The Alchemy of FDI
As nations enhance their natural offerings with proinvestment policies, FDI investors must weigh myriad factors. Which nations are most attractive? Global Finance offers a new analysis and ranking.
Australia GDP and Economic Data
Country Report 2017 - Includes Australia real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, GDP composition and breakdown by sector.
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Australia economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Australia best banks and safest banks are also available.
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International Reserves
USD 52.2 billion (2016)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved January 2017
Gross Domestic Product - GDP
USD 1,343.6 billion (2017, estimate)
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
Intl$ 1,246.6 billion (2017, estimate)
Real GDP growth
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| 2.7% | 4.5% | 2.6% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 3.6% |
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* | ||
| 2% | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 2.7% |
*Estimate
GDP per capita - current prices
USD 54,236.0 (2017, estimate)
GDP (PPP) - share of world total
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2017* |
| 1.20% | 1.17% | 1.13% | 1.05% | 1.0% |
*Estimate
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GDP - composition by sector
- agriculture: 3.6%
- industry: 28.2%
- services: 68.2%
(2016 estimate)
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP)
2.1% (2013)
OECD, data retrieved January 2017
Inflation
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| 2.5% | 2.5% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 2.1% |
*Estimate
Unemployment rate
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| 5.7% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 5.7% | 5.7% |
*Estimate
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP)
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| 30.8% | 34.3% | 37.6% | 40.9% | 43.2% |
*Estimate
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP)
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| -2.8% | -2.9% | -2.8% | -2.9% | -2.5% |
*Estimate
Government bond ratings
Standard & Poor's: AAA
Moody's: Aaa
Standard & Poor's / Moody's (Updated January 2017)
Source
Market value of publicly traded shares
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 1366 billion | USD 1288.7 billion | USD 1187.1 billion |
Largest companies
Commonwealth Bank, Westpac Banking Group, ANZ, National Australia Bank, Telstra, Wesfarmers, Macquarie Group, BHP Billiton, AMP, Suncorp Group, QBE Insurance Group, Woolworths, Scentre Group, CSL, Westfield, Insurance Australia Group, Amcor, Qantas Airways, Woodside Petroleum, Lend Lease Group, Brambles, Fortescue Metals Group, Caltex Australia, Origin Energy, Goodman Group, Vicinity Centres, Stockland Australia, Transurban Group, AGL Energy, Ramsay Health Care, Bendigo & Adelaide Bank, Newcrest Mining, MAp, GPT Group, Bank of Queensland.
Source
Source
Current account balance by percentage of GDP
-3.9% (2017 estimate)
Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services)
19.8% (2015)
Shares in world total merchandising export
1.1% (2015)
Shares in world total commercial services export
1.0% (2015)
Export commodities
Coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
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Import commodities
Machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Exports - major partners
China 32.2%, Japan 15.9%, South Korea 7.1%, US 5.4%, India 4.2% (2015)
Imports - major partners
China 23%, US 11.2%, Japan 7.4%, South Korea 5.5%, Thailand 5.1%, Germany 4.6% (2015)
FDI inflows
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 56,977 million | USD 39,615 million | USD 22,264 million |
FDI outflows
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 1,581 million | USD 3 million | USD -16,739 million |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD -7017.3 million | USD -5269.7 million | USD 6346.2 million | USD 11526.7 million |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014
N/A
(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015
Industry Funds Management Pty Ltd, ITR Concession Co LLC, United States, USD 5.7 billion / APA Group, QCLNG Pipeline Pty Ltd, Australia, USD 4.6 billion
(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )
Best countries for doing business
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking: 15 out of 190 countries (2016)
Subcategories:
Starting a business: 7 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 3 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 45 out of 190 countries
Getting credit: 5 out of 190 countries
Protecting investors: 63 out of 190 countries
Trading across border: 91 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 25 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 2 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 41 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 21 out of 190 countries
Source
Global competitiveness ranking
22 out of 138 countries
(2016-2017)
Index of Economic Freedom
Ranking: 5 / Score: 80.34 (Free) (2017)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Source
Source
Government type
Parliamentary democracy (Federal Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Languages
English 76.8%, Mandarin 1.6%, Italian 1.4%, Arabic 1.3%, Greek 1.2%, Cantonese 1.2%, Vietnamese 1.1%, other 10.4%, unspecified 5% (2011 est.)
Religions
Protestant 30.1% (Anglican 17.1%, Uniting Church 5.0%, Presbyterian and Reformed 2.8%, Baptist, 1.6%, Lutheran 1.2%, Pentecostal 1.1%, other Protestant 1.3%), Catholic 25.3% (Roman Catholic 25.1%, other Catholic 0.2%), other Christian 2.9%, Orthodox 2.8%, Buddhist 2.5%, Muslim 2.2%, Hindu 1.3%, other 1.3%, none 22.3%, unspecified 9.3% (2011 est.)
Total population
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2016* | 2021* |
| 17.17 million | 19.141 million | 22.172 million | 24.357 million | 26.436 million |
*Estimate
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Urban population as % of total population
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
| 82% | 86% | 87% | 89% |
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index)
34.9 (2010)
(0=perfect equality, 100=absolute inequality)
Source
Freedom House rating
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1 (2017)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Source
Total telephone subscribers as % of population
Fixed 37.95% Mobile 132.80% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)
Mercer Cost of living index
Sydney: 42nd
Perth: 69th
Melbourne: 71st
Brisbane: 96th
Canberra: 98th
Adelaide: 102nd
(2016)
Source
World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks
World's Best Global Banks
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Best Risk Management Providers - Insurance & Derivatives
World's Best Internet Banks
2013
2012
2009
World’s Best Treasury & Cash Management Providers
World's Best Supply Chain Finance Providers
World's Best Subcustodian Banks
2013
World’s Best Investment Banks
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
World's Safest
2013
2012
World’s Best Foreign Exchange Providers
2010
2009
World's Best Banks By Region
2011
World's Best Banks
2013
World’s Best Trade Finance Banks
2010
Best of…
2012
2004
2003
World's Biggest Banks
Additional Awards
2018
2014
2012
- Stars of China 2012: Corporate Winners
- Awards: World’s Safest Banks 2012
- Project Finance and Infrastructure Providers 2012: Global Winners
- Awards: Risk Management Providers 2012
- Project Finance and Infrastructure Providers 2012: Regional Winners
- The Winners’ Circle: Central Banker Report Cards
- Global Risk Management Providers 2012: Learning To Like Vanilla
- Awards: Project Finance & Infrastructure
- Winners’ Circle: Safest/Biggest Banks