Editing Latin America (section)

===Infrastructure===
[[File:New Panama Canal.jpg|thumb|[[Panama Canal expansion project]]; New ''Agua Clara'' locks (Atlantic side)]]
[[File:General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge view from the lake to Cabimas side.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge]]]]

Transport in Latin America is basically carried out using the [[road]] mode, the most developed in the region. There is also a considerable infrastructure of [[ports]] and [[airports]]. The [[railway]] and [[fluvial]] sector, although it has potential, is usually treated in a secondary way.

Brazil has more than 1.7 million km of [[roads]], of which 215,000 km are paved, and about 14,000 km are [[dual carriageway|divided highways]]. The two most important highways in the country are [[BR-101]] and [[BR-116]].<ref name="Anuário CNT do transporte 2018">{{cite web|url=https://anuariodotransporte.cnt.org.br/2018/|title=Anuário CNT do transporte 2018|access-date=December 5, 2020|archive-date=November 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111012349/http://anuariodotransporte.cnt.org.br/2018/|url-status=live}}</ref> Argentina has more than 600,000 km of roads, of which about 70,000 km are paved, and about 2,500 km are divided highways. The three most important highways in the country are [[National Route 9 (Argentina)|Route 9]], [[National Route 7 (Argentina)|Route 7]] and [[National Route 14 (Argentina)|Route 14]].<ref name="Anuário CNT do transporte 2018"/> Colombia has about 210,000 km of roads, and about 2,300 km are divided highways.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mintransporte.gov.co/descargar.php?idFile=14090|title=Transporte en Cifras Estadísticas 2015|access-date=December 5, 2020|archive-date=January 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127090803/https://www.mintransporte.gov.co/descargar.php?idFile=14090|url-status=live}}</ref> Chile has about 82,000 km of roads, 20,000 km of which are paved, and about 2,000 km are divided highways. The most important highway in the country is the [[Chile Route 5|Route 5]] ([[Pan-American Highway]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mapas.mop.cl/cc2017/Cuadernillo/Cuadernillo_2017.pdf|title=Carta Caminera 2017|access-date=December 5, 2020|archive-date=April 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414172426/http://www.mapas.mop.cl/cc2017/Cuadernillo/Cuadernillo_2017.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> These 4 countries are the ones with the best road infrastructure and with the largest number of double-lane highways, in South America.

The roadway network in Mexico has an extent of {{convert|366095|km|mi|abbr=on}},<ref name=cis>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/mexico/ CIA – The World Factbook] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126164719/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/mexico |date=January 26, 2021 }}. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved on December 20, 2010</ref> of which {{convert|116802|km|mi|abbr=on}} are paved,<ref name=sctroad>[http://dgaf.sct.gob.mx/fileadmin/EST_BASICA/EST_BASICA_2005/EST2005_12INFRA.pdf Infraestructura Carretera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070716114353/http://dgaf.sct.gob.mx/fileadmin/EST_BASICA/EST_BASICA_2005/EST2005_12INFRA.pdf |date=July 16, 2007 }}. Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes. México. Retrieved January 13, 2007</ref><ref>With data from [[The World Factbook]]</ref> Of these, {{convert|10474|km|mi|abbr=on}} are multi-lane [[Controlled-access highway|expressways]]: {{convert|9544|km|mi|abbr=on}} are four-lane highways and the rest have 6 or more lanes.<ref name=sctroad/>

Due to the [[Andes Mountains]], [[Amazon River]] and [[Amazon Forest]], there have always been difficulties in implementing transcontinental or bioceanic highways. Practically the only route that existed was the one that connected Brazil to Buenos Aires, in Argentina and later to Santiago, in Chile. However, in recent years, with the combined effort of countries, new routes have started to emerge, such as Brazil-Peru ([[Interoceanic Highway]]), and a new highway between Brazil, Paraguay, northern Argentina and northern Chile ([[Central Bi-Oceanic railway|Bioceanic Corridor]]).[[File:A Saúde dos Portos (7110638275).jpg|thumb|right|Port of Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil]]

There are more than 2,000 airports in Brazil. The country has the second largest number of airports in the world, behind only the United States. [[São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport|São Paulo International Airport]], located in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, is the largest and busiest in the country – the airport connects São Paulo to practically all major cities around the world. Brazil has 44 international airports, such as those in [[Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport|Rio de Janeiro]], [[Brasília International Airport|Brasília]], [[Belo Horizonte International Airport|Belo Horizonte]], [[Salgado Filho International Airport|Porto Alegre]], [[Hercílio Luz International Airport|Florianópolis]], [[Marechal Rondon International Airport|Cuiabá]], [[Salvador International Airport|Salvador]], [[Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport|Recife]], [[Fortaleza Airport|Fortaleza]], [[Belém/Val-de-Cans International Airport|Belém]] and [[Eduardo Gomes International Airport|Manaus]], among others. Argentina has important international airports such as [[Ministro Pistarini International Airport|Buenos Aires]], [[Ingeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport|Cordoba]], [[San Carlos de Bariloche Airport|Bariloche]], [[Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport|Mendoza]], [[Martín Miguel de Güemes International Airport|Salta]], [[Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport|Puerto Iguazú]], [[Presidente Perón International Airport|Neuquén]] and [[Ushuaia – Malvinas Argentinas International Airport|Ushuaia]], among others. Chile has important international airports such as [[Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport|Santiago]], [[Andrés Sabella Gálvez International Airport|Antofagasta]], [[El Tepual Airport|Puerto Montt]], [[Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport|Punta Arenas]] and [[Diego Aracena International Airport|Iquique]], among others. Colombia has important international airports such as [[El Dorado International Airport|Bogotá]], [[José María Córdova International Airport|Medellín]], [[Rafael Núñez International Airport|Cartagena]], [[Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport|Cali]] and [[Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport|Barranquilla]], among others. Peru has important international airports such as [[Jorge Chávez International Airport|Lima]], [[Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport|Cuzco]] and [[Rodríguez Ballón International Airport|Arequipa]]. Other important airports are those in the capitals of Uruguay ([[Carrasco International Airport|Montevideo]]), Paraguay ([[Silvio Pettirossi International Airport|Asunción]]), Bolivia ([[El Alto International Airport|La Paz]]) and Ecuador ([[Mariscal Sucre International Airport|Quito]]). The 10 busiest airports in South America in 2017 were: São Paulo-Guarulhos (Brazil), Bogotá (Colombia), São Paulo-Congonhas (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Lima (Peru), Brasília (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires-Aeroparque (Argentina), Buenos Aires-Ezeiza (Argentina), and Minas Gerais (Brazil).<ref name="panrotas.com.br">{{cite web|url=https://www.panrotas.com.br/aviacao/aeroportos/2018/10/brasil-tem-9-dos-maiores-aeroportos-da-america-latina_159919.html|title=Brasil tem 9 dos maiores aeroportos da América Latina|date=October 29, 2018|access-date=December 5, 2020|archive-date=January 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111125631/https://www.panrotas.com.br/aviacao/aeroportos/2018/10/brasil-tem-9-dos-maiores-aeroportos-da-america-latina_159919.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

There are 1,834 airports in Mexico, the third-largest number of airports by country in the world.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2053rank.html Ranking on the number of airports per country] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119190550/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2053rank.html |date=January 19, 2018 }}. CIA Factbook</ref> The seven largest airports—which absorb 90% of air travel—are (in order of air traffic): [[Mexico City International Airport|Mexico City]], [[Cancún International Airport|Cancún]], [[Guadalajara International Airport|Guadalajara]], [[Monterrey International Airport|Monterrey]], [[Tijuana International Airport|Tijuana]], [[Acapulco International Airport|Acapulco]], and [[Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport|Puerto Vallarta]].<ref name=mcx>[http://www.mcx.es/turismo/infopais/mexico/Mexico.htm#D.-%20Infr Infrastructuras] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202171017/http://www.mcx.es/turismo/infopais/mexico/Mexico.htm#D.-%20Infr |date=February 2, 2009 }}. Información de México. Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio de España.</ref> Considering all of Latin America, the 10 busiest airports in 2017 were: Mexico City (Mexico), São Paulo-Guarulhos (Brazil), Bogotá (Colombia), Cancún (Mexico), São Paulo-Congonhas (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Lima (Peru), Brasilia (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Tocumen (Panama).<ref name="panrotas.com.br"/>

About [[ports]], Brazil has some of the busiest ports in South America, such as [[Port of Santos]], [[Port of Rio de Janeiro]], [[Port of Paranaguá]], [[Port of Itajaí]], [[Port of Rio Grande]], [[Port of São Francisco do Sul]] and [[Suape Port]]. Argentina has ports such as [[Port of Buenos Aires]] and [[Port of Rosario]]. Chile has important ports in [[Valparaíso]], [[Caldera, Chile|Caldera]], [[Mejillones]], [[Antofagasta]], [[Iquique]], [[Arica]] and [[Puerto Montt]]. Colombia has important ports such as [[Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca|Buenaventura]], [[Cartagena Container Terminal]] and [[Puerto Bolivar, Colombia|Puerto Bolivar]]. Peru has important ports in [[Callao]], [[Ilo, Peru|Ilo]] and [[Matarani]]. The 15 busiest ports in South America are: Port of Santos (Brazil), Port of Bahia de Cartagena (Colombia), Callao (Peru), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Buenos Aires (Argentina), San Antonio (Chile), Buenaventura (Colombia), Itajaí (Brazil), Valparaíso (Chile), Montevideo (Uruguay), Paranaguá (Brazil), Rio Grande (Brazil), São Francisco do Sul (Brazil), Manaus (Brazil) and Coronel (Chile).<ref name="cepal.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.cepal.org/sites/default/files/news/files/actividad_portuaria_2018.pdf|title=Port Activity of Latin America and the Caribbean 2018|access-date=December 5, 2020|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114132759/https://www.cepal.org/sites/default/files/news/files/actividad_portuaria_2018.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The four major seaports concentrating around 60% of the merchandise traffic in [[Mexico]] are [[Altamira, Tamaulipas|Altamira]] and [[Veracruz, Veracruz|Veracruz]] in the [[Gulf of Mexico]], and [[Manzanillo, Colima|Manzanillo]] and [[Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán|Lázaro Cárdenas]] in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Considering all of Latin America, the 10 largest ports in terms of movement are: Colon (Panama), Santos (Brazil), Manzanillo (Mexico), Bahia de Cartagena (Colombia), Pacifico (Panama), Callao (Peru), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Buenos Aires (Argentina), San Antonio (Chile) and Buenaventura (Colombia).<ref name="cepal.org"/>

The [[Rail transport in Brazil|Brazilian railway network]] has an extension of about 30,000 kilometers. It is basically used for transporting ores.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/brazil/|title=The World Factbook — Central Intelligence|date=July 12, 2022|access-date=January 24, 2021|archive-date=August 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812124129/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/brazil/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Rail transport in Argentina|Argentine rail network]], with 47,000 km of tracks, was one of the largest in the world and continues to be the most extensive in Latin America. It came to have about 100,000 km of rails, but the lifting of tracks and the emphasis placed on motor transport gradually reduced it. It has four different trails and international connections with Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. [[Rail transport in Chile|Chile]] has almost 7,000 km of railways, with connections to Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. [[Rail transport in Colombia|Colombia]] has only about 3,500 km of railways.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mintransporte.gov.co/Servicios/Estadisticas/DIAGNOSTICO_TRANSPORTE_2008.pdf|title=Diagnostico Transporte|access-date=December 5, 2020|archive-date=March 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307192918/https://www.mintransporte.gov.co/Servicios/Estadisticas/DIAGNOSTICO_TRANSPORTE_2008.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

Among the main Brazilian [[waterways]], two stand out: [[Hidrovia Tietê-Paraná]] (which has a length of 2,400 km, 1,600 on the Paraná River and 800 km on the Tietê River, draining agricultural production from the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás and part of Rondônia, Tocantins and Minas General) and [[Hidrovia do Solimões-Amazonas]] (it has two sections: Solimões, which extends from Tabatinga to Manaus, with approximately 1600 km, and Amazonas, which extends from Manaus to Belém, with 1650 km. Almost entirely passenger transport from the Amazon plain is done by this waterway, in addition to practically all cargo transportation that is directed to the major regional centers of Belém and Manaus). In Brazil, this transport is still underutilized: the most important waterway stretches, from an economic point of view, are found in the Southeast and South of the country. Its full use still depends on the construction of locks, major dredging works and, mainly, of ports that allow intermodal integration. In [[Argentina]], the waterway network is made up of the La Plata, Paraná, Paraguay and Uruguay rivers. The main river ports are [[Zárate, Buenos Aires|Zárate]] and [[Campana Partido|Campana]]. The port of Buenos Aires is historically the first in individual importance, but the area known as Up-River, which stretches along 67 km of the Santa Fé portion of the Paraná River, brings together 17 ports that concentrate 50% of the total exports of the country.