Basra International Airport — Basra, Iraq

Basra International Airport serves Basra, the major city of southern Iraq near the head of the Persian Gulf and close to the country's largest oil fields. The airport uses the code BSR and touches down at just 11 feet above sea level, reflecting the flat delta terrain of the Tigris-Euphrates river system in this corner of the Middle East. A single runway supports the airport's operations, which include a mix of domestic Iraqi routes and international connections to the Gulf region and beyond. Despite operating from one runway, BSR still ranks among Iraq's large airports, a status owed to Basra's importance as the country's main outlet to the sea and a center of its oil export industry. Passenger traffic through BSR includes both local residents and workers connected to the energy sector, and cargo movements tied to the petroleum trade add further volume beyond ordinary passenger numbers. Runway maintenance crews work in shifts to keep the single strip operational around the clock.