Transportation in Iran

total: 6,130 km

broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge

standard gauge: 6,036 km 1.435-m gauge (187 km electrified)

note: broad-gauge track is employed at the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan which have broad-gauge rail systems; 41 km of the standard-gauge, electrified track is in suburban service at Tehran (2001)

City with underground railway system: Tehran

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: 138 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,517,751 GRT/6,208,230 DWT
ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 36, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 1, container 7, liquified gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 6, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off 9, short-sea passenger 1 (1999 est.)

Airports: 288 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 112
over 3,047 m: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 176
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 123
under 914 m: 32 (1999 est.)

Heliports: 11 (1999 est.)

See also : Iran