Bhutan: Air transport, freight (million ton-km)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Bhutan's air transport, freight (million ton-km) fell 6.84 on 2022 (from 7.34 to 0.5).

Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was +0.33 and a typical year strayed about 1.49 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 4.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 6.98 in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 6.84 in 2023. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 13% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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

How it compares

In 2023, Bhutan had the 120th highest value of the 160 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 Bhutan in the 2023 ranking

• Kyrgyz Republic — 117th of 160: 0.65
• Bulgaria — 118th of 160: 0.63
• Guatemala — 119th of 160: 0.54
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 121st of 160: 0.48
• Marshall Islands — 122nd of 160: 0.41
• Moldova — 123rd of 160: 0.37

What this measures

Air freight is the volume of freight, express, and diplomatic bags carried on each flight stage (operation of an aircraft from takeoff to its next landing), measured in metric tons times kilometers traveled.

Limitations: While ICAO aviation data provide a globally standardized and comprehensive view of air transport activity, several limitations affect their accuracy and comparability. Data quality depends on the completeness and consistency of country reporting, which can vary due to differences in national statistical capacity, regulatory environments, and adherence to ICAO definitions. Some countries may not report all relevant data, leading ICAO to estimate missing values using historical submissions and published schedules, which can introduce uncertainty. Changes in airline registration, mergers, or operational practices may also affect the attribution of traffic statistics.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 24 values

Air transport, freight (million ton-km) in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 98.85 (2023)
• India — 1,807 (2023)
• Maldives — 29.46 (2023)
• Nepal — 16.93 (2023)
• Sri Lanka — 278.5 (2023)

More infrastructure data for Bhutan

• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 0 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 0 (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 789,606 (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 99.76 (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 3,752 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 189,878 (2023)
• Scientific and technical journal articles — 102.52 (2023)
• Individuals using the Internet (% of population) — 91.28% (2024)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$1.29 million (2024)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Bhutan's air transport, freight (million ton-km)?

0.5 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How does Bhutan rank?

120th highest of 160 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in air transport, freight (million ton-km) unusual for Bhutan?

In 2023, Bhutan's air transport, freight (million ton-km) fell 6.84 on 2022 (from 7.34 to 0.5). Across the 22 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2022), the average change was +0.33 and a typical year strayed about 1.49 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 4.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), uri: https://data.icao.int/newdataplus/#:~:text=ICAO%20data%20is%20comprised%20of,information%20about%20commercial%20air%20carriers; ICAO Staff estimates, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), uri:….

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IS.AIR.GOOD.MT.K1, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), uri: https://data.icao.int/newdataplus/#:~:text=ICAO%20data%20is%20comprised%20of,information%20about%20commercial%20air%20carriers; ICAO Staff estimates, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), uri:… 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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