TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
What is transport?
Transport: means the movement of goods, people and services from once place to another place. Transport is an important aid to trade development.
IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
1. It ensures availability of goods and services where they are needed: transport can make goods available where they are demanded.
2. It facilitates mass production: by enhancing supply of raw material movement of goods to the market, and necessary equipment for production.
3. It improves trade: due to the easier movement of goods and services to the markets. Normally transport is one of factors, which improves trade relations within economic units.
4. It strengthen economy of the given country: due to the revenues which are collected from private transport companies which contribute to the diversification of the economy.
5. It enhance international relations: It leads to the intensification of transportation relations among the nation.
6. It ecourage the spread of technology: since transport facilitates communication between different places.
7. It provides foreign currencies to the given country: transport enable the given country to harvest a lot of foreign currencies due to export and impot of goods and services in and outside the country.
8. It facilitate the development of manufacturing in industries: due to the availability of
raw materials from different productive site and easy transport of goods in to the markets.
TYPES/FORMS OF TRANSPORT
There are three main types/forms of transport. These include:-
1. Land transport.
a. Human portage
b. Animal transport
c. Road transport
d. Railway transport.
e. Pipeline.
2. Water transport
a. Inland water transport
b. Marine transport.
3. Air transport.
1. LAND TRANSPORT
Land transport: is the main type of transport b which involve the movement of goods, people and services from one place to another place by using road, railway, human portage, animal, footpaths and pipeline.
TYPES OF LAND TRANSPORT
A. HUMAN PORTAGE
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 the people in various parts of the world. This is because most of the parts of the world are remote, severely lacking capital and skills to put in place modern methods of transport.
ADVANTAGES OF HUMAN PORTAGE
1. Human transport is available: It is a means of transport that is readily available whenever it is needed.
2. It can be used when the other forms of transport cannot be used: for example in mountainous areas.
3. It is cheap: It is very affordable means of transport which can be used anywhere by anybody.
4. It is safe: It is safer than road, air or water transport because few accidents occur during transportation.
5. It is flexible: Human transport can be used to transport goods to various places in towns and rural areas.
6. Human transport doesn't pollute the environment: It cause little or no noise, emits no smoke spills.
DISADVANTAGES OF HUMAN PORTAGE
1. It is slowest compared to other means of transport.
2. Human transportation cannot be used to carry heavy and bulky goods.
3. Human transportation depends on a person fitness. When person gets sick he or she cannot carry it out.
4. It can be affected by weather conditions especially during the rainy condition.
B. ANIMAL TRANSPORT
Animal Transport: Is the form of transport, which involves the use of animals like donkeys, horses, camels, cattle's and dogs. However this type of land transport is not so well developed in many parts of the world it is commonly used in those areas, which are wild and hostile so that other means of transport are hard or difficult to be used.
The animals commonly used may include camels, donkeys, horses, cattle; dogs’ etc. animal can be used for riding as well as carrying or pulling loads. These animals, which are involved in this type of transport, are referred to as draught animals.
ADVANTAGES OF ANIMAL TRANSPORT
1. Animals are quicker than human being.
2. They carry heavier and larger loads than human being.
3. Animals are capable of being used in adverse (hard or hostile) condition like desert and waterlogged region.
4. It is relatively cheap and more developmental than human portage.
DISADVANTAGES OF ANIMAL TRANSPORT
1. It is defenseless since it can be affected by attack like robbery.
2. It is extremely slow compared to road transport.
3. It can be affected by weather condition especially rain condition.
4. It cannot carry Navy bulk goods.
C. ROAD TRANSPORT
Road Transport: is type of land transport which involves the use of vehicles, motorcycles, and so on. It is well developed in various parts of the world. The best example of well-developed road network is in Germany. In Africa; It is South Africa which has the best road network in the eastern part of the country due to mining, industrial development, trade and agriculture. In Tanzania and East Africa at large, road transport is the most important and it will continue to play a vital role in the economic development of the countries.
ADVANTAGES OF ROAD TRANSPORT
1. Road transport is flexible: It can be constructed to many places and can serve even individual homesteads.
2. Road transport offers a variety of transport facilitates: Hence give a customer a wider choice of the type of facility to use. For example the facilities can be trucks, taxis buses.
3. It is faster and cheaper at shorter distances.
4. It is suitable for delivering perishable goods for short distance e.g. Vegetables, milk fruits and so on.
5. Road transport is easy to construct and run compared to railway transport.
6. Act as the source of employment opportunities for instance drivers and operators.
7. Vehicles that run to the road do not need to run on time schedule like trains and planes. But schedule can be involved at a minimal extent with buses.
DISADVANTAGES OF ROAD TRANSPORT
1. It handles a specific and limited amount of goods.
2. It ma may be slowest means of transport: Usually heavy loaded lorries are too slow to cover up the expected distance.
3. It is too risky especially for delicate goods:This can cause breakage or destruction goods like computers and glass materials causing a great loss.
4. It is affected by weather conditions especially during the rainy season.
5. It is easily to be attacks by highway robbers on the way.
6. Road transport cause road accidents: leading to the loss lives of many people.
7. Road transport it is much affected by traffic jam: especially in the urban areas may end up being very expensive and deterrent to the users.
8. Road transport contribute to air and water pollution in the worlds.
9. Construction of roads encourages land degradation.
10. Road construction is very expensive since it needs more capital.
A. ROAD TRANSPORT IN GERMANY
Germany especially West Germany has the most advanced road network. The road network is characterized by modern system of motorways (Highways). The importance of roads in Germany has increased as a result the explosion in car ownership. Germany leads with the total of over 20 million automobiles and for every three people in the country there is one car unlike in India where for every 800 people there is one car. Other factors that have stimulated the development of roads in Germany.
FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ROAD TRANSPORT IN GERMANY
1. Germany are fast industrial development.
2. The use of advanced technology in road construction.
3. Mining industry.
4. The development of tourism industry.
5. Availability of enough capital.
6. Good government support.
7. Presence of high number of skilled labourers.
PROBLEMS CAUSED BY ROAD TRANSPORT IN GERMANY
Problems which have been caused by the rapid development road network include:-
1. congestion.
2. Road accident.
3. Air pollution which have led to the occurrence of acidic rain.
SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS
1. Construction of the wider motorways: that run from Germany high-speed freeways with total length of about 11,000km (68,000mile). The motorways are relatively new form of transport. They tend to radiate from the capital cities. They began being constructed before the constructed before the World War II by Hitler for military reasons; Hitler was responsible for the construction of 3,200km of highways (autobahns). But by that time they were narrow while nowadays have been widened and the network enlarged. These roads are straight and cut directly through a country. They have a good surface and hence they facilitate efficient transportation with reduced chances of the occurrence of accidents.
B. CHARACTERISTICS OF ROADS IN AFRICA
1. Most of them are untracked and are not all water roads. Most of them can be used during the dry season and stop being used in the wet season.
2. They are not evenly distributed. The dense network is in areas which are economically potential, e.g. mining areas towns due to market industrial areas or politically influential like the administrative headquarters or capital cities.
3. Most of road were built during the colonial period and few have been added by the local governments.
4. They connect different nations and region but interconnection between local areas is poor.
D. RAILWAYS TRANSPORT
Railways transport: This involves the movement of goods and passengers by using trains. Today railway transport has become an important means to transporting bulky goods. This has been a result of rapid industrial development in various parts of the world, where bulky raw materials and finished products have to be transported for long distance. Railway transport has also become an important of transport in Western Europe due to traffic congestion of various vehicles, which slows down greatly people’s movement.
ADVANTAGES OF RAILWAYS TRANSPORT
1. It is suitable and relatively cheaper for transporting bulky commodities or goods over long distances.
2. It is less affected by unpredictable weather condition if is well constructed.
3. Once the railway has been constructed, Its operating costs are very low and hence freight charges are usually lower, over long distance than those charged by the roads for most commodities.
4. More loads and a greater number of people can be transported at a single journey compared to road and air transport systems.
DISADVANTAGES OF ROAD TRANSPORT
1. The railways are expensive to build. A lot of money is required to lay down the lines and all other facilities e.g. stations warehouses etc.
2. It is not flexible like transport. Only areas with railways line are the ones that can be served. Also door to door service cannot be done with the railway transport.
3. It is not suitable for commodities, which are perishable, like milk and vegetables or goods which are urgently needed like medicine newspapers and so on.
4. Rail transport is not mostly efficient and time conserving. Especially in the developing world, train services are too slow and backward.
5. Because of strictly adhering to time schedule, sometimes it may cause some inconveniences and delays.
6. Rail transport is a bit costly in terms of equipment rail setting and train purchasing and maintenance.
7. The gauge of the railway lines vary from one place in some places the gauge range from 1.5 – 1.7 meters while other is as narrow as 1metre. Many parts of Africa have narrow gauges.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT IN AFRICA
1. The railway lines are running parallel to each other with little or no interconnection within local areas.
2. Most of them are running from the areas with economic importance to the coastal areas for export. For example – Ghana has a railway line running from Sekondi to the Tarkwa gold mining area, sierra Leone has a railway line which runs from Freetown. To Pendembo which was mainly to serve the oil-palm growing areas, Liberia had a railway line which was built to serve the iron-ore mining area in the interior.
It runs from Monrovia to Rome hills. In Tanzania the central line runs from Mwanza (the source of raw materials and minerals, Kigoma and Rukwa the source of labor and minerals.
3. Most African railway lines are unevenly distributed. Some areas are better served and other is not. Good railway network is found in South Africa in the Eastern part.
4. Most railway lines are constructed during the colonial era.
5. Most African railway lines have few lengths.
Conclusion
In many parts of Africa there is a close relationship between railways and the location of economic activities like mining areas, agricultural areas, labour reserve areas and so on. Example of railway line of TAZARA railway line running from Dar es Salaam – Tanzania to Kapirimposhi – Zambia and the central line from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, Kigoma and Mpanda.
A. RAILWAYS TRANSPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa has the most advanced railway network in Africa. This is concentrated in the eastern part of the country due to the presence of mineral deposits. Good agricultural land and presence of many industries. Railway construction began at Cape Town in 1859 and today a large portion of it is electrified. It is estimated that South Africa Railway handle more than a half of the total railway freight in Africa and covers within the territory a distance of more than 21773 km.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT IN AFRICA
1. The railway lines are running parallel to each other with little or no interconnection within local areas.
2. Most of them are running from the areas with economic importance to the coastal areas for export. For example – Ghana has a railway line running from Sekondi to the Tarkwa gold mining area, sierra Leone has a railway line which runs from Freetown. To Pendembo which was mainly to serve the oil-palm growing areas, Liberia had a railway line which was built to serve the iron-ore mining area in the interior. It runs from Monrovia to Rome hills. In Tanzania the central line runs from Mwanza (the source of raw materials and minerals, Kigoma and Rukwa the source of labor and minerals.
3. The railway lines are unevenly distributed. Some areas are better served and other is not. Good railway network is found in South Africa in the Eastern part.
Hence, in many parts of Africa there is a close relationship between railways and the location of mineral or areas of economic importance like mining areas agricultural areas labor reserves, etc. Example of railway line is TAZARA railway line running from Dar es Salaam – Tanzania to Kapirimposhi – Zambia and the central line from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, Kigoma and Mpanda.
ADVANTAGES OF RAILWAYS TRANSPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA
1. It has stimulated industrial development.
2. It has facilitated the development of mining industry.
3. It has encouraged development of town like Johannesburg.
4. It has led to development of tourism in the country.
5. It has increased mobility of the people in the country.
6. It has enhenced the expansion of markets: both internal and external the railway is used in the distribution of goods within the country and ferrying goods to the ports for export.
7. It has facilitated the process of administration and information flow in the country.
E. PIPELINES TRANSPORT
Pipeline transport: This is the type of pipes constructed to carry liquid material such a oil. Example of these pipeline is the Tanzania-Zambia Mafuta (TAZAMA) which is jointly owned by Tanzania and Zambia carries oil from Dares salaam to Ndola in Zambia OR Is the transportation of good through a pipe. Pipelines carry liquids especially oil.
In Tanzania TAZAMA is an example of the pipeline which runs from Dar es Salaam oil refinery (TIPPER) to Ndola in Zambia which is 1700km. In Kenya the pipeline managed by Kenya Pipeline Company extends from Oil refinery near Mombasa to Nairobi covering a distance of some 450 km.
ADVANTAGES OF PIPELINE TRANSPORT
1. It involves low unit costs and easy to maintain.
2. There is no physical barriers.
3. It has high ability to cover long distances.
4. Where volume and market demand is sufficiently great and stead pipelines are more economical than forms of transportation.
5. There is low rate of risk unlike tankers.
6. It is very reliable
FACTORS LIMITING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PIPELINE TRANSPORT IN AFRICA
1. Low or lack of capital to be invested in the construction of the pipelines.
2. High costs of construction are also a limiting factor.
3. Poor cooperation between or among the countries in Africa.
4. Political instability in different countries which lead to the outbreak, conflict like civil wars. These lead to the destruction of the pipelines and consume a lot of money could be invested in the construction of the pipelines.
5. Lack of reliable deposits especially in Tanzania and other East Africa countries.
6. Low technology among the Africans.
IMPORTANCE OF PIPELINE TRANSPORT IN EAST AFRICA
1. They have stimulated industrial development because of stimulating the supply of fuel oil in the countries. Example construction of industries in Mtwara region due to presence of gases pipeline.
2. They have stimulated the development of trade between the countries sharing the pipelines. For example Tanzania has established strong relationship with Zambia because of sharing the TAZAMA pipeline.
3. They have led to the creation of employment in the refineries and the industries developed of the better supply of oil through the pipelines.
4. Also the life standard of the people in the countries has improved due to fuel supply.
5. Pipelines have cut down costs of transportation.
6. They have stimulated the urbanization.
7. They have reduced reduced the rate environmental degradation.
2. WATER TRANSPORT
Water transport: is the movement of goods, passengers and services by using ocean,
lakes, rivers and canals. This type of transport has been used from earliest times. Normally the facilities that are involved in water transport are ship, boats, canoes etc.
Types of water transport
This type of transport is divided into two sub-divisions that are:-
1. inland water transport: involves the use of rivers, lakes and canals.
2. ocean/marine transport: Ocean water transport involves the use of seas and oceans.
ADVANTAGES OF WATER TRANSPORT
1. Water transport is cheap since there are no costs of constructing waterways unlike railways and roads.
2. Water navigation facilities such as port tugs and lighthouses do not need frequent repairs and maintenance.
3. It carries heavy and bulky goods over a long distance.
4. Usually little time is wasted of traffic control unlike is other forms of transport.
5. Is suitable for the transportation of fragile or breakable goods e.g. glass, since there will be very limited shaking and jolting on the waterways.
6. Usually costs of collection and delivery are minimized especially where the ports of dispatch are in the same waterside.
7. There is limited chance of robbers unlike in the case of highways of either roads or railways.
8. Facilitate the development of industries by enhancing the supply of raw materials.
DISADVANTAGES OF WATER TRANSPORT
1. Perishable or urgently required goods such as newspaper cannot be transported through this means to final consumer.
2. If there is use of water canals’, these are greatly affected by the dry season.
3. Water transport system cannot be constructed anywhere. It is specific in areas with water bodies while roads and railways can be established in many areas.
4. There is a problem of strong winds, which greatly interfere with the shipping schedules.
5. There are dangerous animals like crocodiles and hippopotamus, which affect the lives of the people.
A. MARINE TRANSPORT IN JAPAN
Marine transport in Japan is highly developed. It has different types of ship like liner for passengers; Cargo liners use for both passengers and general cargo and follow the scheduled routes. Bulk cargo ship for large cargo like oil iron ore wheat grain and have mechanized loading and unloading for example oil tankers which include super tankers there also container ships which use containers for carrying goods and loading is done by fork lift truck; The advantages of containers includes low costs and reduction of breakages, Other ships include Tramp Cargo ships, which carry assorted cargo and they call at any port. These have no specific sailing dates. Finally there is several fishing vessels fitted with refrigerators pilot vessels etc.
FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARINE TRANSPORT IN JAPAN
The Development of Marine Transport in Japan has been facilitated by the Following Factors:-
1. Presence of many indentations along the coast: which have provided the sites for the development of ports in the country. The coast is long totaling some 29,750km (18,490) miles major harbors have developed at the bays like Tokyo pay between Tokyo and Yokohama, Osaka bay at Kobe Osaka metropolis, Tse bay near Nagoya etc.
2. The expansion of the fishing industry: has encouraged the development of marine Transport which has been facilitating the shipping of fish products to the country itself or to other country’s overseas. The Japanese are highly depending on marine products for their development since they have poor availability of land resource and the physical landscape in the interior has forced people to locate their settlement along the coast.
3. Land reclamation along the coast: This has created more land for the establishment of harbors.
4. The need to import some raw materials from other countries for the industrial development: has facilitated the development of marine transport. Japan has limited mineral deposits hence it has been importing some raw material from other countries for her industries. It imports iron uranium etc for her industrial development. So the marine transport development could provide cheap transport for the imported goods and save some foreign currency.
5. The presence of shipbuilding industry: has promoted the development of marine transport in Japan since Japan produces.
6. Advanced technology: as well as the per-existing experience of sailing among the Japanese have made the development of made the development of marine transport.
7. The location of the country (being surrounded by the sea): has made Japan develop the Marine transport.
8. The strong need to expand trade: by creating external market has also stimulated the development of marine transport. This happened because of the fast development of manufacturing industry in the country, which led to high production of goods that became more than the local demand.
9. The presence of forests in the country: has also provided timber for the construction of ships in the country.
10. The availability of enoughcapital: has made the government invests in the marine transport.
CONTRIBUTION OF MARINE TRANSPORT TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF JAPAN
1. It has stimulated the further development of the fishing industry in Japan. Both offshore and deep ocean fishing takes place.
2. It has encouraged the development industries since the raw materials are imported easily from other countries.
3. It has led to the expansion of market for the industrial goods produced in the country. The ship is used in transporting the goods to another country at low cost.
4. Marine transport has also expanded the international relationship with other countries.
5. It has also encouraged the intensification of research activities and further diffusion of technology in the country.
PROBLEMS FACING MARINE TRANSPORT IN JAPAN
1. The major problem facing the marine transport in Japan is the frequent occurrence of earthquake since the country lies in the zone of convergence of tectonic plates. For example in 1995 there occurred a severe earthquake at Kobe that disturbed the coastal areas and this threat still exists.
2. Marine transport has contributed to environmental pollution especially water pollution and land deforestation as well as overfishing.
B. THE ST. LAWRENCE SEA WAY
This is one of the largest water in the world. It is formed by the great lakes of North America i.e. Lake Superior, Michigan, Erie, Huron and Ontario which are dreamed by the St. Lawrence River. It is shared by both Canada and the USA. The route covers 3,800 kilometers stretching from the mouth of the St. Lawrence River on the Atlantic coast to the port Duluth on the Lake Superior. The 50 kilometer long Wetland canal provides a link between Lakes Ontario and Lake Erie.
Lake Huron and Erie are linked by St. Clair and Detroit River whose channels are drained frequently to improve their navigability. Lake Michigan and Huron are at the same level by a strait. The Lake Michigan lines entirely in the USA while other are on the border of the USA and Canada. The Soo Canal or Sault St. Marie Canal bypasses rapids on the St. Mary’s River to facilitate navigation between Lakes Huron and Superior.
OBJECTIVES OF CONSTRUCTION OF ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY PROJECT IN USA
The construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway Project started in 1954 and ended in 1958he four years sea way project was jointly set up by the Governments of USA and Canal with following purposes:-
1. To remove rock shoal rapids, several Island and fall so as to make the river navigable. These hampered navigation in the river.
2. To check the problem of shallow water in some areas by deepening the river channel.
3. To remove silting caused by the delta deposition between lakes Erie and Huron.
4. To remove differences in the lake levels.
5. To enlarge the course of the river so as to accommodate ocean going ship. This involved the widening of some section of the river where it was too narrow.
6. To construct dams so as to generate hydroelectric power and regulate the river flow.
Development of the Sea Way
The work of developing the sea way involved the following
1. The building of locks and dams to remove rapids and materials.
2. Dredging to widen and deepen the river as the need dictated.
3. The building of the canal to join lakes Erie and Ontario. The building of the canal was undertaken while preserving the Niagara Fall, a source of HEP and tourism attraction.
Between 1954 – 1958 the obstacles were removed. A thousand island which formed shallow rocky areas were removed. The rock shoals were removed by blasting. Several dams and locks were built. The numerous rapids, like Lachine and long Sault, were drowned by the water reservoirs formed behind the dams. The removal of these obstacles enable ocean going ships to use the inland water way.
PROBLEMS FACED THE ST. LAWRENCE PROJECT
1. The USA was unwilling to share the costs. Furthermore the USA feared the importance of New York would decline as a result of opening up of the seaway.
2. Land was lost where the river was widened causing displacement of many people who had to be resettled.
3. The December to April winter freeze meant that ice-breakers had to be used on the seaway.
ACHIEVEMENTS/IMPORTANCE OF ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY
Despite the problems Encountered During the construction of the project, the St. Lawrence Sea way has brought several benefit:-
1. It has expanded trade in the country: there has been a huge increase in the total trade passing through the seaway. The 3,800 kilometer inland water stretch has increased trade between the USA and Canada and the rest the world.
Iron ore from Mesabi Range, West of Lake Superior is transported through the route to the Pittsburgh industrial area for use in the iron and steel industry. Other commodities transported along this water way include copper, wheat and timber. The flow of traffic from inland is more than the ones going upstream.
2. It has led to the growth of ports: it has encouraged the growth of ports like Toronto.
3. It has contributed to growth of towns: it has been development of towns like Quebec and Montreal.
4. It has led to growth of agricultural production: Truck farming or market gardening is well developed to serve the urban population.
5. It has led to expansion of water transport: The removal of various bottlenecks on the route made it possible for the ocean liners to reach the interior parts of North America. The seven locks and the two dams (Iroquois and Cornwall) on St. Lawrence – Sea way ensure the regulation of the flow of water. Furthermore, canal form good links with lakes, thus increasing the volume of cargo, which passes through the route. A total of more than 3,700km of the seaway is open for ocean goinship.
6. It has ensured hydroelectric power generations: Four dams on the St. Lawrence Sea way (Moses Saunders and Beauharnais), Niagara Fall and Sault St. Marie generate electric power, which is used in homes and industries.
7. It has reduced the cost Costs of transportation especially of the bulky goods (iron, coal, grains) have been greatly reduced.
8. Foreign ships pay toll charges, which go to the government of the USA and Canada.
9. The seaway is the model for cooperation between countries.
10. It has added to the tourism attraction in the countrie: St. Lawrence has the world spectacular waterfall, the Niagara Fall. This waterfall attracts a lot of tourism and generates plenty of hydroelectric power from Canada and the USA.
11. It has created employment opportunities: in transport and industrial sector of the region. This has been due to the increase in the movement of raw materials and industrial products.
3. AIR TRANSPORT
Air transport: Air transport is the latest and the faster means of transport in most countries. It is usually confined to urgent cases. The first successful air flight was made by the American Wright brothers in 1903. Great development has taken place since then. Aeroplanes were developed for military purpose during the first war. But nowadays they are used for transporting goods and passengers.
ADVANTAGES OF AIR TRANSPORT
1. It is the fastest means of transport: therefore useful for urgent cases and transportation of perishable goods.
2. It leads to low risk of damage: since there is not rough movement and goods do not stay long in transit.
3. It is free from physical barrier: like Sea and Mountain and hence it is free to go in any direction.
4. It is comfortable type of transport: especially where one is required to travel greater distances.
5. It helps in desarster management: Planes play a major role in providing relief in major disaster areas where other forms of transport are absent or unable to reach. For example during floods, droughts, epidemics and earthquake, rescuer personnel and food can quickly be airlifted to the affected area.
6. It facilitate the development of tourism industry: Air transport has facilitated tourism in different parts of the world like in Western USA.
7. It has facilitated the transfer of technology: from the developed countries to the developing countries.
8. It enhance international relations: has strengthened international relationship among the countries.
SHORTCOMINGS/DISADVANTAGES OF AIR TRANSPORT
1. It can’t transport bulky or heavy goods.
2. Dangerous commodities: such as those which are likely to cause fire (e.g. petrol, paraffin etc) are transported using air means.
3. It is affected by weather conditions: Usually weather conditions like fog, mist and strong wind greatly interfere with the schedules compared to other means of transport.
4. It is expensivel: Construction of air-field (airport) is usually expensive. However Air transport service involves expensive fares such that ordinary people cannot afford.
5. It involves long processes: Usually considerable time is wasted in air traffic control over the airfield e.g. cheeping, booking etc.
6. During accidents there is very little chance for survival: Therefore it has contributed to the loss of life of many people in the world.
7. It faces problems of hijacking: like what happened in USA on 11 September 2001 where the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon building in Washington were horrendously destroyed leading to the loss of many people’s lives.
8. The airport are normally built far from towns: therefore time is lost in taking goods to the airport.
9. It contributed to the air pollution: as a result of the burning of fuel and emission of greenhouse gases.
A. AIR TRANSPORT IN THE USA
Air transport is highly developed in the USA and ranks at the top position in the world. The first successful flight was made by American Wright Brothers in 1903 and later after the World War I more production started and air transport expanded fast. The USA is the largest producer of aircraft in the world with industries near Los Angels, at Seattle (on the Pacific Coast). This has contributed to the development of money airports in the country.
FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AIR TRANSPORT IN USA
1. The size of the land is so extensive that the government saw the need of establishing the air transport in order to facilitate mobility in the country. For example from New York to Los Angels is over 2500km such a long distance has propelled the development of air transport.
2. The need to avoid physical barriers: like water bodies, mountains, rift valleys and vegetation so as to promote an international contact.There are mountains like the Rockies and Appalachians which act as barriers to land transpor.
3. High demand of military weapons: Pre-existing technical advancement and Military demand during the World War I encouraged the fast aircraft industries development. This has facilitated the rapid development of air transport in the USA.
4. The strong need for space exploratation: also has promoted the air transport.
5. The need for speedy transport especially when there are urgent cases like rescoring people from flood of earthquakes, sending medicine or taking the sick people very far across the continents and international leaders, sending perishable goods like milk, fish, vegetables as well as fresh fruit and the growth of package holidays since 1960’s associated with the increase in tourism.
6. Presence of advanced research: Advanced researches in air transport facilities.
5. Development agriculture: The fast and large-scale agricultural development has led to the need of aircraft in spraying large tracks especially the plantations.
6. Availability of enough capital: Enough capital has been invested in the establishment of airports and manufacturing of aircraft. This has greatly been possible due to the advanced economic level of the country.
7. High living standards: This is due to the fact that despite being relatively costly, people can afford the air transport because of high income.
8. Presence of aircraft manufacturing: The manufacture of aircraft facilities in the country and the presence of many airports.
PROBLEMS FACING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AIR TRANSPORT IN USA
1. There are few airfield.
2. Establishing airports is very expensive.
3. Low capital since many people is poor and hence they cannot afford this type of transport.
4. Low capital availability.
5. There are no local industries for producing planes.
COMMUNICATION
Communication: Is the exchange of information or message between people. It canalso be defined as the process of passing information from one part to another part. Transport and communication are so related since through transportation, information can move from one place to another place. This means that transportation facilitates communication.
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
There are three types of Communication that is Oral, Written and Visual.
1. Oral Communication:is the method through which people contact one another through telephone, radio, face to face conversation, and recorded message.
2. Written communication: involves the transmission of information in written form like letters, parcels, post cards, telegrams, e-mails, telex, fax, etc.
3. Visual Communication: includes passing information through charts, photographs, films and graphs. Sometime these channels can be combined for example oral and visual can form audio visual communication etc.
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
1. It has led to the spread of ideas and information on various aspects of a human society.
2. It has lessened the isolation of remote places especially telecommunication and radios.
3. It help to provide early warning about disaster: It has enhanced the ability to warn of disasters and to organize relief or rescue more rapidly.
4. It enhence trade development: It has greatly assisted in the promotion of trade by allowing shipping firms to direct their vessels by transmitting news using radio, Television and newspapers.
5. It promote entertainment: Radio and Television have become important in the entertainment aspect.
6. It improve the provision of education: Communication helps in spreading education and promotion of technology.
7. It enhance political affairs: It has a big role to play in the political matters all over the world. Leaders use different means of communication to speak to their people and mobilized them for the general human and economic development.
8. It promotes gender balance: It has been used in enhancing gender equality through education and reducing violence in the societies.
DISADVANTAGES OF COMMUNICATION
1. It can lead to conflict among the people: especially when negative information or report on people are passed from one place to another.
2. It is always affected by distortion and fallacies.
3. It is costly: especially telephone such that few people in the country like Tanzania can afford.
4. It is expensive: Establishing communication lines needs high capital.
5. Communication services are unevenly distributed: Some places are better served due to their economic importance than other places.
6. It encourage moral erosion: It helps in spreading immoral value in the societies hence encouraging the evil activities like prostitution etc.
PROBLEMS FACING COMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT IN THE POOR COUNTRIES
1. Lack of enough capital: There is lack of capital to be invested in the communication
industry.
2. Illiteracy in some areas hinders the development of the communication system as the flow of information.
3. Low level of science and technology: There is low technical know-how among the people and poor equipment to carry out research.
4. Poor transport systems: There is poor transport network which to leads to inefficient information flow because of the reduced people’s mobility.
5. Poverty: there is the problem of low income among the people is another hindrance facing the development of transport and communication systems.
6. Low volume of trade in some countries: discourages the development of transport and communication network.
SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS/WAYS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION TO THE POOR COUNTRIES
1. Borrowing from friendly countries and international institutions: so as to finance communication networks.
2. To establish training institutions: Training institutions are being established to provide the necessary personnel, e.g. the school of Journalism, Kenya institute of Mass communication Railway Training School and Post Office Training School.
3. To ecourage adult education: low cost education system are being adopted to reduce illiteracy.
4. To encourage high production: Diversification of production is being encouraged in order to boost incomes.
5. To improve industrial sector: Emphasis is being laid on small scale industries so as to improve earnings of the people.
6. To reduce import rwstrictions: Import restrictions are being reduced or removed to allow the importation of communication components.
7. Eradication of poverty: by establishment of various economic projects.
A. COMMUNICATION IN THE USA
The USA has the most developed communication network in the world. She has Over 70 telephones per hundred people, has the largest number of radios, has high number of television station, has the highest number of newspaper, has an advanced and highly precise satellite network covering the whole world.
FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATION IN USA
These can subdivided into physical, political and human factors.
1. Relief: Distance and relief features like mountains; escarpment plateaus etc affect the cost and possibility of building the lines of communication. Where the land is flat transport and communication develops easily and involves low costs.
2. Earth's movement: like earthquakes, faulting and volcanic lead to the difficulties in developing transport and communication system. These movement can also destroy the existing transport system develop the transport and communication systems.
3. Climate: is another factor which determines the development of transport and communication. The areas which experience heavy rains like the Congo area and Amazon lead to poor transport development.
4. Good government support: Political factor influence the development of transport and communication in the country. The governments can therefore decide on the development of transport and communication system in their respective countries.
5. Presence peaceAlso the country with peace experiences smooth development in the country but where there is no peace the development becomes slow and the existing means of transport and communication can be destroyed due to the lack of peace in certain country.
6. Availability of enough capital: Development of transport and communication syste takes place fast where there is enough capital.
IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
1. They encourage the development of industries: through the supply of raw materials and transportation of manufactured goods to the market or consumers.
2. They create employment in the country: For example some people are employed as drivers, station master etc.
3. They facilitate the spread technology in the country.
4. Enhances the accessibility of places.
5. They lead to the promotion of trade in the world.
6. Transport and communication encourages the development of tourism in the country.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
1. Transport leads to accidents especially in the roads, water and air.
2. Transport and communication facilitate terrorism in the world.
3. Decline of other economic sectors: Construction of transport and communication system leads to the decline of other sectors because of involving high capital investment.
4. Destruction of properties: Also the construction leads to the destruction of people’s properties and displacement of people for the sake of laying the transportation and communication lines across certain area.
5. They contribute to environmental pollution.
6. They contribute to deforestation.
7. They contribute to loss of biodiversity.
PROBLEMS FACING TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION IN AFRICA
1. Lack of enough capital: Low capital for investing in the development of transport and communication system.
2. Remoteness: Some places are so remote such that they are not accessible easily.
3. Political conflicts: lead to the destruction of transport and communication lines. They can also limit the construction of the communication lines
4. Climatic condition: like very heavy rains leading to floods affects the development of transport and communication systems.
5. Land lockedness: leads to high costs since landlocked countries have to pass through other countries when exporting or importing their goods. This causes high costs to the transporting from the societies lead to poor communication among the people in the country.
6. Restriction involved in the gathering information: from the societies lead to poor communication among the people in the country.
7. Low income: Transport and communication facilities are costly hence some people cannot afford the costs.
8. The variation in language between different places: is another problem. This leads to poor understanding between the people concerned.
9. Physical features: like mountains with steep slope and swamps, which limit the construction of the infrastructure and movement of transport facilities.
10. Low level of technology.
FUTURE PROSPECTS OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION IN TANZANIA
The success in the development of transport and communication in Tanzania will depend on the following factors:-
1. The great government concern in the development of new transport and communication systems: like roads, railway lines, telecommunication systems and radio stations. The government has started encouraging the development of this sector in different places. For example there are places where new roads are being constructed and in other places the old roads are being improved especially by widening like the Morogoro road.
However nowdys the government has started to construct new sandard gauge railways which run from Dar-es-salam to Dodoma via to Morogoro. There is a strong need of switching from single – tract network to double-track network in order to reduce the problems of delays and increase efficiency.
2. Involvement of the local people and the private sector: in the development of the transport system and the maintenance of the existing transport systems.
3. Expansion of both internal and external trade: These will necessitate the development or improvement of the transport system in order to enhance the distribution of goods and services.
4. The development of other economic sectors like manufacturing industries, tourism, mining and agriculture.
5. Improvement in the safety standards in the transport systems: especially by careful driving, repair of cars etc.6. Education to the users of the infrastructures: so that they can have the sense of responsibility in the proper use of the roads, railways lines, etc.
7. Proper urban planning and settlement schemes: in order that there can be enough room for the development of the good roads, railway line, etc.
8. Control on the variation in the types of cars: Once the cars are so variant; they bring the problems of obtaining different types of spare parts to be used in the cars. ow positive reporting can lead to the reduction in gender inequality in the society.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY TRANSPOT AND COMMUNICATION
1. They cause environmental polution: These include, water pollution, air pollution, land pollution and noise pollution caused by construction of roads, railways, ports and airports.
2. They contribute to deforestation: caused by cutting tree without replacing them for the purpose of construction activities.
3. They contribute to soil erosion: caused by cutting tree and burning of glass.
4. They contribute to decline of soil fertility: due to soil erosion and pollution.
5. They contribute to loss of biodiversity: Both plant and animal species may disappeared due to over exploitation of natural resources and environmental pollution.
6. They facilitate to climate change: due to deforestation and environmental pollution.
7. They can led to disappearance of water sources: Due to pollution and deforestation.
WAYS TO SOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
1. Afforestation and reforestation: planting trees in areas where trees has been cuts and areas with no vegetation at all.
2. Provision of environmental education to the societies: Societies should be well educated about how to conserve the environment as well as about the consequences of environmental pollution.
3. Enacting laws against environmental pollution: Strictly law as should be enacted to punish people who pollute environment and those who cuts trees without reasons.
4. To ensure population control: population growth should be checked by through provision of family planning education.
5. To ensure sustainable utilization of resources: the natural resources should utilized and exploited in a way that will meet the present demands without compromising the future demands, those including sustainable fishing, sustainable forestry, sustainable mining, etc.
6. To suggests other alternative source of energy: another source of energy should be suggested like the use of electric energy, biogas, coal gas and other suitable source of fuels.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1. Account for such great advancement in communication network in the USA.
2. Analyze six environmental problems cause by transport and communication.
