Transport services in South Asia
South Asia: Transport services was 9.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Transport services in South Asia, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
South Asia recorded 9.0% for transport services in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of down 18.8% on the previous year and down 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in South Asia peaked at 41.5% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 9.0%, in 2025.
South Asia ranks 43rd of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Transport services in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 41.5% | — |
| 1976 | 34.7% | -16.5% |
| 1977 | 28.2% | -18.7% |
| 1978 | 22.7% | -19.4% |
| 1979 | 20.6% | -9.5% |
| 1980 | 16.5% | -19.8% |
| 1981 | 18.0% | +8.8% |
| 1982 | 15.8% | -12.3% |
| 1983 | 14.4% | -8.4% |
| 1984 | 16.3% | +13.3% |
| 1985 | 16.2% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 17.0% | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 19.3% | +13.6% |
| 1988 | 22.6% | +17.2% |
| 1989 | 20.5% | -9.3% |
| 1990 | 20.6% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 19.5% | -5.2% |
| 1992 | 20.5% | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 23.5% | +14.6% |
| 1994 | 27.2% | +15.4% |
| 1995 | 27.0% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 29.1% | +7.7% |
| 1997 | 23.8% | -18.2% |
| 1998 | 19.1% | -19.6% |
| 1999 | 16.5% | -13.9% |
| 2000 | 17.1% | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 17.4% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 17.1% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 15.7% | -8.2% |
| 2004 | 14.4% | -8.4% |
| 2005 | 14.1% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 13.4% | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 12.7% | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 13.3% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 13.6% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 12.9% | -5.0% |
| 2011 | 14.6% | +13.3% |
| 2012 | 14.8% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 14.5% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 13.9% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 11.5% | -17.0% |
| 2016 | 11.4% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 11.2% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 11.4% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 11.6% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 12.5% | +7.7% |
| 2021 | 14.2% | +13.5% |
| 2022 | 13.9% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 10.3% | -25.7% |
| 2024 | 11.1% | +7.1% |
| 2025 | 9.0% | -18.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.6% | 20.6% | 41.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | 17.7% | 14.4% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.7% | 16.5% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.9% | 12.7% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.8% | 11.2% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.8% | 9.0% | 14.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More private sector data for South Asia
- Merchandise trade 30.0% (2025)
- Food imports 5.6% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 47.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 864.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 11.8% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 67.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 510.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 301.72 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1115 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in South Asia?
- Transport services in South Asia was 9.0% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 41.5% in 1975.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.0% in 2025.
- How does South Asia rank for transport services?
- South Asia ranks 43rd out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia 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.
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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.