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

Key figures

Since 1975 it is up 29,359% from 0.1 in 1975 (12.58% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 12 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Maldives' air transport, freight (million ton-km) rose 1.84 on 2022 (from 27.62 to 29.46).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2022), the average change was +0.76 and a typical year strayed about 5.68 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 25.88 in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 13.16 in 2001. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2023 the straight-line trend is upward, about 2.45 a year. A straight line explains 35% of the movement over 9 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 2023, Maldives had the 76th 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 Maldives in the 2023 ranking

• Trinidad and Tobago — 73rd of 160: 45.84
• Lebanon — 74th of 160: 34.4
• Vanuatu — 75th of 160: 30.27
• El Salvador — 77th of 160: 27.8
• Mongolia — 78th of 160: 26.52
• Suriname — 79th of 160: 23.62

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 37 values

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

• Bangladesh — 98.85 (2023)
• Bhutan — 0.5 (2023)
• India — 1,807 (2023)
• Nepal — 16.93 (2023)
• Sri Lanka — 278.5 (2023)

More infrastructure data for Maldives

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 781,866 (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 148.14 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 11,998 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 2.27 (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 33,484 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 1.41 million (2023)
• Individuals using the Internet (% of population) — 85.24% (2024)
• Medium and high-tech exports (% manufactured exports) — 2.9% (2024)
• Scientific and technical journal articles — 31.74 (2023)

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 Maldives's air transport, freight (million ton-km)?

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

How has it changed since 1975?

It is up 29,359% from 0.1 in 1975 (12.58% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 29.46 in 2023 and the lowest 0 in 2018.

How does Maldives rank?

76th highest of 160 economies with data for 2023.

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

In 2023, Maldives' air transport, freight (million ton-km) rose 1.84 on 2022 (from 27.62 to 29.46). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1979 to 2022), the average change was +0.76 and a typical year strayed about 5.68 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

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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