Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 30—International accounts and trade 1035
30.28 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS, By Commodity—continued
1998–99
1999–00
Exports
%
contribution
1998–99
1999–00
Imports
%
contribution
Standard International Trade Classification
$m $m
$m $m
Miscellaneous manufactured articles
Prefabricated buildings; sanitary, plumbing,
heating and lighting fixtures and fittings,
n.e.s.(b) 79 77 0.1 310 380 0.3
Furniture, parts thereof; bedding, mattresses,
mattress supports, cushions and similar
stuffed furnishings 109 123 0.1 797 1 003 0.9
Travel goods, handbags and similar containers 13 13 0.0 366 410 0.4
Articles of apparel and clothing accessories 351 340 0.4 2 459 2 795 2.5
Footwear(a) 65 64 0.1 780 848 0.8
Professional, scientific and controlling
instruments and apparatus, n.e.s. 929 1 066 1.1 2 533 2 593 2.4
Photographic apparatus, equipment and
supplies and optical goods, n.e.s.; watches
and clocks(b) 654 926 1.0 1 418 1 519 1.4
Miscellaneous manufactured articles, n.e.s. 1 246 1 218 1.3 5 801 5 964 5.4
Total(a)(b) 3 447 3 829 3.9 14 463 15 512 14.1
Commodities and transactions not classified
elsewhere in the SITC
Special transactions and commodities not
classified according to kind 1 068 2 189 2.3 39 42 0.0
Gold coin whether or not legal tender, and other
coin being legal tender 115 89 0.1 6 8 0.0
Coin (excl. gold coin), not being legal tender 5 9 0.0 0 7 0.0
Gold, non-monetary (excl. gold ores and
concentrates) 6 335 5 090 5.2 2 351 2 397 2.2
Combined confidential items of trade(c) 2 565 2 829 2.9 134 112 0.1
Total(c) 10 089 10 206 10.5 2 531 2 566 2.3
Total merchandise exports and imports 85 991 97 255 100.0 97 611 110 083 100.0
(a) Excludes export commodities subject to a ‘No commodity details’ restriction. (b) Excludes import commodities subject to a ‘No
commodity details’ restriction. (c) Includes commodities subject to a ‘No commodity details’ restriction.
Source: International Merchandise Trade (5422.0).
Trade since 1900
This article reviews Australia’s merchandise
trade between 1900 and 2000, drawing on
official statistics beginning in 1900. Comparing
data over such a long time period makes it
necessary to include particular caveats:
prior to 1950–51 the terminology
Merchandise trade was not used. Publications
show Australian produce and Other produce.
To maintain broad equivalence between data
compiled under the different definitions,
Australian produce data are used for the
earlier periods;
between 1906 and 1982 ships’ stores were
excluded from Australian produce and
merchandise trade data; and
data used for analysis are expressed in the
prices prevailing in the reference time period.
No attempt has been made to remove
inflationary effects from the data analysed.
In 1900 Australia exported goods valued at
£40m and imported goods valued at £38m; the
trade surplus, although small, was significant for
the period. A century later Australia exported
goods valued at $97,255m and imported goods
valued at $110,083m, a trade deficit of
$12,828m. Graph 30.29 shows the balance of
trade as a percentage of total trade (i.e. imports
plus exports) over the 20th century. On average
there has been a surplus of approximately 7% of
total trade over the century.