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Story: Empire and Commonwealth

Export destinations

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In 1869, 99% of New Zealand’s exports were traded within the British Empire, neatly split between Britain and Australia. In 1919, 89% of exports were still going to other parts of the empire, but refrigeration had changed the distribution dramatically. The United Kingdom now took more than 80%, with Australia taking less than the United States (4% and 8% respectively).

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Sources: G. T. Bloomfield, New Zealand: a handbook of historical statistics. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1984, pp. 292–293; Statistics New Zealand

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How to cite this page

W. David McIntyre, Empire and Commonwealth – Trade and empire, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/33223/export-destinations (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by W. David McIntyre, published 16 April 2012.