One factor that's making the world more globalised is cheap air transport. Globalisation is opening up markets for international trade and putting them on a global scale. Australia has benefited greatly from this. Australia trades principally with Asia, Europe and North America. It exports minerals, farm products, manufactures and services.
Few countries trade in as many sectors and as widely.
Australia's earnings from exports have grown dramatically since the mid-1980s, so that they now account for about 22 per cent of the nation's income. Ask anyone which part of Australian business has driven this change and most will get the answer wrong. It is manufacturing. One of the unexpected results of the turnaround in Australia over the last 15 years is that Australian manufacturers have become Australia's most active exporters. It is one of Australia's best-kept secrets.