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Evolution of motorway construction in European nations

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Historical map of the original A8-A9 motorway, Italy. The first motorway ever built in the world was opened on 21 September 1924.

The evolution of motorways construction in European countries by total number of kilometers existing in that year. This is a list of the total number of Motorways by country in Europe. It includes motorways (controlled-access highways), classified as such by the Eurostat and includes countries that are not members of the European Union but geographically are situated in Europe.

Countries by motorways built before 1952

Country 1924 1932 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1950 1952
 Austria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 - 16.8
 Belgium 0 0 0 0 110 - - - - - - - - - 50
 Czech Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 - - - - 0
 Cyprus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 - - - -
 Denmark 0 0 0 0 0 0 120 - - 300 300 300 300 300 300
 Germany 0 18 108 1086 1010 3046 3301 3737 3827 3861 3896 - - 2128 -
 Italy 58.2 58.2 58.2 58.2 58.2 58.2 400 - - - - - - - -
 Poland 0 0 0 93 131 131 131 131 131 131 131 133 133 133 133
 Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 8 8

Countries by motorways built between 1955 and 1970

Country 1955 1956 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
 Austria 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8 16.8
 Belgium 80 100 150 - 200 - 300 - - 400 - - - - 570
 Denmark 300 300 509 - - - - - - - - - - -
 France 0 14.2 70.4 106 - 168.5 - 218.3 - - 246.4 - - -
 Germany 2187 - - - 2551 - - - - 3204 - - - - 4110
 Hungary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 - - - -
 Poland 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133 133
 Portugal 8 8 8 8 11.6 - 36.6 - - 44 - - - - 59.1
 Russia 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 108.9 - - 108.9 - - -
 Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 8 - - - - - - -
 United Kingdom[1] 0 0 0 13 153 219 243 322 480 566 629 761 884 964 1057

Countries by motorways built between 1971 and 1985

Country 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
 Austria - 292 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Belgium - 848 - - 956 956 1130 1130 1137 1137 1152 - - 1395 -
 Bulgaria 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 - - 120 152 - - - -
 Croatia - 39.3 - - 39.3 39.3 39.3 39.3 246 246 246 246 - - -
 Czech Republic 21.3 29.1 48.6 48.6 64.7 81.7 135.4 166.5 194.4 257.7 257.7 270.6 281.1 305.3 314.8
 Germany - - - - 5742 - 7292 - - - - - - - -
 Hungary 85 - 107 - 136 136 168 182 184 213 213 230 245 245 302
 Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 15
 Italy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 North Macedonia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 23 23 23 23 42
 Poland - 133 133 133 133 133 169 169 190 190 190 190 255 278 321
Portugal 59.1
 Romania 0 0 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 96
 Russia 108.9 180.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9
 Serbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 355
 Slovakia[2] 0 0 29.3 29.3 46.1 53.3 67.6 115.6 115.6 115.6 115.6 142.7 150.1 150.1 165.2
 Slovenia 0 32 32 32 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - -
 Spain - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 Sweden - - - - - - - 721 - - - - - - -
 Switzerland - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 United Kingdom 1270 1669 1730 1869 1975 2155 2237 2394 2455 2556 2647 2692 2741 2786 2813

Countries by motorways built between 1986 and 2000

Country 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
 Austria - - - - 1145 - - - - - - - - - 1633
 Belgium - - - 1613 1666 - - - - - - - - - 1702
 Bulgaria - - - 273 - - - - - - - - - 324
 Croatia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 411
 Czech Republic[3] 317.4 317.4 326.4 335.4 355.7 365.1 368.7 391.5 392.3 416.7 425.6 488.2 500.9 500.9 500.9
 Cyprus 0 0 0 0 - 154 - - - - - - - - 240
 Denmark - - - - 601 - - - - - - - - - 953
 Estonia - - - - 41 - - - - - - - 93 93 96
 Finland 0 0 0 225 - - - - - - - - - 549
 France - - - - 6824 8500 - - - - - - - - 9776
 Germany - - 8198 8822 10854 - - - - - - 11143 - 11515 11712
 Greece 0 0 0 0 190 - - - - - - - 346 416 553
 Hungary 310 310 316 346 361 361 361 361 398 398 440 456 533 571 571
 Ireland - - - - 26 - - - - - - - - - 103
 Italy - - - - 6193 - - - - - - - - 6478 6478
 Lithuania - - - - 421 - - - - - - - - - 147
 Luxembourg 0 0 0 0 78 - - - - - 114 115 126 146 147
 Netherlands - - - - 2092 - - - - - - - - 2265 2274
 North Macedonia 42 70 70 70 70 90 90 90 90 105 105 120 120 145 145
 Norway 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 143
 Poland 327 327 348 366 381 399 399 403 405 440 453 456 490 502 592
 Portugal - - - - 316 - - - - - - - - - 1482
 Romania 96 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113 113
 Russia 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 -
 Serbia 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 355 33
 Slovakia[2] 173.1 173.1 191.9 191.9 195.4 197.4 197.4 197.4 197.4 197.4 216.1 219.2 288.6 290.6 290.6
 Slovenia - - - - 228 - - - - - - - - - 427
 Spain 0 0 0 0 4693 - - - - - - - - - 9049
 Sweden - - - - 939 - - - - - - - - - 1499
 Switzerland - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1270
 Turkey[4] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1674
 United Kingdom[1] 2920 2975 2992 2995 3070 3102 3133 3211 3242 3269 3298 3378 3421 3449 3467

Countries by motorways built between 2001 and 2015

Motorway construction in European nations by 2012
Rank Country 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
1  Spain 9,571 9,739 10,296 10,747 11,432 12,073 13,013 13,518 14,021 14,262 14,531 14,701 14,981 15,049 15,336
2  Germany 11,786 12,037 12,044 12,174 12,363 12,531 12,594 12,645 12,813 12,819 12,845 12,879 12,917 12,949 12,993
3  France 10,068 10,223 10,379 10,486 10,800 10,848 10,958 11,042 11,163 11,392 11,413 11,413 11,552 11,560 11,599
4  Italy 6,478 6,487 6,487 6,532 6,542 6,554 6,588 6,629 6,661 6,668 6,668 6,726 6,751 6,844 -
5  Poland 630 639 727 781 848 1,013 1,083 1,282 1,454 1,560 1,865 2,495 2,805 3,100 3,131
6  United Kingdom[5] 3,519 3,610 3,611 3,657 3,629 3,665 3,669 3,673 3,673 3,673 3,685.7 3,732.5 3,756 3,759.6 3,768.4
7  Turkey[4] 1,696 1,714 1,753 1,862 1,867 1,908 1,908 1,922 2,036 2,080 2,119 2,127 2,244 2,278 2,282
8  Portugal 1,659 1,835 - - - 2,545 2,613 2,673 2,705 2,737 2,737 2,988 3,035 3,065 3,080
9  Netherlands 2,499 2,516 2,542 2,585 2,600 2,604 2,582 2,637 2,631 2,631 2,631 2,658 2,666 2,678 2,730
10  Greece 670 845 849 866 1,062 1,233 1,364 1,569 1,744 1,744 1,744 1,744 1,879 2,250 -
11  Sweden 1,507 1,544 1,591 1,684 1,677 1,744 1,836 1,857 1,923 1,971 1,957 2,004 2,044 2,088 2,119
12  Belgium 1,727 1,729 1,729 1,747 1,747 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 - -
13  Austria 1,645 1,645 1,670 1,677 1,677 1,678 1,696 1,696 1,696 1,719 1,719 1,719 1,719 1,719 1,719
14  Hungary 571 638 667 717 803 967 1,037 1,113 1,118 1,290 1,321 1,321 1,361 1,382.1 1,447.3
15  Russia 132.9 - - - - - - - - - 1,000 1,060.5 1,060.5 1,060.5 -
16  Switzerland 1,305 1,341 1,341 1,341 1,358 1,361 1,383 1,383 1406 1,406 1,415 1,419 1,429 - -
17  Denmark 971 1,010 1,010 1,010 1,010 1,071 1,111 1,128 1,143 1,216 1,232 1,237
18  Croatia 429 613 754 925 1,016 1,081 1,156 1,199 1,244 1,244 1,254 1254 1,289 1,290 1,310
19  Czech Republic[3] 518.1 518.1 526.4 541.5 558.5 627.2 657 691 729 734 745 751 776 776 776
20  Belarus - - - - - - - - - - - 845 845 903 1021
21  Romania 113 113 113 228 228 228 281 281 321 332 350 550 644 683 733
22  Finland 591 603 653 653 693 700 700 739 765 779 790 780 810 881 881
23  Serbia 55.5 88.7 108.7 113.3 - 201.3 207.3 207.3 236.3 628 633 498 498 - -
24  Ireland 125 125 177 192 247 270 270 423 663 900 900 900 897 897 916
25  Bulgaria 328 328 328 331 331 394 418 418 418 437 458 541 605 610 -
26  Slovenia 435 456 477 483 569 579 579 696 747 768 768 769 769 770 773
27  Norway 143 173 - 193 264 271 239 253 344 381 393 393 407 514 -
28  Slovakia[2] 290.6 297.1 307.8 314.6 326.5 326.5 363.7 381.6 389.6 414.8 417.8 417.8 417.8 417.8 463
29  Lithuania 309 309 309 309 309 309 309 309 309 309 309 309 309 309 309
30  Ukraine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 200 280 317 -
31  North Macedonia 145 208 208 208 216 216 221 237 242 251 251 251 251 251 251
32  Cyprus 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257
33  Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 0 11.5 11.5 11.5 20 27.6 27.6 37 42.7 69.2 80.6 81.8 126.1 129.6
34  Luxembourg 115 126 147 147 147 147 147 147 152 152 152 152 152 152 157
35  Estonia 93 96 98 99 100 104 115 124 - - - - - - -
36  Albania - - - - - - - - 25 86.5 86.5 86.5 86.5 86.5 152.5
37  Azerbaijan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 148
38  Kosovo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 36 76 80
39  Georgia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 69 69 75 75 90
40  Armenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - - 88
41  Iceland 11 11 11 11 11 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
42  Andorra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
43  Latvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
44  Liechtenstein 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
45  Malta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
46  Moldova 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
47  Monaco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
48  Montenegro 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
49  San Marino 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
50  Vatican City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

* Note: Due to the new European standards in 2011 some European countries had their total number of motorways diminished. Examples being Iceland form 11 to 0, or Estonia 115 to 0, they became either expressways or national highways.
** Note: This table includes countries that are geographically situated in Asia but are integrated into the European Road System (example E80 in Turkey): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.

Countries by motorways built between 2016 and 2025

Rank Country 2016 2017[6] 2018[6] 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
1  Spain - 15,523 15,585 17,228[7] 17,228 17,228 17,228 17,228
2  Germany - 13,009 13,141 13,141 13,141 13,183[8] 13,183 13,183
3  France - 11,618 11,671 11,671 11,671 11,671 11,671 11,671
4  Italy - 6,943 - 6,943 6,943 6,943 6,943 6,943
5  Poland 3,252 3,510 3,811 4,214 4,340 4,690 4,935 5,075
6  United Kingdom[9] 3,764 3,803 3,838 3,838 3,838 3,838 3,838 3,838
7  Turkey[4] - 2,657 2,842 3,060 3,523 3,532 3,633 3,633
8  Portugal - 3,065 3,065 3,065 3,065 3,065 3,065 3,065
9  Netherlands 2,758 2,758 2,756 2,756 2,756 2,756 2,756 2,756
10  Greece - 2,503 2,503 2,503 2,503 2,503 2,503 2,503
11  Sweden 2,118 2,132 2,132 2,132 2,132 2,132 2,132 2,132
12  Hungary 1,480.7 1,937 1,982 1,600 1,600 1,880 1,880 1,880
13  Belgium 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763 1,763
14  Austria 1,719 1,743 1,743 1,743 1,743 1,743 1,743 1,743
15  Russia 1,442 1,442 1,442 1,442 1,638.4 1,638.4 1,638.4 1,638.4
16  Switzerland 1,458 1,458 1,462 1,462 1,462 1,462 1,462 1,462
17  Czech Republic[3] 1,223 1,240 1,252 1,306 1,306 1,355 1,355 1,355
18  Croatia 1,310 1,310 1,310 1,310 1,310 1,310 1,341 1,341
19  Denmark 1,255 1,308 1,329 1,329 1,329 1,329 1,329 1,329
20  Romania 733 763 823 850 910 940 995 1,091
21  Belarus 1,021 1,021 1,021 1,021 1,021 1,021 1,021 1,021
22  Serbia - - - - 924.6 933 961 996
23  Finland 890 893 926 926 926 926 926 926
24  Ireland 916 916 916 916 916 916 916 916
25  Bulgaria - 734 757 812 831 831 845.3[10] 879.5
26  Slovakia[2] 463 482 482 498 498 498 854 854
27  Norway - 523 599 599 599 599 770 770
28  Slovenia - 618 623 623 623 623 625 639
29  Lithuania 314 324 324 324 324 324 431 431
30  North Macedonia - 259 287 317 317 317 335 335
31  Ukraine - - - - - 317 317 317
32  Cyprus 257 257 257 257 257 257 257 257
33  Bosnia and Herzegovina 166.2 188.1 215 - 222 231 243 243
34  Kosovo 76 80 80 109 119 140 189 237
35  Albania 86.5 152.5 152.5 152.5 152.5 152.5 191 191
36  Luxembourg 152 157 - 165 165 165 165 165
37  Estonia 154 154 154 154 154 154 154 154
38  Azerbaijan - - 148 148 148 148 148 148
39  Georgia 75 75 90 90 90 90 90 90
40  Armenia 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 88
41  Montenegro 0 0 0 0 0 0 41.5 41.5
42  Latvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11
43  Iceland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
44  Andorra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
45  Liechtenstein 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
46  Malta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
47  Moldova 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
48  Monaco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
49  San Marino 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
50  Vatican City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Road length statistics (RDL)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  2. ^ a b c d "História diaľníc na Slovensku" [History of Highways in Slovakia]. historiadialnic.sk (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  3. ^ a b c "Uvádění jednotlivých dálničních úseků do provozu" [Commissioning of individual motorway sections] (PDF). ceskedalnice.cz (in Czech). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  4. ^ a b c "Türkiye: length of motorways by year"
  5. ^ Peter, Peter (23 January 2020). "Road length statistics (RDL)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Eurostat - Tables, Graphs and Maps Interface (TGM) table". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  7. ^ "Catálogo y evolución de la red de carreteras | Ministerio de Transportes, Movilidad y Agenda Urbana".
  8. ^ "Catálogo y evolución de la red de carreteras | Ministerio de Transportes, Movilidad y Agenda Urbana".
  9. ^ Peter, Peter (23 January 2020). "Road length statistics (RDL)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Highways in Bulgaria". en.wikipedia.org. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
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