Air transport, passengers carried in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Air transport, passengers carried was 286.51 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Air transport, passengers carried in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1970–2023
Source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 286.51 million for air transport, passengers carried in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 31.9% on the previous year and up 44.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, air transport, passengers carried in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 286.51 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.72 million, in 1970.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 21st out of 47 groups 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 in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.72 million | — |
| 1971 | 7.61 million | +13.2% |
| 1972 | 8.26 million | +8.5% |
| 1973 | 9.59 million | +16.1% |
| 1974 | 11.74 million | +22.4% |
| 1975 | 14.57 million | +24.1% |
| 1976 | 18.92 million | +29.9% |
| 1977 | 22.67 million | +19.8% |
| 1978 | 26.30 million | +16.0% |
| 1979 | 28.25 million | +7.4% |
| 1980 | 30.96 million | +9.6% |
| 1981 | 31.91 million | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 34.37 million | +7.7% |
| 1983 | 37.16 million | +8.1% |
| 1984 | 39.16 million | +5.4% |
| 1985 | 38.89 million | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 38.40 million | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 40.26 million | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 41.73 million | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 43.56 million | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 44.35 million | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 41.83 million | -5.7% |
| 1992 | 47.03 million | +12.4% |
| 1993 | 47.93 million | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 50.98 million | +6.4% |
| 1995 | 51.57 million | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 55.24 million | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 59.70 million | +8.1% |
| 1998 | 59.18 million | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 62.41 million | +5.5% |
| 2000 | 65.10 million | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 74.00 million | +13.7% |
| 2002 | 68.50 million | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 77.74 million | +13.5% |
| 2004 | 83.66 million | +7.6% |
| 2005 | 66.80 million | -20.2% |
| 2006 | 72.35 million | +8.3% |
| 2007 | 76.66 million | +6.0% |
| 2008 | 76.68 million | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 119.58 million | +55.9% |
| 2010 | 159.66 million | +33.5% |
| 2011 | 170.49 million | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 185.05 million | +8.5% |
| 2013 | 198.78 million | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 214.78 million | +8.1% |
| 2015 | 227.40 million | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 250.74 million | +10.3% |
| 2017 | 266.85 million | +6.4% |
| 2018 | 272.71 million | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 284.91 million | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 96.42 million | -66.2% |
| 2021 | 121.25 million | +25.8% |
| 2022 | 217.24 million | +79.2% |
| 2023 | 286.51 million | +31.9% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Air transport, passengers carried in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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 | -66.2% | 284.91 million | 96.42 million |
| 2022 | +79.2% | 121.25 million | 217.24 million |
| 2009 | +55.9% | 76.68 million | 119.58 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 15.46 million | 6.72 million | 28.25 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.64 million | 30.96 million | 43.56 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.02 million | 41.83 million | 62.41 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.11 million | 65.10 million | 119.58 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 223.14 million | 159.66 million | 284.91 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 180.36 million | 96.42 million | 286.51 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More infrastructure data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 884.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 107.1 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 84.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 10.2 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.1014 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 84.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.07 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is air transport, passengers carried in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Air transport, passengers carried in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 286.51 million in 2023, according to Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
- What is the highest air transport, passengers carried recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 286.51 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest air transport, passengers carried recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.72 million in 1970.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for air transport, passengers carried?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 21st out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is air transport, passengers carried rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), published as part of Air transport, passengers carried. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Air carrier data per country refers to passengers carried by airlines registered in that country regardless of the origin or destination of the passengers.