Australia and Belarus
Australia–Belarus relations are restricted by Belarusian support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Canberra combines limitations on official contacts, trade measures and sanctions targeting specific officials.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08History and institutional framework
The Australian profile declares all bilateral cooperation with Belarus limited and reserves contacts for needs deemed critical to national interests.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2024, goods trade between Australia and Belarus totalled 0.301 million current USD.
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Since 4 December 2024, new Belarusian university agreements must be notified within the Foreign Arrangements Scheme.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 0.301 M USD | 2024 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Australia to Belarus | 0.0198 M USD | 2024 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Belarus to Australia | 0.282 M USD | 2024 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Australia to Belarus | 0.00000581 % | 2024 · Comtrade |
| Export share: Belarus to Australia | ||
| Investment stock: Australia in Belarus | ||
| Investment stock: Belarus in Australia |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2024 · UN Comtrade; reporters ARM, AUS, AZE, BDI, BFA, BGD, BHR, BHS, BRB, BTN, COM, CUB · Goods; full calendar year; reporter AUS. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Australia to Belarus
- 2024 · UN Comtrade; reporters ARM, AUS, AZE, BDI, BFA, BGD, BHR, BHS, BRB, BTN, COM, CUB · Goods; full calendar year; reporter AUS. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Belarus to Australia
- 2024 · UN Comtrade; reporters ARM, AUS, AZE, BDI, BFA, BGD, BHR, BHS, BRB, BTN, COM, CUB · Goods; full calendar year; reporter AUS. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Export share: Australia to Belarus
- 2024 · UN Comtrade; reporters ARM, AUS, AZE, BDI, BFA, BGD, BHR, BHS, BRB, BTN, COM, CUB · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Australia | Belarus |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 1.8 trillion USD2025 · WB | 93.4 billion USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP per capita | 65,129.72 USD2025 · WB | 10,279.25 USD2025 · World Bank |
| GDP growth | 1.35 %2025 · WB | 1.3 %2025 · World Bank |
| Policy interest rate | 4.6 %2026-09-29 · RBA | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.87 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 6.6 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 4 %Headline CPI · 2026-08 · year-on-year · ABS | |
| Unemployment | 4.09 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 3.38 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -2.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 0.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 51 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 33.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -2.68 %2025 · WB | -1.94 %2025 · World Bank |
| Population | 27,614,4112025 · WB | 9,085,9912025 · World Bank |
| Area | 7,741,220 km²2023 · WB | 207,629 km²2023 · World Bank |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDAustralia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personAustralia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Australia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Australia: 2026-09-29 · Cash rate target · RBA · Official central-bank decision; not a commercial lending rate or a bill yield.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Australia: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Belarus: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedAustralia: 2026-08 · National headline CPI, change from the same month of the previous year · ABS · Published: 2026-09-30 · Official monthly data. Not mixed with the annual average. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionAustralia: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Belarus: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Australia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.Belarus: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Australia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.Belarus: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPAustralia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleAustralia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Belarus: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date. Extrapolated assuming the same growth rate as the one between 2024 average population and 2025 January 1st population of National Statistical Committee website.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceAustralia: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Belarus: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Australia to Belarus
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Belarus to Australia
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Connections between people
The government asked subnational governments and public universities to suspend existing cooperation and reconsider new ties. Since 4 December 2024, new Belarusian university agreements must be notified within the Foreign Arrangements Scheme. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Australia living in Belarus | ||
| Residents from Belarus living in Australia | ||
| Study and training: Australia in Belarus | ||
| Study and training: Belarus in Australia | ||
| Academic stays: Australia in Belarus | ||
| Academic stays: Belarus in Australia | ||
| Travel: Australia to Belarus | ||
| Travel: Belarus to Australia |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
History and institutional framework
The Australian profile declares all bilateral cooperation with Belarus limited and reserves contacts for needs deemed critical to national interests. The government asked subnational governments and public universities to suspend existing cooperation and reconsider new ties. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Australia is 1,798.5 billion USD (2025), compared with 93.4 for Belarus (2025). The reference populations are 27.61 and 9.09 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Australia was 19.26 times that of Belarus in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [3] [4] [5] [6]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Since 4 December 2024, new Belarusian university agreements must be notified within the Foreign Arrangements Scheme. The document describes sanctions against Aleksandr Lukashenko, his immediate family, senior officials and defence entities supporting Russia. It also reports an additional 35% tariff on Belarusian products, extended until 24 October 2027. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2024, merchandise trade between the two countries (Australia and Belarus) totalled 0.301 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 0.0198 million; those in the opposite direction, 0.282 million. The difference between the two flows was 0.262 million, in favour of Belarus. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Australia to the partner represented 0.00000581% of its worldwide goods exports in 2024. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — AUS-BLR
Australia DFAT · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade; reporters ARM, AUS, AZE, BDI, BFA, BGD, BHR, BHS, BRB, BTN, COM, CUB · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; 2023–2025; country and period preserved; no military series
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07