Railways: total: 15,333 km (9,699 km electrified) (2017)
standard gauge: 2,571 km 1.435-m gauge (2,571 km electrified) (2017)
narrow gauge: 1,207 km 1.000-m gauge (400 km electrified) (2017)
broad gauge: 11,333 km 1.668-m gauge (6,538 km electrified) (2017)
mixed gauge: 190 km 1.668-m and 1.435m gage (190.1 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified); 4 km 0.600-m gauge
Definition: This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge, which is the measure of the distance between the inner sides of the load-bearing rails. The four typical types of gauges are: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed under note. Some 60% of the world's railways use the standard gauge of 1.4 m (4.7 ft). Gauges vary by country and sometimes within countries. The choice of gauge during initial construction was mainly in response to local conditions and the intent of the builder. Narrow-gauge railways were cheaper to build and could negotiate sharper curves, broad-gauge railways gave greater stability and permitted higher speeds. Standard-gauge railways were a compromise between narrow and broad gauges.
Source: CIA World Factbook - This page was last updated on Saturday, September 18, 2021
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