Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Australia
Australia: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 840.98 million current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
840.98 million current US$
Change on year
down 24.3%
World rank
89th
of 193 countries
All-time high
2.48 billion current US$
in 1991
All-time low
176.05 million current US$
in 1971
Years of data
52
1970–2021
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Australia, 1970–2021
Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Australia recorded 840.98 million current US$ for personal remittances and foreign aid received in 2021.
The figure is down 24.3% on the previous year and down 65.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Australia peaked at 2.48 billion current US$ in 1991 and was at its lowest, 176.05 million current US$, in 1971.
That places Australia 89th out of 193 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Australia, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 180.32 million current US$ | — |
| 1971 | 176.05 million current US$ | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 228.96 million current US$ | +30.1% |
| 1973 | 280.56 million current US$ | +22.5% |
| 1974 | 308.76 million current US$ | +10.1% |
| 1975 | 286.61 million current US$ | -7.2% |
| 1976 | 305.27 million current US$ | +6.5% |
| 1977 | 326.55 million current US$ | +7.0% |
| 1978 | 415.64 million current US$ | +27.3% |
| 1979 | 495.80 million current US$ | +19.3% |
| 1980 | 631.59 million current US$ | +27.4% |
| 1981 | 740.71 million current US$ | +17.3% |
| 1982 | 771.14 million current US$ | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 900.27 million current US$ | +16.7% |
| 1984 | 956.12 million current US$ | +6.2% |
| 1985 | 1.01 billion current US$ | +5.5% |
| 1986 | 1.05 billion current US$ | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 1.40 billion current US$ | +32.6% |
| 1988 | 1.88 billion current US$ | +35.0% |
| 1989 | 2.40 billion current US$ | +27.5% |
| 1990 | 2.37 billion current US$ | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 2.48 billion current US$ | +4.9% |
| 1992 | 1.93 billion current US$ | -22.5% |
| 1993 | 1.10 billion current US$ | -42.8% |
| 1994 | 1.28 billion current US$ | +15.9% |
| 1995 | 438.89 million current US$ | -65.6% |
| 1996 | 517.89 million current US$ | +18.0% |
| 1997 | 538.75 million current US$ | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 501.58 million current US$ | -6.9% |
| 1999 | 531.81 million current US$ | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 518.33 million current US$ | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 486.75 million current US$ | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 465.72 million current US$ | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 651.57 million current US$ | +39.9% |
| 2004 | 824.73 million current US$ | +26.6% |
| 2005 | 940.41 million current US$ | +14.0% |
| 2006 | 1.01 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2007 | 1.34 billion current US$ | +32.2% |
| 2008 | 1.53 billion current US$ | +13.7% |
| 2009 | 1.33 billion current US$ | -12.5% |
| 2010 | 1.86 billion current US$ | +39.7% |
| 2011 | 2.45 billion current US$ | +31.4% |
| 2012 | 2.44 billion current US$ | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 2.46 billion current US$ | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 2.33 billion current US$ | -5.3% |
| 2015 | 2.17 billion current US$ | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 2.06 billion current US$ | -5.4% |
| 2017 | 1.96 billion current US$ | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 1.78 billion current US$ | -9.0% |
| 2019 | 1.68 billion current US$ | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 1.11 billion current US$ | -33.8% |
| 2021 | 840.98 million current US$ | -24.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 840.98 million current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 688.87 million current US$, 1.2× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Australia's 840.98 million current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 453.09 million current US$, 1.9× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 300.45 million current US$ | 176.05 million current US$ | 495.80 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.17 billion current US$ | 631.59 million current US$ | 2.40 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.17 billion current US$ | 438.89 million current US$ | 2.48 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 910.49 million current US$ | 465.72 million current US$ | 1.53 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.12 billion current US$ | 1.68 billion current US$ | 2.46 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 976.00 million current US$ | 840.98 million current US$ | 1.11 billion current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances and foreign aid received in Australia?
- Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Australia was 840.98 million current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.48 billion current US$ in 1991.
- What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 176.05 million current US$ in 1971.
- How does Australia rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
- Australia ranks 89th out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.