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Home  »  The World Factbook, 2008  »  Railways

The World Factbook. 2008.

Railways

CountryRailways
Albaniatotal: 447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Algeriatotal: 3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2006)
Angolatotal: 2,761 km
narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2006)
Argentinatotal: 31,902 km
broad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)
standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Armeniatotal: 839 km
broad gauge: 839 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
note: some lines are out of service (2006)
Australiatotal: 38,550 km
broad gauge: 3,727 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 20,519 km 1.435-m gauge (1,877 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 14,074 km 1.067-m gauge (2,453 km electrified)
dual gauge: 230 km dual gauge (2006)
Austriatotal: 6,383 km
standard gauge: 5,924 km 1.435-m gauge (3,772 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 371 km 1.000-m gauge; 88 km 0.760-m gauge (25 km electrified) (2006)
Azerbaijantotal: 2,122 km
broad gauge: 2,122 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2006)
Bangladeshtotal: 2,768 km
broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Belarustotal: 5,512 km
broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
standard gauge: 15 km 1.435 m (2006)
Belgiumtotal: 3,536 km
standard gauge: 3,536 km 1.435-m gauge (2,950 km electrified) (2006)
Benintotal: 758 km
narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Boliviatotal: 3,504 km
narrow gauge: 3,504 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Bosnia and Herzegovinatotal: 608 km
standard gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Botswanatotal: 888 km
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Braziltotal: 29,295 km
broad gauge: 4,932 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified)
standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge
narrow gauge: 23,773 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)
dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2006)
Bulgariatotal: 4,294 km
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Burkina Fasototal: 622 km
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D’Ivoire (2006)
Burmatotal: 3,955 km
narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Cambodiatotal: 602 km
narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Cameroontotal: 987 km
narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Canadatotal: 48,068 km
standard gauge: 48,068 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Chiletotal: 6,585 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Chinatotal: 75,438 km
standard gauge: 75,438 km 1.435-m gauge (20,151 km electrified) (2005)
Colombiatotal: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Congo, Democratic Republic of thetotal: 5,138 km
narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2006)
Congo, Republic of thetotal: 894 km
narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Costa Ricatotal: 278 km
narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge
note: none of the railway network is in use (2007)
Cote d’Ivoiretotal: 660 km
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2006)
Croatiatotal: 2,726 km
standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2006)
Cubatotal: 4,226 km
standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)
note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2006)
Czech Republictotal: 9,597 km
standard gauge: 9,597 km 1.435-m gauge (3,041 km electrified) (2006)
Denmarktotal: 2,644 km
standard gauge: 2,644 km 1.435-m gauge (636 km electrified) (2007)
Djiboutitotal: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)
narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but remains largely inoperable (2006)
Dominican Republictotal: 517 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2006)
Ecuadortotal: 966 km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Egypttotal: 5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2006)
El Salvadortotal: 562 km
narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge
note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and lack of maintenance due to high costs (2007)
Eritreatotal: 306 km
narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2006)
Estoniatotal: 968 km
broad gauge: 968 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (2006)
Ethiopiatotal: 699 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
narrow gauge: 699 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but remains largely inoperable (2006)
European Uniontotal: 236,656 km
broad gauge: 28,240 km
standard gauge: 200,532 km
narrow gauge: 7,861 km
other: 23 km (2006)
Fijitotal: 597 km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2006)
Finlandtotal: 5,741 km
broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2006)
Francetotal: 29,370 km
standard gauge: 29,203 km 1.435-m gauge (14,778 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Gabontotal: 814 km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Georgiatotal: 1,612 km
broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2006)
Germanytotal: 48,215 km
standard gauge: 47,962 km 1.435-m gauge (20,278 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 229 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Ghanatotal: 953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Greecetotal: 2,571 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2006)
Guatemalatotal: 886 km
narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Guineatotal: 837 km
standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Hondurastotal: 699 km
narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Hungarytotal: 8,057 km
broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,802 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Indiatotal: 63,221 km
broad gauge: 46,807 km 1.676-m gauge (17,343 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 13,290 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,124 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2006)
Indonesiatotal: 6,458 km
narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Irantotal: 8,367 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 8,273 km 1.435-m gauge (146 km electrified) (2006)
Iraqtotal: 2,272 km
standard gauge: 2,272 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Irelandtotal: 3,237 km
broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2006)
Isle of Mantotal: 65 km
standard gauge: 7 km 1.067-m gauge (7 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 58 km 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified)
note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006)
Israeltotal: 853 km
standard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Italytotal: 19,460 km
standard gauge: 18,038 km 1.435-m gauge (11,354 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (123 km electrified); 1,299 km 0.950-m gauge (161 km electrified) (2006)
Japantotal: 23,474 km
standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,182 km 1.067-m gauge (13,334 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km electrified) (2006)
Jordantotal: 505 km
narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2006)
Kazakhstantotal: 13,700 km
broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2006)
Kenyatotal: 2,778 km
narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Korea, Northtotal: 5,235 km
standard gauge: 5,235 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2006)
Korea, Southtotal: 3,472 km
standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2006)
Kosovototal: 430 km (2005)
Kyrgyzstantotal: 470 km
broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)
Latviatotal: 2,303 km
broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Lebanontotal: 401 km
standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m
narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m
note: rail system became unusable because of damage done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)
Liberiatotal: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: sections of railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil war (2008)
Libya0 km
note: Libya has announced plans to build seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge track (2006)
Liechtenstein9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified)
note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006)
Lithuaniatotal: 1,771 km
broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Luxembourgtotal: 275 km
standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2006)
Macedoniatotal: 699 km
standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2006)
Madagascartotal: 854 km
narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Malawitotal: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Malaysiatotal: 1,890 km
standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2006)
Malitotal: 729 km
narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Mauritania717 km
standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Mexicototal: 17,665 km
standard gauge: 17,665 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Moldovatotal: 1,138 km
broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Mongoliatotal: 1,810 km
broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2006)
Montenegrototal: 250 km
standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2006)
Moroccototal: 1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2006)
Mozambiquetotal: 3,123 km
narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)
Namibiatotal: 2,382 km
narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Nepaltotal: 59 km
narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2006)
Netherlandstotal: 2,811 km
standard gauge: 2,811 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2006)
New Zealandtotal: 4,128 km
narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2006)
Nicaraguatotal: 6 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Nigeriatotal: 3,505 km
narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Norwaytotal: 4,043 km
standard gauge: 4,043 km 1.435-m gauge (2,509 km electrified) (2006)
Pakistantotal: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Panamatotal: 355 km
standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Paraguaytotal: 36 km
standard gauge: 36 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Perutotal: 1,989 km
standard gauge: 1,726 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 263 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Philippinestotal: 897 km
narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2006)
Polandtotal: 23,072 km
broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 22,443 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational; 11,910 km electrified) (2006)
Portugaltotal: 2,786 km
broad gauge: 2,603 km 1.668-m gauge (1,351 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 183 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Puerto Ricototal: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Romaniatotal: 11,385 km
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Russiatotal: 87,157 km
broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve industries (2006)
Saint Kitts and Nevistotal: 50 km
narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts for tourists (2006)
Saudi Arabiatotal: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2006)
Senegaltotal: 906 km
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2006)
Serbiatotal: 3,379 km (note – excludes Kosovo)
standard gauge: 3,379 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 1,254 km) (2006)
Slovakiatotal: 3,662 km
broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2006)
Sloveniatotal: 1,229 km
standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2006)
South Africatotal: 20,872 km
narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,931 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (2006)
Spaintotal: 14,974 km
broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)
standard gauge: 1,099 km 1.435-m gauge (1,054 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2006)
Sri Lankatotal: 1,449 km
broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2006)
Sudantotal: 5,978 km
narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations (2006)
Swazilandtotal: 301 km
narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Swedentotal: 11,528 km
standard gauge: 11,528 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2006)
Switzerlandtotal: 4,839 km
standard gauge: 3,561 km 1.435-m gauge (3,195 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,268 km 1.000-m gauge (1,274 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2006)
Syriatotal: 2,711 km
standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2006)
Taiwantotal: 1,588 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge
note: 150 km .762-m gauge (belonging primarily to Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities) (2007)
Tajikistantotal: 482 km
broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)
Tanzaniatotal: 3,690 km
narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Thailandtotal: 4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Togototal: 568 km
narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Tunisiatotal: 2,153 km
standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2006)
Turkeytotal: 8,697 km
standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (1,920 km electrified) (2006)
Turkmenistantotal: 2,440 km
broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2006)
Ugandatotal: 1,244 km
narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Ukrainetotal: 22,473 km
broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2006)
United Kingdomtotal: 16,567 km
broad gauge: 303 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland)
standard gauge: 16,264 km 1.435-m gauge (5,361 km electrified) (2006)
United Statestotal: 226,612 km
standard gauge: 226,612 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Uruguaytotal: 2,073 km
standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in partial use (2006)
Uzbekistantotal: 3,950 km
broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2006)
Venezuelatotal: 682 km
standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Vietnamtotal: 2,600 km
standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge
dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (2006)
Worldtotal: 1,370,782 km (2006)
Zambiatotal: 2,157 km
narrow gauge: 2,157 km 1.067-m gauge
note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2006)
Zimbabwetotal: 3,077 km
narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2006)