most significant increase, particularly in imports towards the end of the period, whereas India’s exports followed a fluctuating pattern during the period. The figures for the USA, meanwhile, remained comparatively stable over the period studied.
Focusing on China and India first, the value of Australian imports from China stood at 20 billion in 2004, a figure that then rose steadily to around 28 billion by 2008, before surging to roughly 36 billion in 2009. Australian exports to China edged upwards, from 15 billion in 2004 to a high of about 25 billion in 2009. As for India’s imports, the figure accounted for approximately 26 billion at the outset, after which it rose substantially, attaining a peak of 35 billion by the end of the period. Moreover, India’s exports started the period at around 19 billion, the figure climbed gradually to slightly over 22 billion in 2007, before rebounding to its 2004 position in 2009.
The pattern in the USA was somewhat different. Imports from the USA showed relatively little change, remaining in the region of 20-22 billion throughout the period, while exports hovered at nearly 10-11 billion. Notably, the USA consistently recorded the lowest export and import values of the three countries during the whole period.