Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Zambia
Zambia: Transport services (% of commercial service exports) was 5.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Transport services in Zambia, 1978–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 5.8% for transport services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.1% on the previous year and up 14.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Zambia peaked at 82.0% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 2005.
That places Zambia 158th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 74.9% | — |
| 1979 | 76.2% | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 68.3% | -10.4% |
| 1981 | 61.4% | -10.1% |
| 1982 | 69.1% | +12.7% |
| 1983 | 70.8% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 73.8% | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 79.8% | +8.1% |
| 1986 | 74.4% | -6.7% |
| 1987 | 76.9% | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 82.0% | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 78.3% | -4.5% |
| 1990 | 68.9% | -12.0% |
| 1991 | 71.2% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 64.3% | -9.7% |
| 1998 | 58.2% | -9.4% |
| 1999 | 47.8% | -17.8% |
| 2000 | 37.3% | -22.1% |
| 2001 | 37.5% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 35.1% | -6.5% |
| 2003 | 30.1% | -14.2% |
| 2004 | 30.0% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 2.8% | -90.6% |
| 2006 | 4.3% | +51.0% |
| 2007 | 4.1% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 4.9% | +19.1% |
| 2009 | 5.0% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 7.8% | +58.0% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 5.8% | -27.0% |
| 2013 | 8.5% | +48.2% |
| 2014 | 7.2% | -15.9% |
| 2015 | 5.1% | -29.5% |
| 2016 | 4.3% | -14.8% |
| 2017 | 5.6% | +30.7% |
| 2018 | 5.6% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | -25.4% |
| 2020 | 8.3% | +97.5% |
| 2021 | 12.8% | +53.5% |
| 2022 | 7.3% | -42.5% |
| 2023 | 6.8% | -7.3% |
| 2024 | 4.9% | -27.8% |
| 2025 | 5.8% | +18.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 5.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.2%, 30% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 5.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.1%, 41% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +97.5% | 4.2% | 8.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 75.5% | 74.9% | 76.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 73.5% | 61.4% | 82.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.1% | 47.8% | 71.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 19.1% | 2.8% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 4.2% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.6% | 4.9% | 12.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More private sector data for Zambia
- Merchandise trade 91.7% (2025)
- Food imports 7.8% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 64.4% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 13.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 2.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 8.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 14.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 13.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 1.39 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 607.56 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Zambia?
- Transport services in Zambia was 5.8% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 82.0% in 1988.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2005.
- How does Zambia rank for transport services?
- Zambia ranks 158th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.