mysqldump file imports slowly compared to phpmyadmin file - cron

Question

I have a large mySQL database that I backup each night via a cron job:
/usr/bin/mysqldump --opt USERNAME -e -h SERVERNAME -uUSER -pPASSWORD > /home/DIRECTORY/backup.sql
It is working well - except when I go to 'restore' the sql file on another server - it takes a long time (about 3 mins)
This is in contrast to using phpMyAdmin - if I do "export" and export the same mySQL database, then import that sql file into another server it only takes 10 seconds.
Question: how do I make "mysqldump" create the same type of sql file that "phpMyAdmin" does?
Example of some FAST version sql (not all of it):
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `absence_type` (
`absence_type_ID` int(16) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
`name` varchar(30) COLLATE utf8_unicode_ci NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`absence_type_ID`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_unicode_ci AUTO_INCREMENT=14 ;
--
-- Dumping data for table `absence_type`
--
INSERT INTO `absence_type` (`absence_type_ID`, `name`) VALUES
(1, 'Sick Leave'),
(2, 'Personal Carers'),
(3, 'Other');
Example of some SLOW version sql (not all of it):
--
-- Table structure for table `absence_type`
--
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `absence_type`;
/*!40101 SET #saved_cs_client = ##character_set_client */;
/*!40101 SET character_set_client = utf8 */;
CREATE TABLE `absence_type` (
`absence_type_ID` int(16) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
`name` varchar(30) COLLATE utf8_unicode_ci NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`absence_type_ID`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM AUTO_INCREMENT=14 DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 COLLATE=utf8_unicode_ci;
/*!40101 SET character_set_client = #saved_cs_client */;
--
-- Dumping data for table `absence_type`
--
LOCK TABLES `absence_type` WRITE;
/*!40000 ALTER TABLE `absence_type` DISABLE KEYS */;
INSERT INTO `absence_type` VALUES
(1,'Sick Leave'),
(2,'Personal Carers'),
(3,'Other');
/*!40000 ALTER TABLE `absence_type` ENABLE KEYS */;
UNLOCK TABLES;

Answer 1

From my comments…
Likely the options between mysqldump and PHPMyAdmin export don't match. For example, inclusion of DROP TABLE, extended INSERT, etc.
I suggest comparing the two files. I'm sure there is something obvious. Then either adjust the options for mysqldump or in PHPMyAdmin. Either should work as the latter uses mysqldump underneath.