Countries With the Fastest Growth in Rail lines (total km) (5-Year Change)
Change in Rail lines (total km) over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Turkmenistan rose the most: by 146.5%, from 3,115 km to 7,680 km in the five years to 2018. Estonia is second (+30.4%), followed by Israel (+28.3%). 38 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +2.94%.
- #1
- Turkmenistan · +146.5%
- Median
- +2.94%
- Coverage
- 38 countries
- Data year
- 2021
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkmenistan | 3,115 | 7,680 | +146.5% |
| 2 | Estonia | 792 | 1,033 | +30.4% |
| 3 | Israel | 1,340 | 1,720 | +28.3% |
| 4 | Viet Nam | 2,581 | 3,159 | +22.4% |
| 5 | China | 91,675 | 109,770 | +19.7% |
| 6 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 8,576 | 9,455 | +10.2% |
| 7 | Uzbekistan | 4,304 | 4,732 | +9.94% |
| 8 | Morocco | 2,109 | 2,295 | +8.82% |
| 9 | Korea, Rep. | 4,071 | 4,309 | +5.83% |
| 10 | Indonesia | 5,196 | 5,483 | +5.52% |
| 11 | Greece | 2,240 | 2,339 | +4.42% |
| 12 | Türkiye | 10,131 | 10,546 | +4.1% |
| 13 | Algeria | 3,843 | 4,001 | +4.09% |
| 14 | Hungary | 7,749 | 8,037 | +3.72% |
| 15 | Azerbaijan | 2,074 | 2,139 | +3.12% |
| 16 | Ukraine | 20,975 | 21,626 | +3.1% |
| 17 | Bangladesh | 2,791 | 2,877 | +3.08% |
| 18 | Italy | 16,788 | 17,305 | +3.08% |
| 19 | Kazakhstan | 15,529 | 16,006 | +3.07% |
| 20 | Armenia | 679.4 | 698.4 | +2.8% |
| 21 | Switzerland | 4,035 | 4,122 | +2.18% |
| 22 | India | 66,687 | 68,103 | +2.12% |
| 23 | Spain | 15,650 | 15,963 | +2% |
| 24 | Poland | 18,429 | 18,620 | +1.04% |
| 25 | Austria | 4,917 | 4,962 | +0.915% |
| 26 | Mongolia | 1,810 | 1,821 | +0.608% |
| 27 | Croatia | 2,605 | 2,617 | +0.461% |
| 28 | Lithuania | 1,911 | 1,919 | +0.419% |
| 29 | Montenegro | 249 | 250 | +0.402% |
| 30 | Sweden | 9,684 | 9,714 | +0.31% |
| 31 | Belgium | 3,602 | 3,612 | +0.278% |
| 32 | Belarus | 5,459 | 5,474 | +0.275% |
| 33 | Russian Federation | 85,375 | 85,544 | +0.198% |
| 34 | Pakistan | 7,784 | 7,791 | +0.09% |
| 35 | Germany | 33,380 | 33,401 | +0.063% |
| 36 | Bulgaria | 4,029 | 4,031 | +0.05% |
| 37 | Romania | 10,766 | 10,769 | +0.028% |
| 38 | Slovak Republic | 3,626 | 3,627 | +0.0055% |
About the top 10
#1 Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ranks #1 on this list with +146.5%.
- Capital
- Ashgabat
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 7.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$49.83 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,540 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 47.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Ashgabat.
Also ranks #4 in agricultural land share · #5 in literacy rate · #16 in immunisation (measles) rate.
#2 Estonia
Estonia ranks #2 on this list with +30.4%.
- Capital
- Tallinn
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 1.37 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$47.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$34,418 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 79.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in account ownership (female) share · #8 in bank accounts share (adults) · #12 in human capital index.
#3 Israel
Israel ranks #3 on this list with +28.3%.
- Capital
- Jerusalem
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 10.12 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$610.78 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$60,337 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 91.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Jerusalem.
Also ranks #1 in r&d expenditure share of gdp · #1 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in irrigated land share.
#4 Viet Nam
Viet Nam ranks #4 on this list with +22.4%.
- Capital
- Hanoi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 101.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$514.7 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,066 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 74.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 38.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Đồng Nai.
Also ranks #3 in official exchange rate · #4 in fish production · #6 in container port traffic.
#5 China
China ranks #5 on this list with +19.7%.
- Capital
- Beijing
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 1.41 billion people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.5 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$13,862 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 66.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing.
Also ranks #1 in urban population · #1 in gdp ppp · #1 in labour force size.
#6 Iran, Islamic Rep.
Iran, Islamic Rep. ranks #6 on this list with +10.2%.
- Capital
- Tehran
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 92.42 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$362.68 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,924 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 77.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz.
Also ranks #1 in refugee population by asylum · #2 in official exchange rate · #4 in gross capital formation rate.
#7 Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan ranks #7 on this list with +9.94%.
- Capital
- Tashkent
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 37.05 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$147.04 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,968 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 51% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Tashkent.
Also ranks #2 in literacy rate · #4 in deposit interest rate · #5 in bank branches per 100,000 adults.
#8 Morocco
Morocco ranks #8 on this list with +8.82%.
- Capital
- Rabat
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 38.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$182.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,673 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 75.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Casablanca, Tangier, Fez.
Also ranks #15 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #16 in school enrolment (primary) · #16 in remittances received.
#9 Korea, Rep.
Korea, Rep. ranks #9 on this list with +5.83%.
- Capital
- Seoul
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 51.69 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.87 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$36,227 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 81.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Seoul, Busan, Incheon.
Also ranks #1 in hospital beds per 10,000 · #2 in atms per 100,000 adults · #2 in researchers in r&d per million.
#10 Indonesia
Indonesia ranks #10 on this list with +5.52%.
- Capital
- Jakarta
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 285.72 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.45 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,060 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung.
Also ranks #2 in fish production · #4 in population · #4 in labour force size.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Rail lines (total km) over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator IS.RRS.TOTL.KM. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Rail lines (total route-km): Railisa Database, International Union of Railways (UIC) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Railisa Database, International Union of Railways (UIC).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.