Small states: Air transport, freight (million ton-km)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Small states' air transport, freight (million ton-km) rose 24% on 2022 (from 592.27 to 734.51).

Across the 13 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2022), the average change was +6.3% and a typical year strayed about 13.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations above 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 38.2% in 1994 and the biggest yearly fall was 8.2% in 2019. 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 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 19 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 Small states

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 32 million (2025)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 161.6 (2025)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 3 million (2025)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 13.5 (2025)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 316,785 (2022)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 15.49 million (2022)
• Scientific and technical journal articles — 6,759 (2023)
• ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) — 5.46% (2024)
• ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) — 3.82% (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

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

How has it changed since 1993?

It is up 145.49% from 299.2 in 1993 (3.04% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 738.71 in 2018 and the lowest 299.2 in 1993.

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

In 2023, Small states' air transport, freight (million ton-km) rose 24% on 2022 (from 592.27 to 734.51). Across the 13 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2022), the average change was +6.3% and a typical year strayed about 13.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Where does this data come from?

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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