Air transport, passengers carried in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Air transport, passengers carried was 56.96 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Air transport, passengers carried in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1970–2023
Source: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for air transport, passengers carried in Sub-Saharan Africa is 56.96 million, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 24.0% on the previous year and up 30.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, air transport, passengers carried in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 66.24 million in 2019 and was at its lowest, 4.59 million, in 1970.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 33rd of 47 groups on this measure, 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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.59 million | — |
| 1971 | 5.01 million | +9.3% |
| 1972 | 5.36 million | +6.9% |
| 1973 | 6.26 million | +16.8% |
| 1974 | 6.81 million | +8.8% |
| 1975 | 7.32 million | +7.5% |
| 1976 | 8.58 million | +17.2% |
| 1977 | 8.76 million | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 9.74 million | +11.2% |
| 1979 | 11.29 million | +15.9% |
| 1980 | 13.02 million | +15.3% |
| 1981 | 14.21 million | +9.1% |
| 1982 | 14.28 million | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 14.40 million | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 14.79 million | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 15.18 million | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 14.09 million | -7.2% |
| 1987 | 14.32 million | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 14.86 million | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 14.71 million | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 14.81 million | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 14.21 million | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 13.51 million | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 13.92 million | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 14.94 million | +7.3% |
| 1995 | 15.37 million | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 16.03 million | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 16.48 million | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 16.24 million | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 17.12 million | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 17.91 million | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 17.17 million | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 16.54 million | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 17.88 million | +8.2% |
| 2004 | 20.17 million | +12.8% |
| 2005 | 23.62 million | +17.1% |
| 2006 | 25.78 million | +9.1% |
| 2007 | 27.23 million | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 28.10 million | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 27.75 million | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 38.19 million | +37.6% |
| 2011 | 42.65 million | +11.7% |
| 2012 | 45.41 million | +6.5% |
| 2013 | 43.79 million | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 44.38 million | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 47.85 million | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 49.68 million | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 54.26 million | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 64.95 million | +19.7% |
| 2019 | 66.24 million | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 24.50 million | -63.0% |
| 2021 | 31.48 million | +28.5% |
| 2022 | 45.95 million | +45.9% |
| 2023 | 56.96 million | +24.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Air transport, passengers carried in Sub-Saharan Africa 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 | -63.0% | 66.24 million | 24.50 million |
| 2022 | +45.9% | 31.48 million | 45.95 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.37 million | 4.59 million | 11.29 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.39 million | 13.02 million | 15.18 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.26 million | 13.51 million | 17.12 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.21 million | 16.54 million | 28.10 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.74 million | 38.19 million | 66.24 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.72 million | 24.50 million | 56.96 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More infrastructure data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 1.20 billion (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 90.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 5.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0038 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -16.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 5.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.9049 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is air transport, passengers carried in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Air transport, passengers carried in Sub-Saharan Africa was 56.96 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 66.24 million in 2019.
- What is the lowest air transport, passengers carried recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.59 million in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for air transport, passengers carried?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 33rd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is air transport, passengers carried rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.