Economy - overview:
Following two decades of continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system, Australia enters 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China has stalled and sharp drops in current prices have impacted growth.The services sector is the largest part of the Australian economy, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of jobs. Australia was comparatively unaffected by the global financial crisis as the banking system has remained strong and inflation is under control.Australia benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade in recent years, although this trend has reversed due to falling global commodity prices. Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas Project, will significantly expand the resources sector.Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia’s free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with India and Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and India.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita: Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$1.235 trillion (2017 est.)
$1.209 trillion (2016 est.)
$1.179 trillion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 20
$1.39 trillion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
2.2% (2017 est.)
2.5% (2016 est.)
2.4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$49,900 (2017 est.)
$49,600 (2016 est.)
$49,100 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 28
22.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
21.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
22.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 57.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 19%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 24.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 20.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -20.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 3.6%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 26.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 70.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry
mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
1% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
12.91 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 3.6%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 21.1%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 75.3% (2009 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
5.6% (2017 est.)
5.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
NA%
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 2%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)
30.3 (2008)
35.2 (1994)
country comparison to the world: 126
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $461 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $484.9 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
33.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-1.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
47.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
46.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
1 July - 30 June
2% (2017 est.)
1.3% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
3% (28 February 2013)
4.35% (31 December 2010)
note: this is the Reserve Bank of Australia's "cash rate target," or policy rate
country comparison to the world: 106
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
5.3% (31 December 2017 est.)
5.42% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$271.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$243.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$1.586 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.415 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$2.336 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.098 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$1.187 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.289 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
$1.366 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
-$21.68 billion (2017 est.)
-$33.31 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$224.5 billion (2017 est.)
$191.7 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
China 30.5%, Japan 12.4%, US 6.5%, South Korea 6.1% (2016)
$215.4 billion (2017 est.)
$198.5 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
China 23.4%, US 11.5%, Japan 7.8%, Thailand 5.6%, Germany 5.3%, South Korea 4.3% (2016)
$60.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$55.07 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$1.67 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.547 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$647.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$617.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$443.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$441.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
1.311 (2017 est.)
1.3442 (2016 est.)
1.3442 (2015 est.)
1.3291 (2014 est.)
1.1094 (2013 est.)