GEOGRAPHY O LEVEL(FORM TWO) NOTES TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION

The meaning of the concept

Transport means the movement of goods, people, and services from one place to another. Transport is an important aid to economic activities like trade, agriculture, lumbering, fishing, industry, etc.

Types of transport

There are three main forms of transport:

• Land transport
• Air transport
• Water transport

Land transport refers to the movement of goods and people from one place to another on land surface. The major means of transport on land are:

• Human transport
• Animal transport
• Road transport
• Railway transport
• Pipeline

Human portage

Refers to the transportation of people, goods, and services by using human muscle power in the form of walking or running.

It is the most common type of transport used by the majority of people in various parts of the world.

This is because most parts of the world are remote, severely lacking capital and skills to put in place modern methods of transport.

Advantages of human transport

• Human transport is readily available whenever needed.
• It can be used where other forms of transport cannot, for example in mountainous areas.
• It is cheap and affordable, usable anywhere by anybody.
• It is safe, with fewer accidents compared to road, air, or water transport.
• It is flexible, able to transport goods to various places in towns and rural areas.
• Human transport does not pollute the environment; it causes little or no noise and emits no smoke or spills.

Disadvantages of human transport

• It is slow compared to other means of transport.
• It cannot carry heavy and bulky goods.
• It depends on a person being physically strong and healthy; illness prevents carrying out transport.
• It can be affected by weather conditions, especially rain.

Animal transport

Refers to the use of working animals for the movement of people, goods, and services.

It is not well developed in many parts of the world.

It is commonly used in wild and hostile areas where other means of transport are difficult to use.

Common animals used include:

• Camels
• Donkeys
• Horses
• Cattle
• Dogs, etc.

Animals can be used for riding as well as carrying or pulling loads. These animals are referred to as draught animals.

Advantages of animal transport

1. Animals are quicker than human beings.
2. They carry heavier and larger loads than humans.
3. They can be used in adverse conditions like deserts and waterlogged regions.
4. It is relatively cheap and more developed than human transport.

Disadvantages of animal transport

1. It is vulnerable to attacks like robbery.
2. It is extremely slow compared to road transport.
3. It can be affected by weather conditions, especially rain.

Road transport

Refers to identifiable routes or paths used to transport goods, people, and services.

Road transport involves the use of:

• Vehicles
• Bicycles
• Motor vehicles

It is well developed in various parts of the world. Germany has one of the best road networks.

In Africa, South Africa has the best road network in the eastern part of the country due to mining, industrial development, and agriculture.

In Tanzania and East Africa at large, road transport is the most important and will continue to play a vital role in economic development.

Advantages of road transport

1. Road transport is flexible; it can be constructed in many places and serve individual homesteads.
2. It offers a variety of transport facilities, giving customers a wider choice, e.g., trucks, taxis, buses.
3. It is faster and cheaper over shorter distances.
4. It is suitable for delivering perishable goods over short distances, e.g., vegetables, milk, fruits.
5. Road transport is easier to construct and operate compared to railways or air transport.
6. Vehicles do not need to run on strict schedules like trains and planes, though buses may have minimal schedules.
7. It provides employment opportunities, e.g., drivers and operators.

Disadvantages of road transport

1. It handles a limited amount of goods.
2. Heavily loaded lorries are often slow.
3. It is risky for delicate goods.
4. Weather conditions, especially rain, disrupt road transport.
5. It is highly susceptible to highway robberies.
6. Road transport has led to increased accidents causing loss of lives.
7. Traffic congestion in urban areas causes delays and increased costs.
8. Transport facilities contribute to air and water pollution.
9. Road construction encourages land degradation.
10. It is expensive to construct due to high capital requirements.

The nature of roads in Africa

1. Most roads are not tarmacked and are not all-weather; passable in dry seasons but impassable in wet seasons due to slipperiness.
2. Roads are unevenly distributed, denser in economically important areas like mining towns and administrative centers.
3. Most roads were built during the colonial period; local governments have added few.
4. They connect nations and regions, but local interconnections are poor.
5. Most roads are located in urban areas.

Railway transport

Involves carrying goods and passengers by train. It is important for transporting bulky goods over long distances.

Railway transport is important in Western Europe due to traffic congestion slowing other vehicles.

Advantages of railway transport

1. Suitable and relatively cheaper for transporting bulky goods over long distances.
2. Less affected by unpredictable weather if well constructed.
3. Operating costs are low once constructed; freight charges are usually lower than roads for most commodities.
4. More loads and passengers can be transported in a single journey compared to road and air transport.
5. Creates employment opportunities for drivers and operators.

Disadvantages of railway transport

1. Expensive to build, requiring money for lines, stations, warehouses, etc.
2. Not flexible like road transport; only serves areas with railway lines and cannot provide door-to-door service.
3. Not suitable for perishable or urgently needed items like milk, vegetables, medicine, and newspapers.
4. Often inefficient and slow in developing countries.
5. Strict adherence to schedules can cause inconvenience and delays.
6. Costly in terms of equipment, rail setting, train purchasing, and maintenance.
7. Railway gauges vary widely, causing interoperability issues; many parts of Africa have narrow gauges.

Characteristics of railway transport in Africa

1. Railway lines run parallel with little or no interconnection within local areas.
2. Most lines run from economically important areas to coastal ports for export, e.g., Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia.
3. Railway lines are unevenly distributed.

Water transport

Refers to transportation of goods, people, and services using water-based vehicles such as boats.

Water transport is the most convenient means for moving goods between continents.

It has been used since earliest times and is divided into two types:

• Inland water transport
• Ocean transport

Inland water transport uses:

• Lakes
• Rivers
• Canals

Facilities involved include:

• Ships
• Boats
• Canoes, etc.

Advantages of water transport

1. Cheap since there is no cost of constructing waterways unlike railways and roads.
2. Navigation facilities such as ports, tugs, and lighthouses require little maintenance.
3. Can carry heavy and bulky goods over long distances with little time wasted on traffic control.
4. Suitable for fragile goods like glass due to limited shaking and jolting.

Disadvantages of water transport

1. Perishable or urgently required goods cannot be transported efficiently.
2. Water canals are affected by seasons, increasing maintenance costs.
3. Water transport systems are limited to areas with water bodies.
4. Strong storms and winds interfere with shipping schedules.
5. Dangerous animals like crocodiles and hippopotamuses pose risks.

Pipelines

Refers to the movement of goods, mostly liquids and gases, through pipes.

Pipelines have grown in importance, especially in Europe. They mainly carry liquids like oil.

Examples include Tanzania’s TAZAMA pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Ndola, Zambia (1700 km), and Kenya Pipeline Company’s pipeline from Mombasa to Nairobi (450 km).

Advantages

1. Low unit costs, easy maintenance, and lack of physical barriers.
2. Can cover long distances economically where volume and demand are steady.
3. Low risk compared to tankers and very reliable.

Disadvantages

1. Inflexible; built in fixed locations, making door-to-door service difficult.
2. Fixed carrying capacities cannot be exceeded.
3. Vulnerable to damage in wild areas; construction and installation are costly and time-consuming.
4. Cannot transport solid goods, limiting usefulness.
5. Not effective in mountainous areas; leakage causes soil pollution.
6. Expensive to construct.

Factors limiting pipeline construction in Africa

1. Low or lack of capital and high construction costs.
2. Poor cooperation among African countries.
3. Political instability causing conflicts and civil wars.
4. Lack of reliable deposits, especially in Tanzania and East Africa.
5. Low technology levels.

Economic importance of pipelines in East Africa

1. Stimulate industrial development by ensuring fuel oil supply.
2. Promote trade development between countries sharing pipelines, e.g., Tanzania and Zambia via TAZAMA.
3. Improve living standards by reducing transportation costs.

Air transport

Refers to the movement of goods, people, and services through air using aircraft such as helicopters, aeroplanes, and hot air balloons.

Air transport is the latest and fastest means of transport, usually used for urgent cases. The first successful flight was by the Wright brothers in 1903. Aeroplanes were initially developed for military use but now transport passengers and goods.

Advantages of air transport

1. Fastest means of transport, useful for urgent cases and perishable goods.
2. Low risk of damage due to smooth transit and short duration.
3. Free of physical barriers and can travel in any direction.
4. Comfortable and less tiring, especially for long distances; operates on schedule.
5. Plays a major role in disaster relief where other transport is unavailable.
6. Facilitates tourism worldwide.
7. Useful for political activities like campaigns in remote areas.

Shortcomings of air transport

1. Cannot transport bulky, heavy, or poorly packed goods; dangerous goods like petrol are transported by air with restrictions.
2. Weather conditions like fog interfere with schedules.
3. Construction of airports is expensive.
4. Time-consuming air traffic control procedures.
5. Low survival chances in accidents.
6. Vulnerable to hijacking and terrorism.
7. Airports are usually far from towns, causing delays in goods transport.
8. Contributes to air pollution through fuel burning and greenhouse gas emissions.
9. Limited freedom of airspace; foreign planes require permission to fly over territories.

Problems facing air transport development in East Africa

1. Few airfields.
2. High cost of establishing airports.
3. Low capital availability.
4. Limited market due to poverty.
5. No local aircraft industries.
6. Absence of advanced security.

Communication

Communication is the exchange of information or messages between people. It is the process of passing information from one part to another. Transport and communication are related since through transportation, information can move from one place to another. Transportation facilitates communication.

Channels of communication

Communication channels include oral, written, and visual forms:

Oral communication

People contact one another through telephone, radio, face-to-face conversation, and recorded messages.

Written communication

Transmission of information in written form such as:

• Letters
• Parcels
• Postcards
• Telegrams
• E-mails
• Telex
• Fax

Visual communication

Passing information through:

• Charts
• Photographs
• Films
• Graphs

Sometimes these channels combine, e.g., oral and visual forms or audio-visual communication.

The role or significance of communication

1. It spreads ideas and information on various aspects of society.
2. It lessens isolation of remote places, especially through telecommunication and radios.
3. It enhances disaster warning and relief organization.
4. It promotes trade by allowing shipping firms to direct vessels.
5. Radio and television provide entertainment.
6. Communication spreads education and promotes technology.
7. It plays a big role in politics, helping leaders mobilize people for development.
8. It enhances gender equality and reduces violence against women through education.
9. It creates employment opportunities.

Disadvantages of communication

1. It can cause disunity or conflicts when negative information spreads.
2. Distortion and fallacies affect communication.
3. It is costly, especially telephones, limiting access.
4. Establishing communication lines requires high capital.
5. Services are unevenly supplied; some areas are better served.

Factors affecting transport and communication

These factors are physical, political, and economic.

Physical factors

1. Relief: Flat land facilitates development and lowers costs; difficult terrain increases costs.
2. Earth movements: Earthquakes, faulting, and volcanism hinder development and can destroy systems.
3. Climate: Heavy rains in areas like the Congo forest and Amazon lead to poor transport development.

Political factors

Governments influence transport and communication development through decisions and policies.

Economic factors

Development occurs faster where there is enough capital. Areas with resources attract development; those without experience poor development.

Importance of transport and communication

1. Encourage industrial development by supplying raw materials and transporting manufactured goods.
2. Create employment, e.g., drivers and station masters.
3. Facilitate technology spread and improve accessibility.
4. Promote trade worldwide.
5. Encourage tourism development.
6. Make goods available where demanded.
7. Facilitate mass production by enhancing supply chains.
8. Improve trade relations within economic units.
9. Intensify unity among nations.
10. Generate foreign exchange.

Negative effects of transport and communication

1. Transport causes accidents on roads, water, and air.
2. Mobile phones have facilitated crime emergence.
3. Transport and communication facilitate terrorism.
4. Construction causes property destruction and displacement.
5. Road accidents cause death and depopulation.

Problems facing transport and communication in Africa

1. Low capital investment.
2. Remoteness and inaccessibility of areas.
3. Political conflicts destroying infrastructure and limiting construction.
4. Climatic factors like heavy rainfall causing floods.
5. Landlocked countries face high costs passing through others.
6. Restrictions on information gathering limit communication.
7. High costs make facilities unaffordable for some.
8. Language variations cause poor understanding.
9. Physical features like mountains and swamps limit construction and movement.
10. High costs of repairing old facilities and lines.