Afghanistan: International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, Afghanistan's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 51.3% on 2019 (from US$39 million to US$19 million).

Across the 11 yearly changes before that (2009 to 2019), the average change was +49.1% and a typical year strayed about 76.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 200% in 2011 and the biggest yearly fall was 51.3% in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2011 to 2020 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$2.7 million a year. A straight line explains 53% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2020, Afghanistan had the 91st highest value of the 123 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Afghanistan in the 2020 ranking

• Zimbabwe — 88th of 123: US$22 million
• Bermuda — 89th of 123: US$21 million
• El Salvador — 90th of 123: US$20 million
• Mauritius — 92nd of 123: US$19 million
• Madagascar — 93rd of 123: US$18 million
• Mauritania — 94th of 123: US$17 million

What this measures

International tourism expenditures for passenger transport items are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries for all services provided during international transportation by nonresident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 13 values

International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) in nearby economies

• Algeria — US$38 million (2020)
• Bahrain — US$917 million (2019)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — US$69 million (2020)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — US$576 million (2018)
• Israel — US$371 million (2020)
• Jordan — US$27 million (2020)
• Kuwait — US$1.17 billion (2017)
• Lebanon — US$28 million (2020)

More private sector & trade data for Afghanistan

• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$3.61 billion (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$926 million (2025)
• Merchandise exports to high-income economies (% of total merchandise exports) — 12.88% (2023)
• Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in South Asia (% of total merchandise exports) — 69.93% (2023)
• Merchandise exports by the reporting economy, residual (% of total merchandise exports) — 0% (2023)
• Merchandise exports by the reporting economy (current US$) — US$438.77 million (2023)
• Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region (% of total merchandise exports) — 69.93% (2023)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Afghanistan's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)?

US$19 million in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2008?

It is up 850% from US$2 million in 2008 (20.64% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$39 million in 2019 and the lowest US$2 million in 2008.

How does Afghanistan rank?

91st highest of 123 economies with data for 2020.

Is the latest change in international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) unusual for Afghanistan?

In 2020, Afghanistan's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 51.3% on 2019 (from US$39 million to US$19 million). Across the 11 yearly changes before that (2009 to 2019), the average change was +49.1% and a typical year strayed about 76.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ST.INT.TRNX.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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