Transport services in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Transport services was 39.8% 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 imports.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 39.8% for transport services in 2024.
The figure is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Africa Western and Central peaked at 50.7% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 30.5%, in 1996.
That places Africa Western and Central 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 47 years of available data.
Transport services in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 49.9% | — |
| 1978 | 50.7% | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 45.5% | -10.3% |
| 1980 | 42.0% | -7.6% |
| 1981 | 47.3% | +12.5% |
| 1982 | 45.1% | -4.6% |
| 1983 | 48.3% | +7.0% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 47.9% | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 44.6% | -6.9% |
| 1987 | 43.8% | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 48.5% | +10.6% |
| 1989 | 45.4% | -6.3% |
| 1990 | 41.5% | -8.5% |
| 1991 | 46.4% | +11.7% |
| 1992 | 49.4% | +6.6% |
| 1993 | 39.3% | -20.5% |
| 1994 | 39.1% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 36.5% | -6.8% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | -16.4% |
| 1997 | 33.4% | +9.5% |
| 1998 | 32.4% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 33.5% | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 32.8% | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 32.6% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 31.3% | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 33.6% | +7.3% |
| 2005 | 46.2% | +37.5% |
| 2006 | 39.2% | -15.1% |
| 2007 | 40.6% | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 41.9% | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 41.2% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 44.3% | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 43.1% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 45.6% | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 44.0% | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 41.5% | -5.7% |
| 2015 | 42.4% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 49.8% | +17.5% |
| 2017 | 35.9% | -27.8% |
| 2018 | 34.5% | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 33.7% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 34.6% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 41.0% | +18.6% |
| 2022 | 48.2% | +17.6% |
| 2023 | 41.3% | -14.3% |
| 2024 | 39.8% | -3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 48.7% | 45.5% | 50.7% | 3 |
| 1980s | 46.2% | 42.0% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.2% | 30.5% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.7% | 31.3% | 46.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 41.5% | 33.7% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.0% | 34.6% | 48.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 8 Sierra Leone 68.7% compare
- 9 Mali 68.7% compare
- 10 Togo 67.8% compare
- 11 Gambia 66.7% compare
- 12 Tajikistan 65.8% compare
- 13 Greece 64.0% compare
- 14 South Sudan 63.4% compare
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 39.8% 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 50.7% in 1978.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.5% in 1996.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for transport services?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. 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 imports). 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 imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.