Facts >
Transportation
Railways
total 2,339 km
standard gauge 2,339 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)
Highways
total 45,550 km
paved 38,400 km
unpaved 7,150 km (1996 est.)
Waterways1,015 km
Note: Prior to the Iraq-Iran war Shatt al Arab was navigable by maritime traffic for about 130
km; its 3 m dredged channel was in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have
navigable sections for shallow-draft boats and barges; Shatt al Basrah canal was
navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the
Gulf war
Pipelines
crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km
Ports and harbors
Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah
have limited functionality
Merchant marine
total 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 186,709 GRT/278,575 DWT
ships by type cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker
8, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Airports
150 (2002); note - unknown number were damaged during the March-April 2003
war
Airports - with paved runways
total 77
over 3,047 m 21
2,438 to 3,047 m 36
914 to 1,523 m 6
under 914 m 9 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m 5
Airports - with unpaved runways
total 73
under 914 m 11 (2002)
over 3,047 m 5
2,438 to 3,047 m 5
914 to 1,523 m 28
1,524 to 2,437 m 24
Heliports 5 (2002)
