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

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Mongolia's air transport, freight (million ton-km) rose 108.4% on 2022 (from 12.73 to 26.52).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1993 to 2022), the average change was +274.7% and a typical year strayed about 1,363.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below 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 7,445.3% in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 87.7% in 2021. 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 5% 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, Mongolia had the 78th 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 Mongolia in the 2023 ranking

• Vanuatu — 75th of 160: 30.27
• Maldives — 76th of 160: 29.46
• El Salvador — 77th of 160: 27.8
• Suriname — 79th of 160: 23.62
• Tanzania — 80th of 160: 20.04
• Sudan — 81st of 160: 20.04

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 33 values

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

• Australia — 1,188 (2023)
• Brunei Darussalam — 45.91 (2023)
• Cambodia — 2.44 (2023)
• China — 26,170 (2023)
• Fiji — 156.08 (2023)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 8,638 (2023)
• Indonesia — 870.51 (2023)
• Japan — 8,474 (2023)
• Kiribati — 0.35 (2023)
• Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 0.0075 (2023)
• Korea, Rep.

More infrastructure data for Mongolia

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 4.89 million (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 140.67 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 519,169 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 14.94 (2024)
• Medium and high-tech exports (% manufactured exports) — 3.72% (2024)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$58.54 million (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP) — 3.05% (2025)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 7,240 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 773,702 (2023)
• Patent applications, nonresidents

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

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

How has it changed since 1991?

It is up 2,110% from 1.2 in 1991 (10.16% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 26.52 in 2023 and the lowest 0.17 in 2021.

How does Mongolia rank?

78th highest of 160 economies with data for 2023.

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

In 2023, Mongolia's air transport, freight (million ton-km) rose 108.4% on 2022 (from 12.73 to 26.52). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1993 to 2022), the average change was +274.7% and a typical year strayed about 1,363.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below 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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