Short facts about transportation in Iran

Railways:

total:  5,600 km broad gauge:  94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge:  5,506 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) note:  broad gauge track is employed at the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan which have broad-gauge rail systems (2001)

Highways:

total:  140,200 km paved:  49,440 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved:  90,760 km (1998 est.)

Waterways:

904 km note:  the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use

Pipelines:

crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550 km

Ports and harbors:

Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now Shahr

Merchant marine:

total:  152 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,097,977 GRT/7,131,688 DWT ships by type:  bulk 49, cargo 38, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 1 note:  includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2000 est.)

Airports:

317 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:

total:  117 over 3,047 m:  38 2,438 to 3,047 m:  23 1,524 to 2,437 m:  25 914 to 1,523 m:  24 under 914 m:  7 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total:  200 over 3,047 m:  2 2,438 to 3,047 m:  3 1,524 to 2,437 m:  13 914 to 1,523 m:  122 under 914 m:  60 (2000 est.)

Heliports:

11 (2000 est.)

Source: World Factbook