Transport services in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Transport services was 40.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Transport services in Africa Western and Central, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 40.2% for transport services in 2024.
The figure is up 13.0% on the previous year and up 13.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Africa Western and Central peaked at 65.9% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 15.6%, in 2002.
Africa Western and Central ranks 1st of 45 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 48 years of available data.
Transport services in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 46.8% | — |
| 1978 | 55.1% | +17.9% |
| 1979 | 61.2% | +11.0% |
| 1980 | 64.0% | +4.5% |
| 1981 | 51.1% | -20.2% |
| 1982 | 55.3% | +8.3% |
| 1983 | 58.0% | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 57.9% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 65.9% | +13.8% |
| 1986 | 38.2% | -42.0% |
| 1987 | 30.1% | -21.3% |
| 1988 | 39.3% | +30.6% |
| 1989 | 18.7% | -52.3% |
| 1990 | 19.8% | +5.9% |
| 1991 | 25.0% | +25.8% |
| 1992 | 24.7% | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 27.1% | +9.7% |
| 1994 | 27.0% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 29.4% | +8.8% |
| 1996 | 22.4% | -23.9% |
| 1997 | 25.8% | +15.6% |
| 1998 | 18.6% | -27.9% |
| 1999 | 19.2% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 19.3% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 18.6% | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 15.6% | -15.9% |
| 2003 | 16.8% | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 22.3% | +32.9% |
| 2005 | 54.9% | +146.2% |
| 2006 | 54.8% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 48.4% | -11.6% |
| 2008 | 43.2% | -10.8% |
| 2009 | 41.5% | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 47.5% | +14.5% |
| 2011 | 42.7% | -10.1% |
| 2012 | 42.2% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 37.8% | -10.5% |
| 2014 | 35.5% | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 41.2% | +16.1% |
| 2016 | 39.1% | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 24.6% | -37.0% |
| 2018 | 26.3% | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 33.6% | +27.8% |
| 2020 | 42.0% | +24.9% |
| 2021 | 45.2% | +7.7% |
| 2022 | 36.3% | -19.8% |
| 2023 | 35.6% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 40.2% | +13.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Transport services in Africa Western and Central changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +146.2% | 22.3% | 54.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 54.3% | 46.8% | 61.2% | 3 |
| 1980s | 47.8% | 18.7% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.9% | 18.6% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.5% | 15.6% | 54.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.0% | 24.6% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.8% | 35.6% | 45.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More private sector data for Africa Western and Central
- Merchandise trade 43.1% (2025)
- Food imports 15.3% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 54.3% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 163.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 7.0% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 204.10 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 383.07 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2394 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 20.81 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Africa Western and Central?
- Transport services in Africa Western and Central was 40.2% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 65.9% in 1985.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.6% in 2002.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for transport services?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 1st out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of commercial service exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service exports which are commercial services provided by residents to non-residents.