Railways

total: 2,032 km
standard gauge: 2,032 km 1.435-m gauge

For more than two decades there have been plans for building a metro system in Baghdad. It is possible that part of the tunnels have been built, but that they are now used militarily for sheltering, hiding and escaping purposes. U.N. inspectors have heard of the tunnels for years, but have not found their entrances. [1] map [2] [3]

The first train to Basra since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime arrived on April 26 2003. British troops hope to use the 68 km long railway to transport much-needed aid supplies from the port town of Umm Qasr to Basra.

Railway links with adjacent countries

• Turkey - yes - via Syria
• Iran - partially under construction
• Kuwait - no railways
• Saudia Arabia - no - same gauge
• Jordan - no - partially constructed
• Syria - yes

Highways

total: 45,550 km
paved: 38,400 km
unpaved: 7,150 km (1996 est.)

Waterways

1,015 km; Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft watercraft; 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
• Al Basrah has limited functionality

Merchant marine

total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 606,227 GRT/1,067,770 DWT
ships by type: cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999 est.)

Airports

113 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 80
over 3,047 m: 20
2,438 to 3,047 m: 39
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 33
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 12 (1999 est.)

Heliports

5 (1999 est.)

See also

• Iraq