Countries With the Fastest Growth in Air passengers carried (5-Year Change)
Change in Air passengers carried over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Syrian Arab Republic rose the most: by 3,313%, from 17,897 passengers to 610,740 passengers in the five years to 2023. Armenia is second (+2,362%), followed by Zambia (+1,834%). 61 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +22%.
- #1
- Syrian Arab Republic · +3,313%
- Median
- +22%
- Coverage
- 61 countries
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syrian Arab Republic | 17,897 | 610,740 | +3,313% |
| 2 | Armenia | 53,259 | 1,311,500 | +2,362% |
| 3 | Zambia | 16,633 | 321,740 | +1,834% |
| 4 | Jamaica | 46,272 | 180,950 | +291.1% |
| 5 | Senegal | 278,440 | 1,071,000 | +284.6% |
| 6 | Togo | 566,300 | 2,175,200 | +284.1% |
| 7 | Austria | 12,936,000 | 46,040,000 | +255.9% |
| 8 | Kazakhstan | 5,920,100 | 11,884,000 | +100.7% |
| 9 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 587,650 | 1,150,200 | +95.7% |
| 10 | Yemen, Rep. | 336,310 | 618,610 | +83.9% |
| 11 | Cyprus | 401,410 | 724,060 | +80.4% |
| 12 | Hungary | 31,227,000 | 55,614,000 | +78.1% |
| 13 | Serbia | 2,262,700 | 3,868,600 | +71% |
| 14 | Sudan | 561,520 | 911,090 | +62.3% |
| 15 | Uzbekistan | 3,056,600 | 4,849,900 | +58.7% |
| 16 | Guatemala | 145,800 | 221,480 | +51.9% |
| 17 | Kuwait | 6,464,800 | 9,499,900 | +46.9% |
| 18 | Tajikistan | 492,320 | 690,680 | +40.3% |
| 19 | Bolivia | 4,122,100 | 5,601,300 | +35.9% |
| 20 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 12,386,000 | 16,672,000 | +34.6% |
| 21 | Ethiopia | 11,501,000 | 15,273,000 | +32.8% |
| 22 | Qatar | 29,179,000 | 37,714,000 | +29.3% |
| 23 | Fiji | 1,670,200 | 2,154,600 | +29% |
| 24 | El Salvador | 2,545,100 | 3,263,900 | +28.2% |
| 25 | Greece | 15,126,000 | 19,091,000 | +26.2% |
| 26 | Mozambique | 540,120 | 680,110 | +25.9% |
| 27 | Colombia | 33,704,000 | 42,399,000 | +25.8% |
| 28 | Cameroon | 265,140 | 331,030 | +24.9% |
| 29 | Panama | 12,632,000 | 15,750,000 | +24.7% |
| 30 | Albania | 303,140 | 374,800 | +23.6% |
| 31 | Mexico | 64,570,000 | 78,763,000 | +22% |
| 32 | Marshall Islands | 24,313 | 29,502 | +21.3% |
| 33 | Saudi Arabia | 39,768,000 | 47,980,000 | +20.6% |
| 34 | Maldives | 1,191,400 | 1,414,200 | +18.7% |
| 35 | Singapore | 40,402,000 | 47,503,000 | +17.6% |
| 36 | Viet Nam | 47,050,000 | 55,115,000 | +17.1% |
| 37 | Luxembourg | 2,099,100 | 2,457,700 | +17.1% |
| 38 | Bangladesh | 5,677,400 | 6,628,500 | +16.8% |
| 39 | Spain | 80,707,000 | 94,102,000 | +16.6% |
| 40 | Argentina | 18,085,000 | 21,058,000 | +16.4% |
| 41 | Mongolia | 670,360 | 773,700 | +15.4% |
| 42 | Morocco | 8,132,900 | 9,354,200 | +15% |
| 43 | Ireland | 167,600,000 | 192,530,000 | +14.9% |
| 44 | Azerbaijan | 2,279,500 | 2,581,800 | +13.3% |
| 45 | Tanzania | 1,698,400 | 1,911,100 | +12.5% |
| 46 | Algeria | 6,442,400 | 7,160,700 | +11.1% |
| 47 | Latvia | 4,058,800 | 4,475,900 | +10.3% |
| 48 | Jordan | 3,383,800 | 3,731,300 | +10.3% |
| 49 | India | 164,040,000 | 180,420,000 | +9.99% |
| 50 | Chile | 19,517,000 | 21,323,000 | +9.25% |
| 51 | Türkiye | 115,600,000 | 125,940,000 | +8.94% |
| 52 | United States | 889,020,000 | 941,560,000 | +5.91% |
| 53 | São Tomé and Principe | 36,660 | 38,767 | +5.75% |
| 54 | Portugal | 17,368,000 | 18,289,000 | +5.3% |
| 55 | Honduras | 411,990 | 428,440 | +3.99% |
| 56 | Pakistan | 6,880,600 | 7,153,400 | +3.96% |
| 57 | Myanmar | 3,407,800 | 3,541,200 | +3.91% |
| 58 | Rwanda | 1,502,500 | 1,537,000 | +2.3% |
| 59 | Uganda | 21,212 | 21,650 | +2.06% |
| 60 | China | 611,440,000 | 619,220,000 | +1.27% |
| 61 | Costa Rica | 1,950,000 | 1,971,100 | +1.08% |
About the top 10
#1 Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic ranks #1 on this list with +3,313%.
- Capital
- Damascus
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$23.74 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$1,057 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 72.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Damascus, Aleppo.
Also ranks #2 in refugee population by origin · #2 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #3 in net migration.
#2 Armenia
Armenia ranks #2 on this list with +2,362%.
- Capital
- Yerevan
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 3.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$29.24 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,474 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Yerevan.
Also ranks #5 in electricity access rate · #5 in access to electricity (rural) · #7 in female population share.
#3 Zambia
Zambia ranks #3 on this list with +1,834%.
- Capital
- Lusaka
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 21.91 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$28.88 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,318 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lusaka.
Also ranks #2 in mineral rents share of gdp · #3 in gini index · #4 in prevalence of undernourishment.
#4 Jamaica
Jamaica ranks #4 on this list with +291.1%.
- Capital
- Kingston
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.71 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,003 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in debt service share of exports · #4 in homicide rate · #6 in immunisation (dpt) rate.
#5 Senegal
Senegal ranks #5 on this list with +284.6%.
- Capital
- Dakar
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 18.93 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$37.01 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,955 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dakar.
Also ranks #1 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #3 in crop production index · #8 in debt service share of exports.
#6 Togo
Togo ranks #6 on this list with +284.1%.
- Capital
- Lomé
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 8.59 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$11.89 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,384 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lomé.
Also ranks #8 in arable land share · #19 in age dependency ratio · #19 in age dependency ratio (young).
#7 Austria
Austria ranks #7 on this list with +255.9%.
- Capital
- Vienna
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 9.21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$579.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$62,930 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 69.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Vienna.
Also ranks #3 in bank accounts share (adults) · #5 in government revenue share of gdp · #5 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#8 Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan ranks #8 on this list with +100.7%.
- Capital
- Astana
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 20.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$306.24 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,692 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 62.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Almaty, Shymkent, Astana.
Also ranks #2 in debt service share of exports · #4 in income share of poorest 10% · #6 in protected marine area share.
#9 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #9 on this list with +95.7%.
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#10 Yemen, Rep.
Yemen, Rep. ranks #10 on this list with +83.9%.
- Capital
- Sanaa, Aden
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 41.77 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 398,000 arrivals (2015)
- CO2 emissions per person
- 0.261 t CO2e per person (2024)
Also ranks #2 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #2 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #12 in unemployment rate.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Air passengers carried over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator IS.AIR.PSGR. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Air transport, passengers carried: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Civil Aviation Statistics of the World, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); ICAO Staff estimates, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.