Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in South Asia
South Asia: Transport services (% of commercial service imports) was 20.8% 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 imports.
Analysis
In 2025, transport services in South Asia stood at 20.8%. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.2% on the previous year and down 17.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in South Asia peaked at 72.1% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 20.8%, in 2025.
South Asia ranks 35th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 72.1% | — |
| 1976 | 65.6% | -9.1% |
| 1977 | 65.5% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 66.7% | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 64.8% | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 61.8% | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 61.2% | -1.0% |
| 1982 | 62.3% | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 59.2% | -4.9% |
| 1984 | 60.4% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 59.3% | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 57.1% | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 57.3% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 58.9% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 57.9% | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 58.8% | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 57.1% | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 61.1% | +6.9% |
| 1993 | 62.1% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 57.1% | -8.0% |
| 1995 | 57.2% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 59.2% | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 56.7% | -4.2% |
| 1998 | 52.1% | -8.1% |
| 1999 | 44.3% | -15.1% |
| 2000 | 48.5% | +9.5% |
| 2001 | 46.3% | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 47.0% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 43.2% | -8.2% |
| 2004 | 42.9% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 47.7% | +11.2% |
| 2006 | 46.4% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 48.2% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 33.1% | -31.4% |
| 2009 | 28.7% | -13.1% |
| 2010 | 26.4% | -8.0% |
| 2011 | 28.2% | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 26.9% | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 24.9% | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 26.1% | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 25.3% | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 21.2% | -16.4% |
| 2017 | 21.3% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 21.6% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 23.5% | +8.8% |
| 2020 | 23.6% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 27.4% | +15.7% |
| 2022 | 29.4% | +7.5% |
| 2023 | 21.0% | -28.5% |
| 2024 | 22.0% | +4.4% |
| 2025 | 20.8% | -5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 66.9% | 64.8% | 72.1% | 5 |
| 1980s | 59.6% | 57.1% | 62.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 56.6% | 44.3% | 62.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.2% | 28.7% | 48.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 21.2% | 28.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.0% | 20.8% | 29.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 32 Burkina Faso 53.3% compare
- 33 Bangladesh 53.2% compare
- 34 Tanzania 52.6% compare
- 35 Dominican Republic 52.5% compare
- 36 Marshall Islands 52.2% compare
- 37 Montenegro 51.7% compare
- 38 Honduras 50.4% compare
More private sector data for South Asia
- Merchandise trade 30.0% (2025)
- Food imports 5.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 50.3% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 864.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 223.66 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.6% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 69.8% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 510.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 433.30 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 301.72 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in South Asia?
- Transport services in South Asia was 20.8% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 72.1% in 1975.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.8% in 2025.
- How does South Asia rank for transport services?
- South Asia ranks 35th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.9%. 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 imports). 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 imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.