Transportation facilities in Egypt are centered in Cairo and largely follow the pattern of settlement along the Nile. The main line of the nation's 4,800-kilometer (2,800-mi.) railway network runs from Alexandria to Aswan. The well-maintained road network has expanded rapidly to over 21,000 miles, covering the Nile Valley and Nile Delta, Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts, the Sinai, and the Western oases.
Egypt Air provides reliable domestic air service to major tourist destinations from its Cairo hub, in addition to overseas routes. The Nile River system (about 1,600 km. or 1,000 mi.) and the principal canals (1,600 km.) are important locally for transportation. The Suez Canal is a major waterway of international commerce and navigation, linking the Mediterranean and Red Sea. Major ports are Alexandria, Port Said, and Damietta on the Mediterranean, and Suez and Safraga on the Red Sea.
Railways:
total:
4,955 km
standard gauge:
4,955 km 1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified; 1,560 km double track)
City with underground railway system: Cairo
Highways:
total:
64,000 km
paved:
49,984 km
unpaved:
14,016 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 3,500 km (including the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta); Suez Canal, 193.5 km (including approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water
Pipelines: crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum products 596 km; natural gas 460 km
Ports and harbors: Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez
Merchant marine:
total:
180 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,348,148 GRT/2,014,483 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 25, cargo 63, container 1, liquified gas 1, passenger 57, petroleum tanker 14, roll-on/roll-off 16, short-sea passenger 3 (1999 est.)
Airports: 90 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
71
over 3,047 m:
12
2,438 to 3,047 m:
36
1,524 to 2,437 m:
16
914 to 1,523 m:
3
under 914 m:
4 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total:
19
2,438 to 3,047 m:
2
1,524 to 2,437 m:
2
914 to 1,523 m:
6
under 914 m:
9 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 2 (1999 est.)
- See also : Egypt
