Caribbean small states: Air transport, passengers carried

Key figures

Since 1975 it is up 177.95% from 883,600 in 1975 (2.25% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 11 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2021, Caribbean small states' air transport, passengers carried fell 22.3% on 2020 (from 3.16 million to 2.46 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2020), the average change was +5.7% and a typical year strayed about 22.4% 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 88.8% in 1981 and the biggest yearly fall was 51.4% in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

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

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Air carrier data per country refers to passengers carried by airlines registered in that country regardless of the origin or destination of the passengers.

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 36 values

Air transport, passengers carried in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 1.03 million (2023)
• Algeria — 7.16 million (2023)
• Bahrain — 5.73 million (2023)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 16.67 million (2023)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 18.07 million (2023)
• Iraq — 3.76 million (2023)
• Israel — 7.38 million (2023)
• Jordan — 3.73 million (2023)
• Kuwait — 9.5 million (2023)
• Lebanon — 2.69 million (2023)
• Libya

More infrastructure data for Caribbean small states

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 3.41 million (2021)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 109.13 (2021)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 573,277 (2021)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 18.32 (2021)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 137,316 (2021)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 91.48 (2023)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$215.92 million (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP) — 3.01% (2025)
• Scientific and technical journal articles

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Caribbean small states's air transport, passengers carried?

2.46 million in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1975?

It is up 177.95% from 883,600 in 1975 (2.25% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 6.51 million in 2019 and the lowest 883,600 in 1975.

Is the latest change in air transport, passengers carried unusual for Caribbean small states?

In 2021, Caribbean small states' air transport, passengers carried fell 22.3% on 2020 (from 3.16 million to 2.46 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2020), the average change was +5.7% and a typical year strayed about 22.4% 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 IS.AIR.PSGR, 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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