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Table 1-3: Number of U.S. Airportsa

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  1980 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
TOTAL airports 15,161 16,319 17,490 17,581 17,846 18,317 18,343 18,224 18,292 18,345 18,770 19,098 19,281 19,306
Public use, total 4,814 5,858 5,589 5,551 5,545 5,538 5,474 5,415 5,389 5,357 5,352 R5,324 5,317 5,315
% with lighted runways 66.2 68.1 71.4 71.9 72.3 72.8 73.5 74.3 74.5 74.6 74.8 R76.1 75.9 75.9
% with paved runways 72.3 66.7 70.7 71.5 71.6 72.2 72.9 73.3 73.7 74.0 74.2 74.2 74.3 74.3
Private use, total 10,347 10,461 11,901 12,030 12,301 12,779 12,869 12,809 12,903 12,988 13,418 13,774 13,964 13,990
% with lighted runways 15.2 9.1 7.0 6.8 6.6 6.3 6.2 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.7 7.2 7.3
% with paved runways 13.3 17.4 31.5 32.0 32.2 32.7 33.0 33.0 32.9 33.0 33.2 31.8 32.0 32.0
TOTAL airports 15,161 16,319 17,490 17,581 17,846 18,317 18,343 18,224 18,292 18,345 18,770 19,098 19,281 19,306
Certificatedb, total 730 700 680 669 664 670 672 667 671 660 660 655 651 635
Civil N N N N N N 577 572 577 566 566 565 563 562
Civil-Military N N N N N N 95 95 94 94 94 90 88 73
General aviation, total 14,431 15,619 16,810 16,912 17,182 17,637 17,671 17,557 17,621 17,685 18,110 18,443 18,630 18,760

KEY: N = data do not exist; R = revised.

a Includes civil and joint-use civil-military airports, heliports, STOL (short takeoff and landing) ports, and seaplane bases in the United States and its territories.

b Certificated airports serve air-carrier operations with aircraft seating more than 30 passengers.

SOURCES:

1980-2000: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Administrator's Fact Book (Washington, DC: Annual issues), Internet site http://www.atctraining.faa.gov/ as of Aug. 1, 2001.

2001: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, personal communication, May 27, 2002.