The total length of the Azerbaijani road network is about 29,000 km, serving domestic cargo traffic and connecting to international highways.
Because Azerbaijan's railway network is inadequate, roads provide the most important form of transport in the country.
Highways are mostly in fair condition, but do not meet international standards[clarification needed] for transit traffic.
In 2018, the Global Competitiveness Index ranked Azerbaijan 36th out of 137 countries for the quality (condition and extensiveness) of its road infrastructure.
They are designated with the letter M.[2] Azerbaijan has recently developed a network of multi-lane motorways, which are steadily being expanded.