Project Prospects with Iraqi Railways: the Baghdad to Basra Railway Revisited?
Type
E-journal
Date
17 Apr 2013
Jurisdiction
Iraq
Taxonomy
Infrastructure Projects, Rail
Copyright
LexisNexis
Relevant company
Clyde & Co
Analysis
The potential for railways in the Middle East is Victorian in scale. This includes Iraq as it rebuilds using its oil revenues after decades of war and sanctions. Clyde and Co's projects and construction group covers such infrastructure projects with particular railway expertise resting with partner David Moore. Fellow group member and group associate Henry Clarke surveys the current state of Iraqi railways.
The Iraqi railway network in 2008 covered 2,272 kilometres. In the CIA Factbook this was the 66th largest national network. The network length of other national railway networks listed indicate the expansion potential of Iraqi railways: Bolivia has 3,652 kilometres (46th); Egypt has 5,083 kilometres (34th) and Cuba has 8,598 kilometres (24th). There is clearly the potential for vast expansion of the railway network in Iraq to serve its reconstruction and economic advancement.