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Global Arteries

An analytical exploration of national and territorial road infrastructure, detailing total road length, paved and unpaved segments, density, and controlled-access highways.

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Understanding Road Networks

Global Connectivity

Road networks form the backbone of transportation and economic activity worldwide. This data provides a comparative overview of the total length of roads within countries and territories, encompassing both paved and unpaved surfaces. It highlights the significant variations in infrastructure development across the globe.

Key Metrics

The dataset includes crucial metrics such as total road length in kilometers (km), road density (km per 100 km² of land area), the length and percentage of paved roads, and the extent of controlled-access highways (motorways/freeways). These figures offer insights into a nation's accessibility and infrastructure investment.

Data Source

The primary source for this compilation is the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), with data points updated as available. The year of the data source is indicated for each entry, providing context for the figures presented.

Road Network Statistics

Comprehensive Table

Below is a detailed table presenting the road network statistics for various countries and regions. The data is sourced primarily from the CIA World Factbook and includes metrics on total road length, paved and unpaved surfaces, density, and controlled-access highways.

Country/Territory Total
(km) 		Density
(km/
100 km2) 		Paved
(km) 		Paved
(%) 		Unpaved
(km) 		Unpaved
(%) 		Controlled
-access
(km) 		Controlled
-access
(%) 		Source
& year
 India 6,671,100 203 4,500,000 67% 2,200,000 33% 6,059 0.1% [2] 2024
 United States 6,586,610 67 4,304,715 65% 2,281,895 35% 76,334 1.2% [1] 2023
 China 5,490,400 57 5,344,700 97% 145,700 3% 190,700 3.5% [3] 2024
 Brazil 2,000,000 23 214,000 11% 1,786,000 89% 17,000 0.9% 2023.[4][5]
 Russia 1,579,291 9 1,124,116 71% 455,175 29% 4,923 0.3% 2023 [6]
 Japan 1,218,772 322 992,835 81% 225,937 19% 30,469 2.5% 2021
 France 1,053,215 191 1,053,215 100% 0 0% 11,671 1.1% [7] 2011
 Canada 1,042,300 10 415,600 40% 626,700 60% 17,041 1.6% [8] 2014
 Australia 977,874 13 403,214 41% 574,660 59% 1,716 0.2% [9][10]2017
 Mexico 836,603 43 175,526 21% 641,986 79% 11,094 1.4% [11] 2023
 Germany 830,000 232 830,000 100% 0 0% 16,365 2.5% [12] 2022
 South Africa 750,000 61 158,124 21% 591,876 79% 1,927 0.3% 2016
 Thailand 702,989 137 — — 634.022 0.1% [13][14] 2020
 Spain 683,175 135 683,175 100% 0 0% 17,228 2.5% 2020
 Sweden 573,134 127 140,100 24% 433,034 76% 2,050 0.4% 2016
 Vietnam 570,448 172 280,663 49% 289,785 51% 1,276 0.2% [15] 2019
 Indonesia 548,097 29 329,189 60% 218,908 40% 2,816 0.5% [16][17] 2022
 Italy 487,700 162 487,700 100% 0 0% 6,700 1.4% 2007
 Finland 454,000 135 78,000 17% 350,000 77% 863 0.2% [18] 2019
 Turkey 438,633 56 29,879 7% 43,251 10% 3,796 0.9% [19] 2024
 Poland 429,800 137 293,800 68% 136,000 32% 5,310 1.2% [20] 2024
 United Kingdom 424,129 175 424,129 100% 0 0% 3,701 0.9% [21][22] 2020
 Bangladesh 369,105 250 110,311 30% 258,794 70% 55 0.0% 2018
 Egypt 325,250 32 240,000 74% 85,250 26% 1,034 0.3% 2024
 Malaysia 279,862 85 198,932 71% 80,930 29% 5,027 1.8% [23][24] 2022
 Pakistan 264,175 30 185,463 70% 78,712 30% 2,567 1.0% [25] 2025
 Argentina 240,000 9 81,355 34% 158,645 66% 4,423 1.8% 2017
 Iran 223,485 14 195,485 87% 28,000 13% — 2018
 Saudi Arabia 221,372 10 47,529 21% 173,843 79% 3,891 1.8% 2006
 Philippines 216,387 72 61,093 28% 155,294 72% 626 0.3% 2020
 Hungary 210,791 227 77,087 37% 126,514 60% 1,481 0.7% [26] 2018
 Uzbekistan 209,496 47 120,289 57% 89,207 43% — [27] 2021
 Colombia 204,389 18 32,280 16% 172,109 84% 2,100 1.0% 2021 [28][29]
 Nigeria 195,000 21 60,000 31% 135,000 69% — 2017
 Kenya 177,800 30 14,420 8% 163,380 92% — 2018
 Peru 175,589 14 29,579 17% 146,010 83% 827 0% 2021 [30][31]
 Ukraine 169,694 28 166,095 98% 3,599 2% 17 0.0% 2012
 Myanmar 157,000 23 34,700 22% 122,300 78% — 2013
 DR Congo 152,373 6 3,047 2% 149,326 98% — 2015
 Uganda 146,000 60 4,257 3% 141,743 97% — [32] 2019
 Tanzania 145,203 16 11,201 8% 134,002 74% — 2022
 Algeria 141,000 6 117,000 92% 24,000 19% — [33] 2023
 Mali 139,107 11 0 0% 139,107 100% — 2018
 Netherlands 141,820 341 — — 3,530 2.5% 2022
 Austria 126,400 151 — — 2,258 1.8% 2021
 Ethiopia 120,171 11 0 0% 120,171 100% — 2018
 Belgium 118,414 388 118,414 100% 0 0% 1,747 1.5% 2015
 Greece 117,000 89 117,000 100% 0 0% 2,368 2.0% 2018
 Sri Lanka 114,093 174 16,977 15% 97,116 85% — 2010
 Mongolia 113,200 7 10,600 9% 102,600 91% — 2017
 South Korea 110,714 111 92,795 84% 7,633 7% 4,767 4.3% [34] 2018
 Ghana 109,515 46 13,787 13% 95,728 87% — 2009
 Ireland 99,830 142 99,830 100% 0 0% 2,717 3% 2018
 Zimbabwe 97,267 25 18,481 19% 78,786 81% — 2019
 New Zealand 96,817 36 64,957 67% 31,860 33% 232 0.2% [35][36] 2020
 Venezuela 96,189 11 — — — 2014
 Kazakhstan 95,409 4 13,787 14% 95,728 100% — 2017
 Romania 86,388 36 63,363 73% 23,025 27% 1,067 1% [37] 2023
 Chile 85,983 11 21,289 25% 64,695 75% 3,347 4% 2020 [38][39]
 Lithuania 84,166 129 72,297 86% 11,869 14% 309 0% 2014
 Switzerland 84,114 204 — — 1,544 1.8% 2021
 Nepal 80,078 54 13,046 16% 67,032 84% — 2015
 Azerbaijan 77,824 90 20,524 26% 57,300 74% — 2021
 Uruguay 77,732 44 7,743 10% 69,989 90% — 2010
 Angola 76,000 6 13,680 18% 62,320 82% — 2020
 Denmark 73,574 171 — — 1,298 1.8% 2010
 Zambia 67,671 9 14,888 22% 52,783 78% — 2018
 Morocco 57,334 8 45,240 79% 12,094 21% — 2022
 Czech Republic 55,744 71 55,744 100% 0 0% 1,252 2% 2018
 Cambodia 55,000 30 12,239 22% 35,024 64% — 2014
 Serbia 45,419 45,419 100% 0 0% 1,048 2.3% 2024
 Ecuador 43,216 17 8,161 19% 35,055 81% — 2015
 Taiwan 41,475 42,793 103% 413 1% 1,053 2.5% 2019
 Chad 40,000 3 25,000 63% 15,000 38% — 2018
 Laos 39,586 17 5,415 14% 34,171 86% — 2009
 Slovakia 38,985 80 56,926 146% 765 2% — [46] 2018
 Slovenia 38,985 192 38,985 100% 0 0% 769 2.0% 2012
 Libya 37,000 2 34,000 92% 3,000 8% — 2010
 Afghanistan 34,903 5 17,903 51% 17,000 49% — 2021
 Kyrgyzstan 34,000 17 0 0% 34,000 100% — 2018
 Botswana 31,747 5 9,810 31% 21,937 69% — 2017
 Madagascar 31,640 5 0 0% 31,640 100% — 2018
 Mozambique 31,083 4 7,365 24% 23,718 76% — 2015
 Sudan 31,000 2 8,000 26% 23,000 74% — 2019
 Tajikistan 30,000 21 0 0% 30,000 100% — 2018
 Croatia 26,958 48 0 0% 26,958 100% 1,416 5.3% 2015
 Puerto Rico 26,862 303 0 0% 26,862 100% 454 1.7% 2012
 North Korea 25,554 21 724 3% 24,830 97% — 2006
 Central African Republic 24,000 4 700 3% 23,300 97% — 2018
 Nicaragua 23,897 18 3,346 14% 20,551 86% — 2014
 Congo 23,324 7 3,111 13% 20,213 87% — 2017
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 22,926 45 19,426 85% 3,500 15% — 2010
 Jamaica 22,121 201 16,148 73% 5,973 27% 44 0.2% 2011
 Lebanon 21,705 208 0 0% 21,705 100% — 2017
 Israel 20,391 92 20,391 100% 0 0% 449 2.2% 2021
 Georgia 20,295 29 0 0% 20,295 100% — 2018
 Tunisia 19,750 12 12,750 65% 7,000 35% — 2023
 Cyprus 19,901 215 12,901 65% 8,631 43% 272 1.4% 2016
 Dominican Republic 19,705 41 9,872 50% 9,833 50% — 2002
 Bulgaria 19,512 18 19,235 99% 277 1% 863 4.4% 2023
 Senegal 16,665 8 6,126 37% 10,539 63% 241 1.4% 2017
 Paraguay 16,630 4 — — 122 1% 2023 [48][49]
 Benin 16,000 14 1,400 9% 14,600 91% — 2006
 Eritrea 16,000 14 1,600 10% 14,400 90% — 2018
 Malawi 15,452 13 4,074 26% 11,378 74% — 2015
 Burkina Faso 15,304 6 3,642 24% 11,662 76% — 2014
 Somalia 15,000 2 0 0% 15,000 100% — 2018
 Honduras 14,742 13 3,367 23% 11,375 77% — 2012
 Gabon 14,300 5 900 6% 13,400 94% — 2001
 North Macedonia 14,182 55 9,633 68% 4,549 32% 312 2.2% 2017
 Iceland 12,898 13 5,647 44% 7,251 56% — 2012
 Burundi 12,322 44 1,500 12% 10,822 88% — 2016

Insights and Observations

Paved vs. Unpaved

A significant disparity exists globally in the proportion of paved roads. Nations like Germany, France, and Israel boast 100% paved networks, indicating advanced infrastructure. Conversely, countries like Mali and Eritrea have predominantly unpaved road systems, highlighting challenges in surface treatment and maintenance.

Density Variations

Road density, measured in km per 100 km², varies dramatically. Highly developed nations with smaller landmasses, such as Belgium and South Korea, exhibit high densities, reflecting extensive road coverage relative to their area. Larger nations like Russia and Canada naturally have lower densities, despite having vast total road lengths.

Controlled-Access Highways

The presence and length of controlled-access highways (motorways) are key indicators of modern transportation efficiency. While countries like India and China have extensive total road networks, their percentage of controlled-access highways remains relatively low compared to their overall road length, suggesting ongoing development in this area.

Data Sources

Reference Information

The data presented in this visualization is primarily derived from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook. Specific years for data collection are noted where available, providing context for the statistics presented.

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References

References

  1.  Declaración de importancia estratégica de los proyectos de inversión del programa vías
  2.  Colombia pasó de 700 kilómetros de doble calzada en 2010 a 2.100
  3.  Visión de desarrolo de la infraestructura vial
  4.  Data of interest 3 - Red vial national de dobles calzadas por región año 2020
  5.  Data of interest 1 - National Network according to category
  6.  Red Vial de Paraguay
A full list of references for this article are available at the List of countries by road network size Wikipedia page

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Disclaimer

Important Notice

This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date. Road network data can fluctuate due to ongoing infrastructure projects and reporting updates.

This is not professional infrastructure advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional transportation planning, engineering, or economic consultation. Always refer to official government and transportation authority data for the most current and precise information. Never disregard professional advice because of something you have read on this website.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.