The bar chart compares the volume of freight carried by road, rail, sea and air in one country in 2000 and 2020, in millions of tonnes.
Overall, road transport grew substantially and remained the leading mode, while air freight showed the biggest proportional rise. Rail was the only mode to carry less freight in 2020 than in 2000.
Road freight increased from 520 million tonnes to 780 million, a rise of 260 million tonnes, or 50%. This meant that it widened its lead over sea transport, which was the second most important mode, up from 410 million tonnes to 430 million, a much smaller change.
Rail moved in the opposite direction. It carried 180 million tonnes in 2000 but only 150 million in 2020, a decline of 30 million tonnes, and it remained the third most important mode, well behind sea transport.
Air freight was minimal in comparison with the other modes. It nevertheless nearly quadrupled, from just 5 million tonnes in 2000 to 19 million in 2020, although it was still far below rail.