Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa

South Africa: Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre was 12.74 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
12.74 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 27.4%
World rank
95th
of 183 countries
All-time high
21.61 units per square kilometre
in 2019
All-time low
1.25 units per square kilometre
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023

Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1970–2023

05101520197019962023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.

Analysis

In 2023, air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 12.74 units per square kilometre.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 27.4% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 21.61 units per square kilometre in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1.25 units per square kilometre, in 1970.

That places South Africa 95th out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1970 to 2023.
Year units per square kilometre Change
1970 1.25 units per square kilometre
1971 1.37 units per square kilometre +9.2%
1972 1.54 units per square kilometre +12.6%
1973 1.91 units per square kilometre +23.9%
1974 2.28 units per square kilometre +19.4%
1975 2.42 units per square kilometre +6.3%
1976 2.47 units per square kilometre +2.1%
1977 2.54 units per square kilometre +2.6%
1978 2.65 units per square kilometre +4.4%
1979 3.12 units per square kilometre +17.8%
1980 3.39 units per square kilometre +8.8%
1981 3.43 units per square kilometre +1.1%
1982 3.37 units per square kilometre -1.6%
1983 3.26 units per square kilometre -3.4%
1984 3.68 units per square kilometre +12.9%
1985 3.58 units per square kilometre -2.8%
1986 3.15 units per square kilometre -11.8%
1987 3.62 units per square kilometre +14.7%
1988 4.23 units per square kilometre +16.8%
1989 4.65 units per square kilometre +10.1%
1990 4.42 units per square kilometre -4.9%
1991 3.97 units per square kilometre -10.2%
1992 3.86 units per square kilometre -2.8%
1993 4.6 units per square kilometre +19.1%
1994 4.78 units per square kilometre +3.9%
1995 5.27 units per square kilometre +10.2%
1996 5.92 units per square kilometre +12.3%
1997 6 units per square kilometre +1.3%
1998 5.34 units per square kilometre -10.9%
1999 6.1 units per square kilometre +14.3%
2000 6.6 units per square kilometre +8.1%
2001 6.55 units per square kilometre -0.7%
2002 6.64 units per square kilometre +1.3%
2003 7.55 units per square kilometre +13.7%
2004 8.14 units per square kilometre +7.8%
2005 9.76 units per square kilometre +19.9%
2006 10.66 units per square kilometre +9.2%
2007 10.61 units per square kilometre -0.5%
2008 10.83 units per square kilometre +2.1%
2009 10.31 units per square kilometre -4.8%
2010 13.01 units per square kilometre +26.2%
2011 13.53 units per square kilometre +4.0%
2012 14.48 units per square kilometre +7.1%
2013 13.45 units per square kilometre -7.2%
2014 14.04 units per square kilometre +4.4%
2015 15.57 units per square kilometre +10.9%
2016 16.28 units per square kilometre +4.6%
2017 17.16 units per square kilometre +5.5%
2018 20.33 units per square kilometre +18.4%
2019 21.61 units per square kilometre +6.3%
2020 6.85 units per square kilometre -68.3%
2021 7.68 units per square kilometre +12.2%
2022 10 units per square kilometre +30.2%
2023 12.74 units per square kilometre +27.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 2.15 units per square kilometre 1.25 units per square kilometre 3.12 units per square kilometre 10
1980s 3.64 units per square kilometre 3.15 units per square kilometre 4.65 units per square kilometre 10
1990s 5.03 units per square kilometre 3.86 units per square kilometre 6.1 units per square kilometre 10
2000s 8.76 units per square kilometre 6.55 units per square kilometre 10.83 units per square kilometre 10
2010s 15.94 units per square kilometre 13.01 units per square kilometre 21.61 units per square kilometre 10
2020s 9.32 units per square kilometre 6.85 units per square kilometre 12.74 units per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 92 Peru 13.84 units per square kilometre compare
  2. 93 Albania 13.68 units per square kilometre compare
  3. 94 Ethiopia 13.53 units per square kilometre compare
  4. 96 Romania 12.2 units per square kilometre compare
  5. 97 Brazil 11.41 units per square kilometre compare
  6. 98 Iran 11.14 units per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 230 places →

More infrastructure data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa?
Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa was 12.74 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 21.61 units per square kilometre in 2019.
What is the lowest air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 1.25 units per square kilometre in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre?
South Africa ranks 95th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
Is air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/air-transport-passengers-carried-per-square-kilometre/south-africa/

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How this figure is calculated

Air transport, passengers carried divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Air transport, passengers carried ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Air transport, passengers carried, per square kilometre
Unit
units per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
230 places, 10,079 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Air transport, passengers carried divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.