Transport is the maker and breaker of civilisations. — Halford Mackinder
7.1 Role of Transport and Communication
Transport and communication networks:
- Connect producers to markets and resources
- Enable specialisation and trade
- Promote cultural exchange and national integration
- Shape urban growth along corridors and nodes
They are the circulatory system of the global economy.
7.2 Modes of Transport
| Mode | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Road | Door-to-door, flexible | Congestion, pollution, limited capacity |
| Rail | Bulk freight, long distance | High capital cost, fixed routes |
| Water | Cheapest for bulk cargo | Slow, port-dependent |
| Air | Fastest, long-haul passengers | Expensive, weather-sensitive |
| Pipeline | Continuous flow of liquids/gas | High initial cost, fixed route |
Land transport dominates short and medium distances; sea routes carry ~90% of world trade by volume.
7.3 Major Transport Corridors
- Trans-Siberian Railway — longest continuous rail line (Moscow to Vladivostok)
- Trans-Canadian Railway — connects Atlantic and Pacific coasts
- Panama Canal — shortens Pacific–Atlantic shipping
- Suez Canal — Europe–Asia link without rounding Africa
- Rhine waterway — busiest inland waterway in Europe
Highways: US interstate system, autobahns (Germany), expressways in China and India.
7.4 Communication Networks
Traditional: postal services, telegraph (largely obsolete)
Modern:
- Telephone and mobile — global connectivity
- Internet — email, web, social media, e-commerce
- Satellite communication — TV broadcasting, GPS, remote sensing
The digital divide separates regions with high and low access to ICT infrastructure.
7.5 Transport and Development
- Accessibility determines regional development potential
- Hub-and-spoke systems concentrate activity in major nodes (airports, ports)
- Sustainable transport — public transit, electric vehicles, cycling infrastructure
- Belt and Road Initiative (China) — massive investment in global transport infrastructure
Chapter Summary
- Transport and communication link economic activities across space
- Five major modes: road, rail, water, air, and pipeline — each with trade-offs
- Canals, railways, and highways form critical global corridors
- ICT has revolutionised communication; digital divide remains a challenge
- Transport infrastructure is central to development and globalisation
Exercises (NCERT)
- Exercise 1 — comparing modes of transport
- Exercise 2 — major world transport corridors and waterways
- Exercise 3 — role of communication in globalisation