Australia Import and Export Statistics 2025 — 25 Key Figures

Australia Import and Export Statistical Figures in 2025

1. Australia’s biggest export commodity is iron ore, averaging 800-900 million tons yearly.

Australia’s plentiful supply of natural resources makes it the second-largest accessible reserve of iron ore in the world. The country’s exports account for 22% of its total export revenue.

2. Analysts projected that Australia’s total exports to China in 2025 will reach $120.22 billion.

China’s rapid military investment contributes to its growing appetite. Its uncompromised and free-tariff trading relationship with Australia saves 23.3% of its global purchasing. 

3. Australia spends A$526.8 billion yearly on its total imports. 

The country’s largest imports include refined petroleum, cars, and machinery (mostly from China). As a result, Australia spends 20.5% of its total imports from China. 

4. The US-Australia Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) provides a 30% gain in the countries’ import and export revenue.

Since its implementation, the AUSFTA has boosted trade between the US and Australia. The two-way trade is expected to grow by $81 billion in 2027, with Australian exports to the US increasing by 11% yearly.

5. Australia’s iron and steel exports to the US average $200 million yearly.

This includes flat-rolled products, semi-finished products, and stainless steel. However, analysts forecasted it will decline by 5.6% due to the challenging North American infrastructure market conditions and evolving steel technologies. 

6. The China-Australia trading relationship in 2025 is still heavily reliant on traditional minerals, with iron ore, liquid natural gas, and coal representing 80% of Australia’s exports to China.

China’s rapid industrialization and urbanization are projected to grow between 3% to 4.5% in 2025. Thus, the country’s modernization projects largely rely on Australian mineral and metal exports.

7. Australia’s growing transportation and manufacturing industries will significantly contribute a 25% increase to its annual petroleum consumption. 

According to Statista, the oil market in the country is expected to reach 5.27 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025, with an anticipated annual growth rate of 0.38% from 2025-2029.

8. The Australian government plans to invest 15% of its budget to streamline global rare earth elements (REE) manufacturing.

The country holds 4% of the world’s REE reserves. The investments in REE will grow significantly in 2025 as it aims to produce and process these metal elements.

9. The Reserve Bank of Australia expects China’s demand for Australian iron ore to fall by 80% in 2030. The outlook for coal will also change as China adjusts its energy investment.

The country invests heavily in green energy to achieve significant milestones in 2030. As a result, it plans to increase its annual renewable energy consumption to 5 billion tons of standard coal equivalent (SCE) by 2030, marking a forecasted 36% increase from 2025.

10. The country’s lead metal export sales will decline by 2% due to reduced global battery demand.

Metal analysts warned that global battery demand growth (particularly lithium-ion batteries) will decrease by about 10%-15% in 2030 due to sustainable and efficient technology consumption. 

11. Australia’s renewable imports account for 35% of the nation’s total electricity generation.

The government’s Powering Australia plan aims to reduce household energy bills by providing a $300 rebate to every household. As a result, the country’s increasing shift to sustainable energy consumption will reduce its LNG dependence in 2030 by 12%.

12. The nickel industry will gain 5% profits because of resumed EV battery production, particularly in the Chinese car market.

China’s electric vehicle manufacturing and sales expansion in Southeast Asia, Europe, and emerging markets require significant metal resources. In 2025, its EV exports are estimated to reach 2 million units, sharing about 15% of the global EV market.

13. Australia’s red meat exports are expanding to 57 countries and they are located in Europe, North America, and East Asia.

Australia’s red meat competitive pricing and quality, and the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement contributed to its rising demand in these regions. As a result, red meat exports are forecasted to increase by 5%-7% in North America, Europe, and East Asia in 2025.

14. Australia’s Department of Industry, Science, and Resources data showed that the country’s projected metallurgical coal exports for fiscal year 2025-2026 will increase by 1.2%.

The expansion of new Australian mining operations and favorable weather conditions will support the positive metallurgical coal export outlook. Experts predicted a 5% improvement in total output.

15. Australian beef production is expected to increase by 2.4 million metric tons in the first half of 2025 due to reduced U.S. beef output.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts a 4% decline in beef production in 2025 because of cattle stock shortage. The North American imbalanced production prompted the region to increase beef imports from Argentina, Australia, and Brazil.

16. The country’s table grape, almond, and macadamia production will have a combined production value of $5 billion, supporting domestic and international demand.

Favorable weather conditions and improved water availability provided a positive production for Australia’s horticulture industry. This resulted in a 10% increase (518,950 metric tons) in total combined output of table grapes, almonds, and macadamia.

17. Gold exploration expenditure will increase by more than 25% in 2025.

As Australia aims to achieve 400 tons of output in 2027, it continues to incentivize exploration as high gold prices support its metal projects. 

18. The Australian wool output in 2025 remains strong, with an average of 3 million metric tons. However, slow economic conditions in Chinese and European markets offer modest gains to the industry.

Despite favorable output margins, the country’s wool struggles to maintain marketability in China (due to competitive synthetic cotton and polymer) and Europe (due to increased recycling practices and reduced consumer spending) markets. This trend suggests a potential decrease in sales by 20%.

19. Australia-Asia Power Link approves the $19 billion solar power project that will supply 15% of Singapore’s energy.

This renewable energy project is designed to export solar-generated electricity from Australia’s Northern Territory to Singapore via a 4,300 km subsea cable. This initiative aims to import up to 4 gigawatts of low-carbon electricity by 2035 and achieve 50% electricity reliance from renewables by 2050.

20. Australia’s forecasted total export earnings from resources and energy in 2025-2026 will ease from $415 billion to $372 billion because of the lower global prices and slow economic growth.

Lower global metal prices and slower economic growth affected Australia’s metal exports (4.5% in total sales). However, experts predict the sector will recover in 2-3 years, depending on economic recovery and stability in demand from industrial sectors.

21. The anticipated recovery of the lithium market in 2030 will translate to a 17% increase in global demand and Australia is expected to add more supply of this metal to fill in the gap.

While the global lithium market experiences a supply surplus (84,000 metric tons), analysts forecasted that its stock will narrow down to 34,000 metric tons due to producers scaling back operations and investment reevaluation. Thus, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence estimated a 300,000 tons lithium carbonate equivalent supply deficit in 2030.

22. The Western Australian government will invest more than $30 million in infrastructure for the Kalgoorlie Goldfields region to capitalize on the growing domestic and international demand for gold, rare earth metals, and lithium processing.

Kalgoorlie Goldfields’ capacity to drive economic growth, create jobs, and enhance the region’s industrial capability encourages the Australian government to invest in 2 initiatives:

• Yilkari Industrial Park Project – Its industrial and mining sectors secure 850 permanent jobs and a projected $300 million yearly revenue.
• Gold Mining Sector – One of the largest gold-producing areas in the country and is expected to generate $25 billion in export revenue.

23. Trading Economics econometric models showed that Australian Export Prices QoQ (quarter on quarter) is projected to trend around 1.40% in 2025 and 0.50% in 2026.

The drop in Australian export prices mirrors its declining commodity earnings to $256 billion. The contributing factors are lower coal prices (expected to average $204 per ton) and a 22% decrease in iron ore prices due to weak demand in China’s property market.

24. Australia’s LNG export revenues are forecasted to fall to $60 billion in 2025–2026 due to aging processing facilities.

Australia’s older facilities (sharing 60% of its LNG export output) are reaching the end of their operational lifespan. These aging facilities can’t maintain production levels, requiring replacement or upgrades.

25. Gold exports are expected to earn $35 billion in 2025-2026 due to easing borrowing policies, increased purchasing by emerging market central banks, geopolitical tensions, and worries over the Chinese property market.

A weakening Australian dollar (10%-13%) against the US dollar and the country’s inflation rate of 2.1% enhance the marketability of Australian gold exports. These currency dynamics and safe investment alternatives boost export gains and improve profit margins.

Conclusion

Australia’s economy is affected by the global and industrial volatile economy and its top import and export markets. Its abundant iron ore is a crucial player in the market. Also, the fluctuating global metal prices, changing industrial demands, and geopolitical tensions influence its export earnings.

The demand for minerals, metals, and energy resources from China and the US shapes Australia’s economic outlook. The Free Trade Agreements boost trade revenues, but any disruptions in these relationships have ripple effects on Australia’s stability.

On the import side, Australia’s reliance on refined petroleum, cars, and machinery emphasizes the interconnectedness of global supply chains. Investments in renewable energy and rare earth elements reflect Australia’s strategic efforts to diversify and secure its economic future.

However, the aging infrastructure for LNG and varying demand for iron and steel highlight the need for adaptive economic strategies. Thus, the global economic trends and Australia’s trade dynamics will continue to shape its economic resilience and growth.