Australia recorded a strong trade surplus of 2.33 billion AU dollars (2.49 billion U.S. dollars) in May, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Tuesday.

It is the fifth biggest trade surplus since the ABS figures began in 1971.

Exports increased 3 percent to 26.26 billion AU dollars (28.10 billion U.S. dollars) in May, while imports remained roughly the same at 23.93 billion AU dollars (25.61 billion U.S. dollars), the ABS said.

Economists' forecasts had centered on a surplus of 1.9 billion AU dollars (2.03 billion U.S. dollars) in the month.

Senior economist Katie Dean at ANZ bank, one of the big four banks, said it was a good result, driven by a strong growth in exports.

She said the strength in the rural and resources sector has driven the trade surplus.

"The fact that we've got a strong trade surplus confirms that the external sector is going to take over as one of the drivers of growth," she said.