The United States was the largest supplier to the main importing countries.
What this market covers
Aircraft that can take off and land on both water and runways, used for tourism, firefighting, patrol and remote area transport. Operators serve island and lake regions.
Typical segments
- Light sport amphibians
- Utility amphibians
- Firefighting amphibians
- Patrol amphibians
Top importing countries
Customs import value under HS 880220 in each country's latest reported year (in brackets), USD million.
GCC and Africa
Import value by country group, latest reported year per country, USD million.
Source: UN Comtrade
Why this market is moving now
- Import value for the 9 countries reporting every year fell 88% from 2020 to 2024.
- EU exports of the matching CN code to the region rose 108% from 2020 to 2025.
- Demand is concentrated: one country took a large share of the region's reported imports.
About the data
Figures are customs import values (CIF, US dollars) that 18 countries reported to UN Comtrade for HS code 880220 (Aeroplanes and other powered aircraft of an unladen weight <= 2.000 kg). Each country's latest reported year is used: Algeria 2024, Cote d'Ivoire 2024, Egypt 2021, Ethiopia 2020, Ghana 2025, Israel 2025, Jordan 2023, Kenya 2025, Kuwait 2025, Morocco 2025, Nigeria 2025, Oman 2025, Qatar 2024, Saudi Arabia 2025, South Africa 2025, Tanzania 2025, Tunisia 2024, United Arab Emirates 2023.
No import data for this code was available from Bahrain.
South Africa reports import values FOB (free on board) rather than CIF.
Supplier figures add up the partner breakdown that the largest importing countries reported for their latest year. Partner areas that the reporters did not specify are left out of the list.
EU export figures are Eurostat Comext values in euros for CN code 88022000 (Aeroplanes and other powered aircraft of an unladen weight <= 2.000 kg), the code used on the EU page for this market. Shares, changes and per-kilogram values are calculated from these figures. No figure on this page is a forecast.
Key figures
Each figure names the source it came from. Open the source list below to read the quoted line.
| Figure | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs data from 18 Middle East and Africa countries shows imports of $27.2 million under HS code 880220 (Aeroplanes and other powered aircraft of an unladen weight <= 2.000 kg) in their latest year with data (2025 for 10 countries, 2024 for 4, 2023 for 2, 2021 for 1 and 2020 for 1). | 27.2 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Imports under HS 880220 by the 9 countries that reported every year from 2020 to 2024 were down 88% in 2024 compared with 2020, from $348.9 million to $40.8 million, calculated from UN Comtrade values. | -88 % since 2020 | 2024 | UN Comtrade |
| South Africa was the largest importer among the countries covered, with $12.0 million in 2025, or 44% of the total. | 12.0 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Kenya followed with $3.4 million in 2025. | 3.4 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 5 GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries with data accounted for $5.8 million, or 21% of the total, in their latest reported years. | 5.8 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 11 African countries with data accounted for $19.1 million, or 70% of the total. | 19.1 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The United States was the largest supplier to the 5 largest importing countries in the region, which took 87% of its reported imports, with $10.5 million, or 44% of their imports under HS 880220 (partner data for each country's latest year). | 10.5 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| EU exports of CN 88022000 (Aeroplanes and other powered aircraft of an unladen weight <= 2.000 kg) to the 13 Middle East and Africa countries covered were worth €27.9 million in 2025. | 27.9 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
| EU exports of CN 88022000 to these countries were up 108% in 2025 compared with 2020, when they were €13.4 million, calculated from Eurostat values. | +108 % since 2020 | 2025 | Eurostat |
| The United Arab Emirates was the largest of these destinations for EU exports of CN 88022000 in 2025, at €9.6 million. | 9.6 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
Sources and method
The figures on this page come from the public sources listed below. Read how we work.
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 1
cmdCode=880220 flowCode=M partnerCode=0 primaryValue: ARE2023=2897389; CIV2024=134556; DZA2024=608279; EGY2021=9171; ETH2020=45459; GHA2025=21208; ISR2025=1985000; JOR2023=397730; KEN2025=3448064; KWT2025=7911; MAR2025=304217; NGA2025=2429421; OMN2025=14203; QAT2024=36460; SAU2025=2815361; TUN2024=29070; TZA2025=57647; ZAF2025=12005329; sum=27246474
- Figure 3
reporterCode 710, period 2025, cmdCode 880220, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 12005329; share of 27246474 = 44%
- Figure 4
reporterCode 404, period 2025, cmdCode 880220, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 3448064
- Figure 5
cmdCode 880220, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE KWT OMN QAT SAU = 5771323; share 21% (shown as 5.8 USD million)
- Figure 6
cmdCode 880220, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV DZA EGY ETH GHA KEN MAR NGA TUN TZA ZAF = 19092421; share 70% (shown as 19.1 USD million)
- Figure 1
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 2
cmdCode 880220, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV ISR KEN KWT MAR NGA QAT SAU ZAF: 2020 = 348862248; 2024 = 40781987; change -88%
- Figure 2
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 7
cmdCode 880220, flowCode M, partnerCode 842, primaryValue summed over reporters = 10450530; world 23595562; share 44% (shown as 10.5 USD million)
- Figure 7
- Eurostat: EU trade since 1988 by HS2-4-6 and CN8 (DS-045409) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 8
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 88022000, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, 2025: AE=9606461; CI=1990; EG=7115; IL=2763454; JO=302824; KE=2137394; MA=8300003; NG=25445; OM=562812; QA=1147114; SA=1845434; TZ=350664; ZA=851929; sum 27902639
- Figure 9
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 88022000, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, sum over the same partners: 2020 = 13386280; 2025 = 27902639; change +108%
- Figure 10
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 88022000, partner AE, flow export, 2025, VALUE_IN_EUROS 9606461
- Figure 8
Buyers and suppliers
Who buys
- Tour operators
- Fire agencies
- Coast guards and air forces
Large suppliers to the countries covered
EU exports to the largest destinations in the region, 2025
Eurostat Comext, CN 88022000, EUR million.
What the full report covers
- 01Executive summary
The answer in one page: size, direction and what moves it - 02Market definition and scope
What is in and out of the Middle East and Africa market - 03Market size, 2021 to 2025
Historical series and growth rates - 04Outlook to 2031
Base, low and high scenarios with stated assumptions - 05Rules, policy and deadlines
Regulation and programmes that change demand - 06Drivers and barriers
What accelerates or slows adoption, by customer segment - 07Prices, costs and margins
Unit economics where public data allows - 08Competitive landscape
8 to 12 company profiles with recent moves - 09Opportunities and risks
For new entrants, suppliers and investors - 10Method and sources
Every assumption and source, listed
Included with the full report
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- Method note and assumptions
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Frequently asked questions
How big is the Middle East and Africa amphibious aircraft market?
There is no single official market total. Customs data reported to UN Comtrade shows imports of $27.2 million under HS code 880220 by 18 countries in the region, using the latest year each one reported.
Which Middle East and Africa countries import the most amphibious aircraft?
South Africa was the largest importer, followed by Kenya and the United Arab Emirates.
Where does the Middle East and Africa import amphibious aircraft from?
The United States was the largest supplier to the largest importing countries in the region. Other large suppliers included Israel, France and China.
How do GCC and African imports of amphibious aircraft compare?
The GCC countries with data took $5.8 million, or 21% of the total, and the African countries with data took $19.1 million, or 70%, each in its latest reported year.
How much amphibious aircraft does the EU export to the Middle East and Africa?
Eurostat shows EU exports of CN 88022000 to the countries covered of €27.9 million in 2025. The United Arab Emirates was the largest destination.
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