TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATION

Definition
⦁ Transport is the physical carriage and movement of people and goods from one place to
another
⦁ Communication is the process of transmitting/exchanging information from one person to
another/between persons.

Differences between transport and communication

⦁ Transport deals with physical movement of goods and people while communication deals
with movement of information
⦁ Transport uses units of carriage such as vehicles, aircrafts, and water moving vessels while
communication uses computers, telephone, satellites as well as units of carriage
⦁ In transport, time is essential as some distances to be covered may be long while in
communication, transmission may be immediate especially if modern technology

Similarities between transport and communication

⦁ Both involve movement
⦁ Means of transport are used in both

Modes of transport
⦁ Road Transport
⦁ Involves travelling by walking on foot, using motor vehicles and bicycles
⦁ Is the most common type of transport in developing world and Africa

Advantages of road transport

⦁ Less capital requirement: - Road transport required much less capital investment as
compared to other modes of transport such as railways and air transport.
⦁ Door to door services: - The outstanding advantage of road transport is that it provides
door to door or warehouse to warehouse services.
⦁ Services in rural areas: - Road transport is most suited for carrying goods and people to
and from rural areas which are not served by rail, water or air transport.
⦁ Flexible services: - Road transport has a great advantage over other modes of transport for
its flexible services. Its routes and timings can be adjusted and changed to individual
requirements without much inconvenience.
⦁ Suitable for short distance: - Delays in transit of gods on account of intermediate loading
and handling are avoided. Goods can be loaded direct into a road vehicle and
transported straight to their place of destination.
⦁ Lesser risk of damage in transmits: - Road transport is most suited for transporting delicate
goods like chinaware and glassware, which are likely to be damaged in the process of
loading and unloading.
⦁ Rapid speed: - If the goods are to be sent immediately and quickly, motor transport is more
suited than the railways or water transport. Water transport is very slow.

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 ⦁ Saving in packing cost: - As compared to other modes of transport, the process of packing
in motor transport is less complicated. Goods transported by motor transport require less
packing or no packing in several cases.
⦁ Allows for Privately owned vehicles: - big businessmen can afford to have their own motor
vehicles and initiate their own road services to market their products without causing
any delay.
⦁ Feeder to other modes of transport: - The movement of goods beings and ultimately ends by
making use of roads. Road and motor transport act as a feeder to the other modes of
transport such as railway, ships and airways.
⦁ Promotion of small scale business. Comparatively to railway, the load carried by roads is
small and this promote small scale business.

Disadvantages of road transport

⦁ Seasonal nature: - Motor transport is not as reliable as rail transport. During rainy or flood
season, roads become unfit and unsafe for use.
⦁ Accidents and breakdown: - There are more chances of accidents and breakdown in case of
motor transport. Thus, motor transport is not as safe as rail transport.
⦁ Unsuitable for long distance and bulky traffic: - This mode of transport is unsuitable and
costly for transporting cheap and bulky gods over long distances.
⦁ Slow speed: - The speed of motor transport is comparatively slow and limited.
⦁ Lack of organization: - The road transport is comparatively less organized. More often, it is
irregular and undependable. The rates charged for transportation are also unsuitable and
unequal.
⦁ Expensive to maintain. Most Africa countries are poor and experience difficulties in
maintenance of roads and construction of new ones.
⦁ Threat of robbery. Road transport is affected by robbery of goods and carjacking especially
in towns and along steep or lonely stretches.
⦁ Inability to transport Perishable goods. It the distance to be covered is great, road transport
may not be suitable for perishable commodities.
⦁ Traffic jams and congestion. When it rains, all roads in Nairobi become congested as every
motorist tries to escape the floods in the city.
⦁ Some countries drive in different sides of the road. This makes it difficult for drivers to get
used to the laws on different roads.

Problems facing road transport in Africa

⦁ Insecurity in some sections where the roads pass, this makes construction of roads
difficult and expensive. Also leads to delays in delivery of goods
⦁ Some roads pass through sparsely populated areas/areas with few resources making their
construction and maintenance difficult
⦁ Many road accidents that lead to great loss of life/property
⦁ Some countries drive on different sides of the roads; left and right. This makes it difficult
for drivers to get acquainted to the laws and may lead to accidents
⦁ Inadequate capital for investing in road construction and maintenance.

⦁ Railway Transport

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 ⦁ Involves movement of goods and people using trains on rails
⦁ Railway lines established by the colonial governments in the 19th century to transport
bulky raw materials from the interior to the ports at the coast

Advantages of railway transport.

⦁ It facilitates long distance travel and transport of bulky goods which are not easily
transported through motor vehicles.
⦁ It is a quick and more regular form of transport because it helps in the transportation of
goods with speed and certainty.
⦁ It helps in the industrialization process of a country by easy transportation of coal and
raw-materials at a cheaper rate.
⦁ It helps in the quick movement of goods from one place to another at the time of
emergencies like famines and scarcity.
⦁ It encourages mobility of labour and thereby provides a great scope for employment.
⦁ Railway is the safest form of transport. The chances of accidents and breakdown of
railways are minimum as compared to other modes of transport. Moreover, the traffic
can be protected from the exposure to sun, rain snow etc.
⦁ The carrying capacity of the railways is extremely large. Moreover, its capacity is elastic
which can easily be increased by adding more wagons.

Disadvantages of Railway Transport

⦁ The railway requires a large investment of capital. The cost of construction, maintenance
and overhead expenses are very high as compared to other modes of transport.
⦁ Its inflexibility. Its routes and timings cannot be adjusted to individual requirements.
⦁ Rail transport cannot provide door to door service as it is tied to a particular track.
Intermediate loading or unloading involves greater cost, more wear and tear and
wastage of time.
⦁ Due to huge capital outlay required, railway sector give rise to monopolies and work
against public interest at large. Lack of competition may breed in inefficiency and high
costs.
⦁ Railway transport is unsuitable and uneconomical for short distances and small traffic of
goods.
⦁ It involves much time and labour in booking and taking delivery of goods through
railways as compared to motor transport.
⦁ Because of huge capital requirements and traffic, railways cannot be operated
economically in rural areas. Thus, large rural areas have no railway even today.

Problems facing railway transport in Africa

⦁ Inadequate capital to buy and maintain railways/trains in developing countries
⦁ Poor management of railway lines and trains leading to accidents
⦁ Interconnection between countries due to different gauges

⦁ Water Transport
⦁ This is the movement of goods/people over water bodies e.g. lakes, oceans, rivers, seas,

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 etc
⦁ Involves both marine (in seas & oceans) and inland (water bodies within continents e.g.
lakes and rivers) transport
⦁ River transport is not well developed in Africa. This is because of the following reasons: -
⦁ Some of the rivers contain huge rocks/boulders/rock outcrops on their courses that
reduce the navigable distance
⦁ Presence of waterfalls and rapids along the courses of some of the rivers do not
favour development of river transport as they have increased velocity of river
water/very steep
⦁ High siltation in the lower courses of some rivers make their channels shallow to
suffice river transportation
⦁ Most rivers have short and shallow navigable stretches thus discouraging
development of transport in them
⦁ Some rivers flow in areas of low economic value/sparsely populated areas that have
limited human activities
⦁ Marine/sea transport is well developed in Africa. This is because it is used in import
export trade
⦁ The major sea routes include: -
⦁ Trans-Atlantic Sea Route – southern and western coasts of Africa
⦁ Cape of Good Hope Sea Route – links eastern and southern Africa to Asia and
Australia
⦁ Mediterranean – Asia Sea route – serves northern African countries
Advantages of water transport.
⦁ Modern sea transport is a highly effective method of transporting large quantities of
non-perishable goods.
⦁ Water transport routes are free of restriction unlike railways where routes are
restricted by land laws.
⦁ The mode of transport is free of congestion. Many ships can use route ways at the
same since the waterway is large.
⦁ There is no maintenance of waterways while in railways requires regular inspection
and repairs.
⦁ It is cheaper to use water transport for heavy and bulky goods being moved between
countries which are bordered by water masses than using trains.
⦁ Delicate goods are easily and safely transported by water.
⦁ Goods are transported either I large metal boxes called containers or in tankers. This
protects the goods in case of any accidents in the sea.

Disadvantages of water Transport

⦁ The sea in high altitude areas may freeze during winter making it hard for vessels to
sail smoothly.
⦁ Is confined to water bodies only hence must be supplemented with road transport
⦁ It is generally slow and therefore not ideal for perishable goods.
⦁ Most navigable rivers, lakes and seas may be found in areas of low economic value.
⦁ Sea vessels pollutes the water if there’s oil spillage by ships carrying petroleum.
⦁ Insecurity in the oceans where the pirates steal and attack sailing ships.

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 ⦁ Ships are expensive to construct/ purchase
⦁ Ports and harbors are expensive to construct and maintain.
⦁ In case of an accident in the ocean, the losses are usually high as the vessel may sink
drowning the goods and passengers.

Problems facing water transport in Africa

⦁ Piracy along the oceans leading to loss of life and property/delays in delivery of the
goods
⦁ Most African countries lack adequate capital to construct modern ports/harbors
⦁ Sea storms/strong sea waves may interfere with the navigation
⦁ Vegetation growth on rivers/lakes e.g. water hyacinth may interfere with
navigation/disrupt the movement of ships/boats
⦁ Most rivers may have rapids/waterfalls along their courses that may disrupt
transport thus the need for constructing canals to bypass them; increasing the cost
⦁ Siltation along the lower river courses/in dams reduce the water volume hence need
for dredging; expensive

N/B
Containerization
⦁ Containerization involves packing goods on transit in standard-sized metal boxes
that are sealed at the port of origin and opened at the destination port.
⦁ It has the following advantages: -
⦁ Safe and secure as the goods are transported while sealed thus limiting
destruction due to weather changes/theft
⦁ Relatively cheap (requires less labour).
⦁ Time saving in terms of loading and unloading as special cargo handling
equipment can be used.
⦁ Takes little space because of regular shapes and standards thus allowing tight
packaging of goods
⦁ Easy to check the contents at port of entry. (Special, tamper proof locks).

⦁ Air Transport
⦁ Involves movement of goods/people in the atmosphere using aircraft e.g.
airplanes/airships/balloons etc.
⦁ Is less developed in developing countries due to high operation costs and competition
from alternative and cheaper means of transport e.g. road
⦁ It is divided into domestic and international air transports. Domestic air transports
goods/people within the country’s borders while international air transports across
countries/continents
⦁ Air transport is facilitated through airports – places where aircrafts land/take off and
load/unload cargo

Advantages of air transport

⦁ Fast, comfortable and efficient over both long and short distances
⦁ Experiences few accidents
⦁ Easiest and the best means for transporting perishables

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 ⦁ Free from traffic congestion since it follows a strict time schedule
⦁ Other aircrafts e.g. choppers/helicopters can land anywhere even in remote places with
no roads
⦁ Aircrafts can be used for other purposes e.g. spraying farms
⦁ It is free from physical barriers because it follows shortest and direct routes where
landforms do not obstruct.

Disadvantages of air transport

⦁ Airports are very expensive to build. Travelling, buying and maintaining of aircrafts is
also expensive.
⦁ In case of accidents they are serious and fatal accidents leading to numerous deaths.
⦁ Transport of bulky goods is tedious and expensive.
⦁ Air transport is affected by bad weather resulting in delays and re-schedules.
⦁ The volume of passengers and cargo on air transport is small, making it expensive for
some airlines to operate.
⦁ Insecurity in many parts of Africa is also discouraging use of air transport.
⦁ Running airlines requires specialized skills and personnel with good training.
⦁ Airport construction requires large tracts of land for expansive runways/landing places
and watchtowers
⦁ Running air transport requires specialized skills and personnel e.g. pilots, cabin crew,
hostesses

Problems facing air transport in Africa

⦁ Insecurity especially from terrorists/suicide bombers
⦁ Volume of passengers and cargo on air transport is small making it expensive to
transport bulky commodities over longer distances
⦁ Insurance costs of planes are very high thus discouraging investors
⦁ No direct flights to various places leading to unnecessary costs
⦁ Competition from other well-established airlines from developed countries
⦁ Lack of adequate capital for putting up modern airports, expanding existing ones to
international status and operating airlines

⦁ Pipeline Transport
⦁ Pipeline transport is the movement of fluid products e.g. gas, oil, petroleum and water
through pipes from one place to another.
⦁ Pipeline routes are practically unlimited as they can be laid on land or under water.
⦁ Steel pipes coated with bitumen and wrapped in protective fiberglass to prevent
corrosion are used. The pipes are welded together, and the joints carefully sealed to
avoid leakage
⦁ Kenya pipeline company transports refined petroleum-based products like gas, jet fuel
and petrol from Mombasa to Nairobi and to Kisumu and to Eldoret
⦁ Pipeline companies e.g. Kenya Pipeline Corporation maintain vigilance along their lines
to check for leaks and repair them.

Advantages of pipeline transport.

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 ⦁ It is reliable and convenient means of transporting highly flammable products like
petroleum.
⦁ The cost of operating and maintaining pipeline is lower than that of other means of
transport.
⦁ Unlike other means of transport pipeline is not affected by bad weather.
⦁ It is not affected by traffic congestion
⦁ It does not pollute the environment except in cases of leakage which are rare
⦁ Pipeline can be used over varied surfaces.
⦁ Can be constructed through rough lands mountains and swamps where railways and
roads cannot easily pass.

Disadvantages of pipeline transport.

⦁ They are expensive to install and maintain.
⦁ They are not flexible i.e. and once laid cannot be rerouted
⦁ It is selective as can only transport fluids
⦁ It has limited coverage
⦁ They do not serve intermediate locations and must be supplemented by water or road
transport
⦁ They can cause excessive loss and pollution in case of leakages.
⦁ A pipe can be used only for one type of fluid product at a time

Communication
⦁ Communication is the process of passing information from one person to another/places
⦁ The major forms of communication include: -
⦁ Print media: - refers to means of written communication that are intended to pass
information to many people/public. They give information on current happenings/news,
opinions, suggestions, advertisement amongst others. They include newspapers, journals
and magazines
⦁ Broadcasting services: - these include radio and television. They are also used to pass
information to many people/public.
⦁ Telephone services/mobile phones: - are provided by telephone and mobile service providers
e.g. Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom, etc. They have the following advantages
⦁ They are relatively fast
⦁ They have personal appeal/some especially mobile are portable
⦁ They provide immediate/instant feedback
⦁ Suitable for long distance communication
⦁ They are relatively cheap to acquire/use/maintain
⦁ Have the option of sending text message messages
⦁ They have additional/auxiliary services e.g. games, calculator, internet, etc.

They also have the following disadvantages

⦁ They are not convenient for people with hearing and talking impairments
⦁ They lack confidentially

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 ⦁ Postal and courier services: - these handle letters and parcels. They use modes of transport
for delivery
⦁ Facsimile/fax: - is the telephonic transmission of scanned-in printed material (text or
images) usually to a telephone number associated with a printer or other output device.
The receiving fax machine reconverts the coded image and prints a paper copy of the
document.
⦁ E-mail: - refers to “electronic mail” it is used to send messages electronically through
computers. The messages are then transmitted electronically to the address of the
recipient through the internet
⦁ Internet: - is a network of interlinked computers through telephone lines. It can be used to
share information between computers.

Distribution of major transport lines in Africa

⦁ These include roads, railway lines, airlines and waterways
⦁ Roads
⦁ These are the most common transport lines in Africa
⦁ Each country has its own network of roads that differ in classification, quality and
size
⦁ In addition to these, there are trans-continental highways connecting different
countries/cutting through the continent in various directions
⦁ The main trans-continental highways in Africa include: -
⦁ Great North Road: - connects Cape Town (South Africa) to Alexandria (Egypt)
through Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan.
⦁ Trans-African highway: - connects Kenya to Nigeria through the ports of Mombasa
and Lagos within the East and Central African countries such as Uganda, DRC,
Central African Republic and Cameroon
⦁ Trans-Sahara highway: - from Lagos (Nigeria) to Tripoli (Libya) though Algeria
and Niger
⦁ Dakar-Ndjamena highway: - from Dakar (Senegal) through Ivory Coast, Nigeria to
Ndjamena (Chad)
⦁ Lagos – Nouakchott highway: - constructed along the West African coastline from
Nigeria, through Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Togo to Mauritania

⦁ Other proposed trans-continental highways in Africa include

⦁ Tripoli (Libya) – Windhoek (Namibia)
⦁ Ndjamena (Chad) – Massawa (Eritrea)
⦁ Cairo (Egypt) – Nouakchott (Mauritania)
⦁ Beira (Mozambique) – Lobito (Angola)

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Reasons why it is difficult to transport goods along the Trans-African highways
⦁ Political differences/hostility between the countries through which the highway passes
⦁ Parts of the highway are impassable during rainy seasons
⦁ Long distance between the cities leading to difficulty in transport and delays
⦁ High tariffs charged at border points increasing the costs involved
⦁ Civil wars/strife and banditry in some sections lead to loss/destruction of goods
⦁ Most of the countries produce similar goods hence no need for transportation

⦁ Railway Lines
⦁ Each country has established its own network of railway lines.
⦁ These lines vary in gauges between countries making movement of
trains/locomotives difficult resulting to trans-shipment
⦁ Africa has about 40, 000 km of railways, 18, 000 km being in South Africa, due to
several mining activities
⦁ Main railway lines in Africa include: -
⦁ Tanzania – Zambia Railway (TAZARA) – connects Zambian copper belt with
port of Dar es Salaam
⦁ Benguela Railway – connects port of Benguela (Angola) to the Zambian copper
belt
⦁ Kenya – Uganda railway line – connects Mombasa to Kisumu and an extension
from Nakuru to Kampala though Eldoret, Malaba and Tororo (Uganda)
⦁ Currently Kenya government is undertaking construction of the Standard Gauge
Railway (SGR) from Nairobi to Mombasa.

⦁ Airlines
⦁ Each country operates its own commercial airline
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 ⦁ These airlines operate within Africa and beyond to Europe, Asia, Americas and
Australia
⦁ The main airline axis in Africa is the Johannesburg – Harare – Nairobi – Cairo route
⦁ In Kenya, the major airline is The Kenya Airways. Kenya has four main international
airports namely: -
⦁ Kisumu International Airport
⦁ Eldoret International Airport
⦁ Jomo Kenyatta International Airport – Nairobi
⦁ Moi International Airport - Mombasa

⦁ Waterways
⦁ The main waterways in Africa include rivers, lakes, canals and oceans that surround
the continent
⦁ Canal waterways are not well developed in Africa with only two; Suez (Connects
Mediterranean and Red Seas) and Jonglei (Southern Sudan)
⦁ Lake transport is well developed in Africa with Lake Victoria providing a major
inland transport routes that connect many parts of East Africa such as: -
⦁ Kisumu, Homa Bay, Asembo Bay, Kendu Bay, Mbita and Muhuru Bay in Kenya
⦁ Jinja, Port Bell, Entebbe and Bukakata ports in Uganda
⦁ Musoma, Mwanza and Bukoba in Tanzania
⦁ Each East African country operates its own vessels on Lake Victoria
⦁ Lake transport also done in the following lakes; Albert, Chad, Malawi and
Tanganyika
⦁ Africa is also connected to major sea routes of the world through the ports of
Mombasa, Beira (Mozambique), Durban and Cape (South Africa), Lobito (Angola),
Douala (Cameroon), Lagos (Nigeria), Accra & Takoradi (Ghana), Dakar (Senegal),
Casablanca (Morocco), Alexandria (Egypt), Tripoli (Libya) and Aden (Eritrea)

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Role of transport and communication in the economic development of Africa.
⦁ Promotes industrial development: - means of transport influence the location of a given industry
as they influence raw material availability, labour mobility and market accessibility for
finished goods. Accessible areas are likely to attract more industrial establishments.
⦁ Promotes local and international trade: - expanded transport and communication in Africa has
opened new trade areas and markets and encouraged mass production. Trade within
Africa and the rest of the world has been enhanced by improved transport.
⦁ Promotes tourism: - air transport is instrumental in transporting tourists to various game parks
throughout Africa. Other tourists visit Africa via cruise ships.
⦁ Opens remote areas for exploitation: - remote areas with vast forest and mineral resources have
been opened for exploitation through the establishment of transport and communication
networks.
⦁ Enhances interaction among people: - the development of transport and communication has
increased human contact thus leading to exchange of technology and promoting
understanding among people.
⦁ Creation of employment opportunities. Transport and communication are themselves individual
industries that employ millions of people in sera routes, air routes, rail lines and roadways.
⦁ Development of urban centres. Some towns develop along major highways while others develop
at road junctions.
⦁ Promotion of national image. In some countries, the government operates national airlines to
promote the image of the countries e.g. the Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Air
Nigeria.
⦁ Improvement/enhancement of globalization: - use of fast/reliable and efficient communication
means enables relay of information to different parts of the world within a short time.

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⦁ Distribution/spread of information: - the government uses communication media e.g. radios,
TVs, newspapers, internet etc. to pass information on trivial issues e.g. drug abuse,
HIV/AIDS, child abuse, environmental conservation that help improve people’s way of life

Problems facing transport and communication in Africa

⦁ Limitations of topography/difficult terrain: - most African countries experience rugged relief with
several steep slopes due to volcanic mountains and the rift valley. This makes it difficult and
expensive to establish transport routes across such terrain.
⦁ Uninhabited land due to harsh environment: - deserts e.g. Sahara, Namib, Kalahari, and arid and
semi-arid lands in north eastern Kenya are covered by sand dunes that discourage the
construction of transport lines as they may block/bury stretches of transport and
communication lines. The harsh environment is also associated with low population hence
making construction of transport and communication lines uneconomical.
⦁ Thick vegetation: - tropical rain forests e.g. at the Congo Basin have thick undergrowth and
gigantic trees that make it difficult to construct transport and communication lines. Also, the
forests are habitats to disease causing organisms hence lowly populated thus not economical
to construct roads in such places.
⦁ Shortage of navigable rivers: - most rivers in Africa are not navigable because they have
numerous rapids and waterfalls along their courses/have numerous rock outcrops/have
fluctuating water levels due to seasonal rainfall. All these reduce their navigability.
⦁ Civil wars/political unrest: - some African countries have experienced continued civil wars.
During such wars, transport and communication lines are always targeted for vandalism.
⦁ Integrated traffic system: - different African countries have different traffic rules leading to lack
of a unified transport system within the continent e.g. driving on the left and right creates
problems in inter country movement.
⦁ Inadequate capital: - for development and maintenance of transport and communication
systems

Solutions to Africa’s Transport and Communication problem.

⦁ Trans-African highways: African countries have proposed to construct highways across the
continent. These highways are intended to improve the quality and volume of international
road traffic in Africa. The principal axis is supposed to be from Gaborone to Cairo and from
Mombasa to Dakar.
⦁ International Railways: The presence of landlocked countries in Africa has made railway
transport an attractive mode for transporting bulky raw materials to coastal seaports.
⦁ Regional Economic Co-operation: The establishment of regional economic organizations has
created conditions favorable to increasing the quality and quantity of transportation
between neighboring states. Regional economic groups in Africa include the Economic
Community of West African States, East African Community and Common Market for
Eastern and Southern Africa among others.
⦁ Establishment of National Airways: Since the attainment of independence, every African
country has established her own national carrier airline. Existing airports have been
expanded e.g. Dar-es-Salaam, while international new ones have been established e.g. Jomo
Kenyatta.
⦁ Establishment of ground satellite: African countries have been endeavoring to improve on
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 the existing telecommunications. Several ground satellites and radio and television boosters
have been established to ease out communication problems.

Case Study: A Study of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway
⦁ The Great Lakes of America include Superior, Ontario, Michigan, Huron and Erie. All the
lakes apart from Michigan (is entirely in USA) occur on the border of USA and Canada.
⦁ The lakes together with the St. Lawrence River form the longest and busiest inland waterway
in the world.
⦁ The waterway covers 3800km stretching from the mouth of St. Lawrence River on the
Atlantic to Duluth Port on Lake Superior.
⦁ The construction of the seaway enabled large sea vessels to go beyond Montreal further
inland.

Objectives of the Seaway

⦁ To construct canals by-passing the sections with Rapids like Long, Sault St. Marie and
Lachine and waterfalls like Niagara that made River St. Lawrence not navigable.
⦁ To establish locks along the river channel to regulate the flow of water as well as the
movement of vessels.
⦁ To create dams to generate hydro-electricity and regulate the flow of water as well as
movement of vessels.
⦁ To make St. Lawrence River more navigable by removing rock shoals, rapids and islands in
the river channel.
⦁ To promote industrialization and trade between the two countries.

⦁ The Seaway project involved the following activities: -

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 ⦁ Construction of bypass canals like Welland Canal connecting Lakes Ontario and Erie, Soo
Canal and St. Marie Canal by-passing the Marie Rapids between Lake Hudson and
Superior and Rudeau Canal connecting River Ottawa and Lake Ontario.
⦁ Dredging of the thousand islands section of the river near Lake Ontario.
⦁ Dredging of stretches of River St. Lawrence which had rocky Shoals (rocks were removed
by blasting).
⦁ Drowning of rapids and numerous shallow waterfalls like Long, Lachine and St. Marie
by creating Dams.
⦁ Introduction of icebreakers during winter (between December and April) to enable use of
the route throughout the year.
⦁ Construction of several hydro-electric power dams like Iroquois and Beauharnais.

Role played by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence sea way in the economies of USA and
Canada.
⦁ Boast to trade. After completion, it has enabled the two countries to have accessibility to raw
materials like iron ore from Mesabi range west of Lake Superior, wheat and timber from the
Canadian Prairies
⦁ It has led to industrial development in the area. The production of hydro-electric power in the
dams along the sea way has stimulated development of industries like grain milling, saw
milling, paper and steel industries.
⦁ Improved navigation. It provides cheap means of transport along the 3800km stretch of sea way
for both exports and imports thus encouraging internal and external trade
⦁ Hydro-electric power production. The dams constructed along the route (like Iroquois,
Beauharnais, Moses Saunders, Niagara and Sault St. Marie) provide hydroelectric power for
both domestic and industrial use
⦁ Development of towns. It has led to the growth of ports and towns like Montreal, Ottawa, Port
Arthur, Duluth, Prescott and Kingston along the route. These have become focal points for
various economic activities.
⦁ Promotion of tourism. The sea way with some of the most beautiful and fascinating sceneries in
the world is a tourist attraction which generates income in the region. The Niagara Falls is a
favorite site for tourists from all over the world
⦁ Creation of employment opportunities. The sea way has created employment opportunities in the
transport industry and thus raised the standards of living of the people in the area.
⦁ The lakes and the dam area a source of water for both domestic and industrial use
⦁ The countries earn some revenue from charges levied on ships that use the route.

PREVIOUS KCSE QUESTIONS ON TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATION

KCSE 1997 – Q8
The map below shows the transport- Africa highway from Mombasa to Lagos. Use it to answer
question (a)

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⦁ (i) Name the countries marked P and Q
(ii) State three reasons why it is difficult to transport goods from Mombasa to Lagos along
the highway.
⦁ Explain three problems facing rail transport in Kenya.
⦁ Explain four ways through which the Kenyan government promotes internal trade.

KCSE 1998 – Q3

⦁ Give three reasons why road transport is used more than air transport in East Africa.
⦁ In what three ways does Kenya benefit from air links with the rest of the world?

KCSE 1999 – Q4

⦁ Give three advantages of railway over road transport

⦁ The map below shows the extent of the oil pipeline in Kenya. Use it to answer question (b) (i)

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 ⦁ Name the towns marked X and Y which are served by pipeline
⦁ State two disadvantages of using pipelines as means of transporting oil

KCSE 2008 – Q8
Below a sketch of the map of the great lakes- St. Lawrence Seaway. Use it to answer question (a)

⦁ Name
⦁ The lake marked L
⦁ The waterfall marked M
⦁ The port marked N
⦁ Explain three ways in which the great lakes St. Lawrence sea way has contributed to the
economy of Canada and the United States of America (U.S.A)
⦁ Explain four factors that hinder the development of railway links among Africa countries
⦁ (i) State two recent development that have taken place in Kenya to improve communication
of information
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 (ii) Explain three problems facing telephone as a means of communication in Kenya

KCSE 2002 – Q4
Use the sketch map of Lake Victoria below to answer question (a)

⦁ Name the lake ports marked P, Q and R.

⦁ Outline two advantages of using containers while handling goods at the port of Kisumu.

KCSE 2004 – Q7
Use the map of East Africa below to answer question (a)

⦁ (i) Name the railway terminuses marked P, Q and R

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 (ii) In each case give the main commodity transported by the railway lines marked S and T.
⦁ (i) State four reasons why road network is more widespread than railways in East Africa.
(ii) One of the problems facing road transport is the high frequency of accidents. Explain
four conditions of roads in Kenya that may lead to accidents.

KCSE 2006 – Q1
⦁ Differentiate between transport and communication.
⦁ State three causes of the decline in the use of letter writing as means of communication in
Kenya.

KCSE 2007 – Q4
Below is a sketch map showing part of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Sea way. Use it to
answer question (a).

⦁ Name
⦁ the port marked P.
⦁ the canal marked Q
⦁ the lake marked R
⦁ State three ways in which the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Sea way has contributed to the
growth of industries in the region.

KCSE 2007 – Q9

⦁ (i) Name three international airports in Kenya.

(ii) Give four advantages of air transport over road transport.

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⦁ Explain four measures that should be taken to improve road transport in Kenya.
⦁ Explain why there are few rail links among African countries.
⦁ Give four reasons why there is limited use of river transport in Africa.

KCSE 2010 – Q5

⦁ Name two proposed major highways in Africa

⦁ Give three reasons why it is not possible to transport goods by road directly between
Mombasa and Lagos.

KCSE 2011 – Q7 and 2016 – Q6

Use the map below to answer questions (a) (i) and (ii)

⦁ Name: -
⦁ The rivers marked E, F and G
⦁ The human made lakes H and J
⦁ Explain four measures which should be taken to improve inland water transport in
Africa.
⦁ State four ways in which communication contributes to economic development in Kenya
⦁ Explain four problems facing railway transport in Africa

KCSE 2012 – Q9

⦁ (i) Identify the three types of inland waterways used for transport in Africa.
(ii) Give four reasons why the government of Kenya is expanding pipeline transport.
⦁ (i) State three advantages of railway transport.
(ii) State four conditions of roads in Kenya that may lead to motor vehicle accidents.
⦁ The sketch map below shows the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. Use it to answer
question (c).

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 Name:
⦁ The ports marked M and P
⦁ The lake marked N
⦁ Explain four benefits of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway to the economies of USA
and Canada

KCSE 2015 – Q9
Use the map of Africa below to answer question (a)

⦁ Name the trans-continental highways in Africa marked M, N and P

⦁ (i) State four advantages of air transport.
(ii) Explain four efforts that the Kenya government has taken to improve air transport
⦁ (i) Identify two types of communication.
(ii) Explain four problems facing communication in Africa.

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KCSE 2016 – Q3

⦁ Differentiate between transport and communication.

⦁ State three causes of the decline in the use of letter writing as a means of communication in
Kenya.

KCSE 2017 – Q5

⦁ Name two types of water transport.

⦁ Give three challenges facing railway transport in East Africa.

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