Plastic waste exports in Maldives
Maldives: Plastic waste exports was 812.88 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Maldives, 2003–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for plastic waste exports in Maldives is 812.88 tonnes, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.
That represents a change of up 78.3% on the previous year and up 89.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Maldives peaked at 812.88 tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4 tonnes, in 2004.
That places Maldives 98th out of 167 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste exports in Maldives, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 8.98 tonnes | — |
| 2004 | 4 tonnes | -55.4% |
| 2005 | 28 tonnes | +600.0% |
| 2006 | 6 tonnes | -78.6% |
| 2007 | 7.43 tonnes | +23.9% |
| 2008 | 30.67 tonnes | +312.6% |
| 2010 | 25 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 2011 | 302.19 tonnes | +1108.7% |
| 2012 | 183.04 tonnes | -39.4% |
| 2013 | 221 tonnes | +20.7% |
| 2014 | 428.11 tonnes | +93.7% |
| 2015 | 177.02 tonnes | -58.7% |
| 2016 | 347.59 tonnes | +96.4% |
| 2017 | 434.45 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 2018 | 188.69 tonnes | -56.6% |
| 2019 | 237 tonnes | +25.6% |
| 2021 | 315 tonnes | +32.9% |
| 2022 | 517.58 tonnes | +64.3% |
| 2023 | 456 tonnes | -11.9% |
| 2024 | 812.88 tonnes | +78.3% |
Maldives compared with similar countries
- Maldives's 812.88 tonnes is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,066 tonnes, 76% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Maldives's 812.88 tonnes is below the median for South Asia, which is 1,050 tonnes, 77% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Maldives 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +1108.7% | 25 tonnes | 302.19 tonnes |
| 2005 | +600.0% | 4 tonnes | 28 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.18 tonnes | 4 tonnes | 30.67 tonnes | 6 |
| 2010s | 254.41 tonnes | 25 tonnes | 434.45 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 525.37 tonnes | 315 tonnes | 812.88 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
More environment data for Maldives
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.252 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.911 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 4.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1991)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 4.35 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in Maldives?
- Plastic waste exports in Maldives was 812.88 tonnes in 2024, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest plastic waste exports recorded in Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 812.88 tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was 4 tonnes in 2004.
- How does Maldives rank for plastic waste exports?
- Maldives ranks 98th out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is up 89.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Maldives data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Plastic waste exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Amount of plastic waste a country exports to other countries, measured in tonnes per year.