Transport services in North America
North America: Transport services was 17.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Transport services in North America, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of service imports, BoP.
Analysis
In 2025, transport services in North America stood at 17.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 13.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in North America peaked at 37.0% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 15.7%, in 2020.
North America ranks 44th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Transport services in North America, year by year
| Year | % of service imports, BoP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 28.0% | — |
| 1971 | 28.8% | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 29.8% | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 33.3% | +11.8% |
| 1974 | 36.5% | +9.5% |
| 1975 | 35.6% | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 36.0% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 36.6% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 35.8% | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 37.0% | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 36.0% | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 35.9% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 31.0% | -13.7% |
| 1983 | 32.0% | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 29.8% | -6.8% |
| 1985 | 29.8% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 29.4% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 28.3% | -3.9% |
| 1988 | 28.3% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 28.5% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 28.7% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 28.0% | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 27.7% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 28.4% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 28.8% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 28.9% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 27.5% | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 27.6% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 27.1% | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 24.7% | -8.9% |
| 2000 | 25.7% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 24.8% | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 23.3% | -6.1% |
| 2003 | 23.6% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 24.3% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 24.9% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 23.6% | -5.4% |
| 2007 | 22.5% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 22.4% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 19.1% | -14.9% |
| 2010 | 20.6% | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 21.0% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 21.1% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 20.3% | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 20.2% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 19.9% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 18.3% | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 18.8% | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 19.6% | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 18.9% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 15.7% | -16.9% |
| 2021 | 18.5% | +18.0% |
| 2022 | 21.6% | +16.5% |
| 2023 | 18.4% | -14.7% |
| 2024 | 18.1% | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 17.2% | -5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.7% | 28.0% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.9% | 28.3% | 36.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.7% | 24.7% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.4% | 19.1% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.9% | 18.3% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.2% | 15.7% | 21.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More economy & growth data for North America
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,224 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0142 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 6.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 30.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 469.55 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,250 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0145 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 479.40 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) 24.38 trillion current US$ (2021)
- Gross fixed capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 14,209 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in North America?
- Transport services in North America was 17.2% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 37.0% in 1979.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.7% in 2020.
- How does North America rank for transport services?
- North America ranks 44th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America 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 service imports, BoP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport services covers 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 services provided by non-residents to residents.