Thematic Map > Railways (km) > TOP 20 - World

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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.

Description: The map displayed here shows how Railways varies by country. The shade of the country corresponds to the magnitude of the indicator. The darker the shade, the higher the value.

Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is accurate as of January 1, 2020

See also: Railways bar chart