Editing Transport in Azerbaijan

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[[File:Azerbaijan rel 2004.jpg|thumb|right|345px|Azerbaijan geopolitical map with rail and road network]]
The '''transport in Azerbaijan''' involves air traffic, waterways and railroads. All transportation services in [[Azerbaijan]] except for [[Petroleum industry in Azerbaijan#Post-war period|oil and gas pipelines]] are regulated by the [[Ministry of Transportation (Azerbaijan)|Ministry of Transportation of Azerbaijan Republic]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winne.com/ca/azerbaijan/report/2004/vi05.php |title= World Investment News. V.I.P. Interviews. H.E. Mr. Ziya Mamedov |access-date=2010-11-18}}</ref>

* For transportation in Azerbaijan during the Soviet era, see [[Transport in the Soviet Union]].

==Railways==
[[Image:Azerbaijan railway map.png|thumb|[[Azerbaijan Railways]] map (current)]]
{{Main|Azerbaijan Railways}}
There are {{convert|2932|km|mi|abbr=on}} of [[rail track]]s out of which only {{convert|2117|km|mi|abbr=on}} are in common carrier service and {{convert|810|km|mi|abbr=on}} are [[freight rail transport|industrial lines]].<ref name="Indexmundi">{{cite news| url=http://www.indexmundi.com/azerbaijan/railways.html | publisher=Indexmundi | title=Azerbaijan Railways| date=2009-12-19| access-date=2007-11-01}}</ref>

<br>''Total:'' {{convert|2932|km|mi|abbr=on}} (2013)
<br>''Country comparison to the world:'' 59
<br>''Broad gauge:'' {{track gauge|1520mm}} gauge<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indexmundi.com/azerbaijan/railways.html|title=Azerbaijan Railways – Transportation|website=www.indexmundi.com|access-date=2019-05-24}}</ref>

=== Railway links with adjacent countries ===
{{main|Azerbaijan Railways#International railway links with neighboring countries}}

=== Timeline ===
{{main|Azerbaijan Railways#Timeline}}

=== Metro ===
Currently, the only [[rapid transit|metro]] system in Azerbaijan is the [[Baku Metro]], located in [[Baku]], the country's capital.
New plans to open metro systems in the most populated and developed cities of Azerbaijan were unveiled. [[Sumgayit]], [[Nakhchivan (city)|Nakhchivan]] and [[Ganja, Azerbaijan|Ganja]] all plan to have subway systems in the future.<ref>{{cite web|title=Good news for Baku Metro's users|url=http://www.azernews.az/azerbaijan/69559.html|publisher=azernews|access-date=7 January 2015}}</ref>

=== Suburban rail ===
{{main|Baku suburban railway}}

==Roadways==
{{main|Roads in Azerbaijan}}
[[Image:M2 Azerbaijan.JPG |thumb| M2 [[Azerbaijan]]]]
There are about 25,000 kilometres of roads in [[Azerbaijan]], serving domestic cargo traffic and providing access to international main highways. Highways are mostly in fair condition and need an upgrade to international standards in a view to accommodating growing transit traffic. Main and rural roads are in poor condition and in urgent need of rehabilitation and maintenance. The total vehicle fleet in Azerbaijan was about 517,000 in 2004, with about 49 private passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants, which is quite low compared to European benchmarks but rapidly increasing due to the fast economic growth. Road transport accounted for 54% of all freight in 2003, up from about 48% in 1999.

=== International highways ===
Main highways carrying international traffic are the [[Baku]]–[[Ələt|Alat]]–[[Ganja, Azerbaijan|Ganja]]–[[Qazax|Qazakh]]–[[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] Border corridor (Azerbaijani section of [[TRACECA]] corridor) with a length of 503&nbsp;km and the so-called [[North–South Transport Corridor]] that stretches out from the Russian to the [[Iran]]ian border along 521&nbsp;km. Road connections are disrupted with [[Armenia]] because of the unresolved conflict regarding the possession of the [[Nagorno-Karabakh]]. Travel between the mainland and the detached exclave of [[Nakhichivan Autonomous Republic|Nakhchivan]] is made by air or by road through Iran. Nakhchivan has a 9-kilometre strategic border with Turkey.

==Pipelines==
[[File:Baku pipelines.svg|thumb|Map of [[Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline]]. The [[South Caucasus Pipeline]] runs parallel.]]
[[Baku]] is the centre of major oil- and gas-producing regions, and major long-distance pipelines radiate from the region's oil fields to all neighbouring areas. Pipelines are generally high-capacity lines and have diameters of either 1,020 or 1,220 millimetres. The main petroleum pipeline was completed in 2005 under American pressure to limit Russian and Iranian influence in the area. It runs from [[Baku]] via [[Tbilisi]] to [[Ceyhan]] in Turkey, therefore the acronym [[BTC pipeline]]. It made partly obsolete the old Soviet pipeline pumping crude oil from the onshore and offshore Caspian fields near Baku west across Azerbaijan and Georgia to the port of [[Batumi]], where the oil is either exported in its crude form or processed at Batumi's refinery. Two natural gas lines parallel the old petroleum line as far as Tbilisi, where they turn north across the Caucasus Mountains to join the grid of natural gas pipelines that supply cities throughout Russia and Eastern Europe.

Condensate 89&nbsp;km; gas 3,890&nbsp;km; oil 2,446&nbsp;km<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Middle East :: Azerbaijan — The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/azerbaijan/|website=www.cia.gov|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>

==Ports and harbours==
Sea and water cargo transportation have vital importance for [[Azerbaijan]], especially in regions where road and rail connections are disputed. Azerbaijan has direct maritime connections only with other Caspian littoral states ([[Iran]], [[Kazakhstan]], Russia, and [[Turkmenistan]]). However, the [[Volga–Don Canal]] provides maritime access to the high seas. The main activity is the transport of cargo, mainly of oil and oil products. Shipping regions are the Caspian, Black, Mediterranean, and Marmara Seas. The main shipping company owes 72 ships, 37 of which are tankers (including 1 water carrier).

[[Baku International Marine Trade Port]] is the largest port on the [[Caspian Sea]]. Its ferry terminal underwent a major reconstruction supported by a US$16.2 million loan from EBRD. It is now able to handle 30 million tons of freight a year. The Caspian Sea provides vital transport links with other countries and is being used to ship oil until various pipeline projects are completed.

In 2014, Azerbaijan stated it would seek to ease transportation on the Caspian Sea due to increased demand by its neighbouring states.<ref>{{cite news|title=Joint venture of Azerbaijan and Turkey to operate transport on Caspian Sea|url=http://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/economy/64527.html|access-date=15 January 2015|date=12 January 2015}}</ref>

On June 4, 2004, the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Azerbaijan established the Maritime Administration. As the regulatory authority in maritime transport, its functions include participating in the formulation of state policy, regulating transport demand of goods and passengers and for other types of maritime transport services, as well as implementing state programs, concepts, and projects for the development of maritime transport.

*Ports and harbors: [[Ələt|Alat]], [[Baku]], [[Dubandi]], [[Lankaran]]

===Merchant marine===
''Total:'' 305 ships 
<br>''Ships by type:'' general cargo 40, oil tanker 48, other 217

''Country comparison to the world:'' 53<ref name=":0" />

{{See also|Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company}}

==Airports==
[[Image: Международный аэропорт Гейдар Алиев.jpg |thumb|[[Heydar Aliyev International Airport]] in Baku]]
There are regular passenger flights between [[Azerbaijan]] and [[former Soviet countries]], UK, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, [[Israel]], [[Iran]], Pakistan, Turkey, [[UAE]], United States, China, [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] and cargo flights to [[UAE]], Turkey, [[Luxembourg]], Germany, China, [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[Iraq]]. The national airline is [[Azerbaijan Airlines]] (AZAL). There are 5 international airports located in Baku, Ganja, Nakhchivan, Lankaran and Zaqatala. [[Heydar Aliyev International Airport]] in Baku reopened in 1999 after a US$64 million upgrade and extension financed by Turkish company Enka. The airport can now handle 1,600 passengers an hour. The new runways are also able to serve jumbo jets. The complete overhaul of the international airport in Nakhchivan was completed in May 2004. The US$32 million reconstruction project of [[Ganja Airport]] has been launched by the Government and was completed by mid-2006. In 2008, two more airports were opened in Azerbaijan. The [[Lankaran International Airport]] is located in the southern part of Azerbaijan, Zaqatala Airport is in the north-west of Azerbaijan territory.

Airports: 37 
<br>''Country comparison to the world:'' 107<ref name=":0" />

=== Airports – with paved runways ===
''Total:'' 30
<br>''Over 3,047 m:'' 5
<br>''2,438 to 3,047 m:'' 5
<br>''1,524 to 2,437 m:'' 13
<br>''914 to 1,523 m:'' 4
<br>''Under 914 m:'' 3<ref name=":0" />

=== Airports – with unpaved runways ===
''Total:'' 7
<br>''Under 914 m:'' 7<ref name=":0" />

{{See also|Azerbaijan Airlines|List of airlines of Azerbaijan|List of airports in Azerbaijan}}

== Heliports ==
''Total:'' 4<ref name=":0" />

==See also==
* [[Azerbaijan]]
* [[Economy of Azerbaijan]]

==References==
*{{CIA World Factbook}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Transport in Azerbaijan}}

{{Azerbaijan topics}}
{{Asia topic|Transport in}}
{{Transportation in Europe}}
{{Asia in topic|Rail transport in}}
{{Rail transport in Europe}}
{{Transit in Azerbaijan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Azerbaijan}}
[[Category:Transport in Azerbaijan| ]]