Big picture
Transport moves people and goods from one place to another; communication moves messages and information. Together, they link producers with consumers, bring regions closer and make trade, industry and global integration possible.
This chapter surveys the major modes of transport in the world (land, water, air and pipelines) with their important routes, and the revolution in communication brought by satellites and the internet.
Learning goals
Explain the modes of transport and factors that influence their choice.
Describe roads, highways and traffic flows.
Describe the major transcontinental railways.
Describe major ocean routes and the Suez and Panama canals.
Describe important inland waterways.
Explain air transport and pipelines.
Explain modern communication and cyberspace.
Core ideas
1. Modes of transport
The four major modes are land, water, air and pipelines.
Factors influencing the choice: the type of goods and services, cost, time taken, distance, and availability of routes.
A transport network consists of nodes (meeting points of routes) and links (routes joining the nodes). A well-connected network has many links.
2. Roads
Roads are the most economical for short distances and offer door-to-door service. Their quality varies widely between developed and developing countries.
Highways are metalled roads connecting distant places, built for unobstructed traffic flow.
Highway | Route |
|---|---|
Trans-Canadian Highway | Vancouver (British Columbia) to St. John's (Newfoundland) |
Alaskan Highway | Edmonton (Canada) to Anchorage (Alaska) |
Pan-American Highway | Connects countries of South America, Central America and the USA–Canada |
Border roads connect remote border areas, promoting integration and defence.
Traffic flows have increased dramatically in cities, leading to congestion; solutions include public transport and better road design.
3. Railways
Railways carry bulky goods and passengers over long distances cheaply.
Railway | Route and features |
|---|---|
Trans-Siberian Railway | From St. Petersburg in the west to Vladivostok on the Pacific coast in the east; the longest double-tracked and electrified railway in the world; helped open up the Asian region of Russia |
Trans-Canadian Railway | From Halifax in the east to Vancouver on the Pacific coast; passes through Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Calgary; important for wheat and meat exports |
Union and Pacific Railway | Connects New York on the Atlantic coast with San Francisco on the Pacific coast |
Australian Trans-Continental Railway | From Sydney in the east to Perth on the west coast |
Orient Express | From Paris to Istanbul, passing through Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade |
Cape to Cairo Railway | Planned to connect Cape Town to Cairo across Africa |
4. Water transport
Advantages: no need to build routes (oceans are natural highways), cheapest for bulky goods over long distances, and energy-efficient.
Major sea routes:
Route | Features |
|---|---|
Northern Atlantic sea route | Links north-eastern USA and north-western Europe, the two industrially developed regions; the busiest, called the "Big Trunk Route"; about a quarter of world trade moves on it |
Mediterranean–Indian Ocean route | Passes through the Suez Canal; serves more countries and people than any other route; links Europe with Asia, Africa and Australia |
Cape of Good Hope route | Around the southern tip of Africa, used by ships that can't use the Suez Canal |
Southern Atlantic route | Connects West European and West African countries with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay |
North Pacific route | Connects the west coast of North America with Asia |
South Pacific route | Connects Western Europe and North America with Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands via the Panama Canal |
Shipping canals:
Canal | Features |
|---|---|
Suez Canal (Egypt) | Opened in 1869; links the Mediterranean Sea (Port Said) with the Red Sea (Port Suez); about 160 km long; sea-level canal with no locks; gives Europe a much shorter route to the Indian Ocean |
Panama Canal | Opened in 1914; links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the Isthmus of Panama; about 72 km long; built by the USA; uses a lock system (six locks) to raise and lower ships; shortens the distance between New York and San Francisco greatly |
Inland waterways:
Waterway | Features |
|---|---|
Rhine | Flows through Germany and the Netherlands; one of the world's busiest; serves the industrial Ruhr region; navigable from Rotterdam to Basel in Switzerland |
Danube | Flows through many European countries to the Black Sea |
Volga | Russia's most important waterway, linked by canals to the Baltic and Black Seas |
Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway | Links the Great Lakes of North America to the Atlantic, allowing ocean ships to reach Duluth and Buffalo |
Mississippi | A major waterway of the USA |
5. Air transport
The fastest mode, but most expensive; suitable for passengers and high-value, perishable or urgent goods.
It can reach inaccessible areas (mountains, deserts, islands); important for medical emergencies and defence.
Limitations: high cost, affected by weather, and requires expensive infrastructure.
6. Pipelines
Pipelines carry liquids and gases such as water, petroleum and natural gas continuously and safely.
Big Inch in the USA carries petroleum from oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico to the north-eastern states.
In India, the HBJ (Hazira–Bijaipur–Jagdishpur) gas pipeline carries natural gas from the west coast to the north.
Advantages: continuous supply, low running cost, less loss; limitations: high initial cost, difficult to repair, and leaks can be dangerous.
7. Communication
Telecommunication (telephones, mobile phones) and satellite communication have made instant, worldwide communication possible.
Satellites are used for communication, broadcasting, weather forecasting and remote sensing. India's satellite programme (such as the INSAT series) supports TV, telecommunications and weather services.
The internet has created cyberspace: the electronic world of computer networks, where people exchange information, carry out e-commerce, e-learning and e-governance. Cyberspace has expanded rapidly worldwide, though the digital divide limits access for many.
A reliable approach to questions
Match each highway and railway with its terminals.
Explain why the Northern Atlantic route is called the "Big Trunk Route".
Compare the Suez and Panama canals: year, location, length and locks.
Give the advantages and limitations of each mode.
Explain cyberspace and the role of satellites.
Connections that matter
Tertiary activities classifies transport and communication as services.
International trade depends on these routes and ports.
India: transport and communication applies the same ideas to India.
Common mistakes
Saying the Suez Canal has locks. It is a sea-level canal with no locks; the Panama Canal uses locks.
Mixing up the terminals of the Trans-Siberian (St. Petersburg–Vladivostok) and Trans-Canadian (Halifax–Vancouver) railways.
Calling air transport the cheapest mode. It is the fastest but most expensive.
Saying the Big Trunk Route links Asia and Australia. It links north-eastern USA and north-western Europe.
Revision checklist
I can describe the modes of transport and their factors.
I can match major highways and railways to their routes.
I can describe the major ocean routes and the two canals.
I can describe major inland waterways.
I can explain air transport, pipelines and modern communication.