Photo: Steevie · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 12 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Maldives: Mobility & Trade
Which countries move goods across their borders most smoothly?
Maldives is placed 169th of 177 countries on mobility & trade in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Liner Shipping Connectivity Index 13.73 (2025); Container Import Dwell Time 7 (2024).
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Mobility & Trade
169th
of 177 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Maldives on mobility & trade — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
13.73
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)
Higher is better
Ranked 157th of 177 by UNCTAD
Maldives: 13.73. Across the 168 countries in this edition, values run from 4.13 (Turks and Caicos Islands) to 1,313 (China); the world median is 60.84.
- World median
- 60.84
- Best in Southern Asia
- 399.12 India
7
Median days a full import container waits in port
Lower is better
Maldives: 7. Across the 156 countries in this edition, values run from 1 (Gibraltar) to 21.6 (Haiti); the world median is 4.4.
- World median
- 4.4
- Best in Southern Asia
- 3 India
No reading
LPI score (1–5)
Higher is better
World Bank Group publishes no 2023 figure for Maldives, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 1.9 (Afghanistan) to 4.3 (Singapore); the world median is 2.9.
- World median
- 2.9
- Best in Southern Asia
- 3.4 India
Key 4 of 4
ICT Goods Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
No reading
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports)
Higher is better
UNCTAD publishes no 2024 figure for Maldives, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 120 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 61.45 (Hong Kong); the world median is 0.975.
- World median
- 0.975
- Best in Southern Asia
- 5.71 India
02Over time
Which way Maldives is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) · higher is better
MaldivesWorld median
Maldives rose from 14.37 in 2006 to 14.47 in 2026; the world median went from 52.25 to 56.21.
Every year’s figures
Year Maldives World median 2026 14.47 56.21 2025 13.73 60.84 2024 19.10 55.22 2023 19.32 54.78 2022 23.43 51.49 2021 19.46 52.64 2020 18.73 47.86 2019 17.51 51.05 2018 17.85 52.03 2017 18.03 49.87 2016 18.21 48.09 2015 19.35 49.13 2014 6.64 48.08 2013 17.93 51.32 2012 23.73 47.44 2011 24.15 50.26 2010 18.68 50.51 2009 21.29 53.04 2008 14.55 51.68 2007 18.46 55.78 2006 14.37 52.25 Logistics Performance Index
LPI score (1–5) · higher is better
MaldivesWorld median
Maldives rose from 2.404 in 2010 to 2.665 in 2018; the world median went from 2.746 to 2.706.
Every year’s figures
Year Maldives World median 2023 — 2.900 2018 2.67 2.706 2016 2.51 2.734 2014 2.75 2.753 2012 2.55 2.773 2010 2.40 2.746 2007 — 2.529 ICT Goods Exports
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) · higher is better
MaldivesWorld median
Maldives fell from 0.04 in 2004 to 0 in 2023; the world median went from 0.535 to 0.69.
Every year’s figures
Year Maldives World median 2024 — 0.975000 2023 0.00 0.690000 2022 0.00 0.565000 2021 0.00 0.550000 2020 0.00 0.680000 2019 0.00 0.625000 2018 — 0.480000 2017 0.00 0.630000 2016 0.00 0.865000 2015 — 0.790000 2014 — 0.760000 2013 — 0.645000 2012 — 0.630000 2011 — 0.535000 2010 — 0.560000 2009 — 0.780000 2008 — 0.595000 2007 — 0.660000 2006 — 0.445000 2005 0.17 0.570000 2004 0.04 0.535000 2003 — 0.530000 2002 — 0.510000 2001 — 0.490000 2000 — 0.430000
03In context
Maldives beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 177 countries on mobility & trade, never a place within the region.
Maldives and Southern Asia
Maldives has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 177; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexLSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) | Container Import Dwell TimeMedian days a full import container waits in port | Logistics Performance IndexLPI score (1–5) | ICT Goods ExportsICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 India | 15th | 399.12 | 3 | 3.4 | 5.71 |
 Sri Lanka | 63rd | 277.71 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 0.26 |
 Pakistan | 107th | 150.9 | 6.1 | — | 0.06 |
 Bangladesh | 112th | 75.26 | 6.2 | 2.6 | — |
 Iran | 143rd | 58.86 | — | 2.3 | — |
| Maldives | 169th | 13.73 | 7 | — | — |
 Afghanistan | not placed | — | — | 1.9 | — |
 Bhutan | not placed | — | — | 2.5 | — |
 Nepal | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Southern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 177.
Placed either side on mobility & trade
The countries immediately above and below Maldives in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Maldives is ahead of the world, and behind
16 more statistics filed under mobility & trade, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median1
Statistics on which Maldives does better than the middle country measured.
Average Time to Clear Exports Through CustomsWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.4563.5484.456No earlier reading
Maldives: 3.548 · world median 4.456 · Average time to clear exports through customs (days). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 27.46; lower is better.
Position 108th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median3
Statistics on which Maldives does worse than the middle country measured.
Freedom of Foreign MovementV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.20.8181.2▲ Improved since 2015
Maldives: 0.818 · world median 1.2 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +2.9); higher = freer movement. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.642 to 2.727; higher is better.
Position 107th of 176 · derived.
ICT Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 7.4740.9327.474▼ Worsened since 2014
Maldives: 0.932 · world median 7.474 · ICT services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 56.25; higher is better.
Position 106th of 118 · derived.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.420.93225.42▼ Worsened since 2014
Maldives: 0.932 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 168th of 170 · derived.
No better end12
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 9.60275.979.602Moved since 2015
Maldives: 75.97 · world median 9.602 · Services exports (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.085 to 166.21.
Cereal Import Dependency RatioFAO · 2022 · world median 42.897.342.8Moved since 2012
Maldives: 97.3 · world median 42.8 · Share of the cereal supply that is imported (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from -1,894 to 100.
Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All ProductsWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 3.6611.123.66Moved since 2012
Maldives: 11.12 · world median 3.66 · Applied tariff rate, trade-weighted mean (%). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 29.52.
Export Concentration IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 0.3060.4670.306Moved since 2015
Maldives: 0.467 · world median 0.306 · Export concentration index (0–1, normalised Herfindahl–Hirschman). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.059 to 0.933.
International Migrants as a Share of PopulationUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 6.08914.236.089Moved since 2015
Maldives: 14.23 · world median 6.089 · International migrants (% of population). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 100.
Commodity Export DependenceUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 67.1775.9867.17Moved since 2014
Maldives: 75.98 · world median 67.17 · Commodity exports (% of merchandise exports, three-year average). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4.605 to 99.77.
Merchant Fleet by Country of OwnershipUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 275.73180.64275.73Moved since 2016
Maldives: 180.64 · world median 275.73 · Merchant fleet owned (thousand dead-weight tons). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 397,071.
International MigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 223,32375,099223,323No real change since 2015
Maldives: 75,099 · world median 223,323 · International migrants living in the country, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 246 to 52,375,047.
Terms of Trade IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 103.2392.17103.23Moved since 2015
Maldives: 92.17 · world median 103.23 · Terms of trade index (2015 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 38.2 to 1,448.
Net Migration RateUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median -0.133-5.469-0.133Moved since 2013
Maldives: -5.469 · world median -0.133 · Net migrants per 1,000 population. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -61.68 to 39.62.
EmigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 444,4512,773444,451No real change since 2015
Maldives: 2,773 · world median 444,451 · Migrants from the country living abroad, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 313 to 18,533,845.
Creative Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1.2350.0261.235Moved since 2016
Maldives: 0.026 · world median 1.235 · Creative goods exports (% of merchandise exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.23.
No current reading for Maldives
Asylum-Seekers by Country of Asylum, Container Port Traffic (last 2019), Cost of Sending Remittances, Creative Services Exports (last 2010), Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index, Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP) (last 2024), FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index, Foreign Value Added Share of Gross Exports, ICT Goods Exports (last 2023), Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP) (last 2024), Inbound Mobility Rate, Tertiary (last 2003), Logistics Performance Index (last 2018), Outbound Mobility Ratio, Tertiary (last 2019), Refugee Population by Country of Asylum and Trade (% of GDP) (last 2024). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Mobility & Trade among Maldives’s 16 topics
Mobility & Trade is Maldives’s 16th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Poverty & Inequality13th of 1593/3 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 56th of 1933/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing62nd of 2003/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 64th of 1824/4 keys
- Peace & Security68th of 1773/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge79th of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation79th of 1762/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties97th of 1984/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture92nd of 1843/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital103rd of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions105th of 1944/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability128th of 1862/4 keys
- Gender & Equality149th of 1833/4 keys
- Digital & Technology162nd of 1984/4 keys
- Energy136th of 1652/3 keys
- Mobility & Trade169th of 1772/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on mobility & trade
The three countries placed highest of 177, and the leaders Maldives can most readily be measured against.
1
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
1st of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2
MacauEastern Asia
2nd of 177 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
Hong KongEastern Asia
3rd of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Singapore1st4/4 keysHighest in Southern Asia
India15th4/4 keysThis page
Maldives169th2/4 keys
Positions out of 177 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Maldives and mobility & trade
On mobility & trade
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On mobility & trade
The World’s Safest Airlines for 2025
The eleven safest airlines of 2025, each beside the country it is based in, and the nine things the grading looks at. Three airlines share third place, and the publisher gives an order but no score.
On mobility & trade
The world’s most powerful passports for 2025
Sixteen passports, their mobility scores, and the visa-free, visa-on-arrival and visa-required split behind each. Fourteen share third place while differing in how they reach it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Passport strength and visa-free travel are not measured with a key, because the data behind passport rankings is not licensed for reuse here. Trade as a share of the economy, the cost of sending money home, migrant numbers, refugees and student mobility are published as context: they describe how much crosses a border, not how well a country handles it. Services sold over the internet are measured under Digital & Technology.
How the Mobility & Trade standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The mobility & trade method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Liner Shipping Connectivity Index — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Container Import Dwell Time — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Logistics Performance Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- ICT Goods Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 16 statistics on this page come from 5 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Maldives’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Maldives (banner) — Steevie, CC0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
- Macau — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hong Kong — Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Maldives: Mobility & Trade — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/maldives/mobility