Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD): Air transport, freight (million ton-km)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD)'s air transport, freight (million ton-km) fell 9.2% on 2022 (from 13,006 to 11,803).

Across the 29 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2022), the average change was +10.2% and a typical year strayed about 18.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 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 64.2% in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 30.6% in 2022. 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 the straight-line trend is upward, about 691.84 a year. A straight line explains 43% 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

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

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 31 values

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

• Afghanistan — 0.79 (2023)
• Algeria — 8.58 (2023)
• Bahrain — 895.44 (2023)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 492.66 (2023)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 136.93 (2023)
• Iraq — 0 (2023)
• Israel — 609.66 (2023)
• Jordan — 110.06 (2023)
• Kuwait — 331.17 (2023)
• Lebanon — 34.4 (2023)
• Libya

More infrastructure data for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD)

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 664 million (2025)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 142.4 (2025)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 53 million (2025)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 11.3 (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP) — 14.12% (2025)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 269.09 million (2023)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 2.02 million (2023)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$70.91 billion (2025)

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 Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD)'s air transport, freight (million ton-km)?

11,803 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1993?

It is up 912.56% from 1,166 in 1993 (8.02% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 18,735 in 2021 and the lowest 1,166 in 1993.

Is the latest change in air transport, freight (million ton-km) unusual for Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD)?

In 2023, Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD)'s air transport, freight (million ton-km) fell 9.2% on 2022 (from 13,006 to 11,803). Across the 29 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2022), the average change was +10.2% and a typical year strayed about 18.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 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.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.

Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.