Australia S Top 20 Exports for 2008

Australia’s top 20 exports for 2008

/ Here you can check your knowledge and understanding of the commodities that Australia exports to other countries.
To complete this activity
There are three parts to this activity.
1.Classify different types of commodities.
2.Record your findings.
3.Check your answers on the last page.
Remember! Include this completed worksheet in your portfolio.

Classify the commodities

Using the letters from the ‘Commodity key’ below, write the type of commodity you think is correct in the column to the right. The first one is done for you.

Commodity key
M = Mining A = Agricultural X = Manufacturing S = Services
Australian goods and services exports in 2008
Country of origin
Rank / Commodities exported / Type of commodity
1 / Coal / M
2 / Iron ore
3 / Education services
4 / Gold
5 / Personal travel including tourism
6 / Crude petroleum
7 / Natural gas
8 / Professional, technical and business services
9 / Aluminium ores
10 / Aluminium
11 / Beef
12 / Transport services
13 / Other ores from mining
14 / Copper ores
15 / Passenger transport services
16 / Wheat
17 / Motor vehicles
18 / Medicines
19 / Copper
20 / Refined petroleum

(Source: ‘Trade at a Glance 2009’, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2009,
copyright Commonwealth of Australia, adapted with permission.)

Record your findings

Now that you have classified the 20 commodities answer the following questions.

1.How many are mineral commodities?

2.How many are agricultural commodities?

3.How many are services commodities?

4.How many are manufactured commodities?

5.Which commodity has the highest export value?

6.Challenge! Can you list the types of commodities as percentages?

•Minerals%

•Agricultural%

•Services%

•Manufactured%

Answers

Classify the commodities

Australian goods and services exports in 2008
Rank / Commodities exported / Type of commodity
1 / Coal / M
2 / Iron ore / M
3 / Education services / S
4 / Gold / M
5 / Personal travel including tourism / S
6 / Crude petroleum / M
7 / Natural gas / M
8 / Professional, technical and business services / S
9 / Aluminium ores / M
10 / Aluminium / M
11 / Beef / A
12 / Transport services / S
13 / Other ores from mining / M
14 / Copper ores / M
15 / Passenger transport services / S
16 / Wheat / A
17 / Motor vehicles / X
18 / Medicines / X
19 / Copper / M
20 / Refined petroleum / X

Record your findings

1.How many are mineral commodities?10

2.How many are agricultural commodities?2

3.How many are services commodities?5

4.How many are manufactured commodities?3

5.Which commodity has the highest export value?Minerals

6.Challenge! Can you list the types of commodities as percentages?

•Minerals50%

•Agricultural10%

•Services20%

•Manufactured15%