(a) In what four ways is air transportation... | WAEC SSCE - Geography - 1998 (Essay)

Question 1 Report

(a) In what four ways is air transportation different from water transportation?

(b) Highlight three major contributions of transportation to national development

Answer

(a) Four ways air transportation differs from water transportation

Air transportation	Water transportation
Very fast; covers long distances in hours.	Slow; ships take days or weeks.
Carries light, valuable or perishable goods and passengers in small quantities.	Carries heavy, bulky goods in very large quantities.
Very expensive per tonne carried.	Cheapest means of transport per tonne.
Uses aircraft moving through the air, needing airports and runways.	Uses ships/boats on seas, rivers, lakes and canals, needing ports and harbours.
Not affected by relief on the ground but affected by bad weather.	Restricted to navigable water bodies; affected by shallow water, rapids and silting.

(b) Three major contributions of transportation to national development

It moves raw materials to industries and finished goods to markets, boosting industry and trade.
It opens up remote areas, encouraging farming, mining and even settlement of new regions.
It promotes national unity and administration by linking different parts of the country and easing movement of people.
It creates employment and generates revenue for the government.

(c) Three problems of water transportation in Tropical Africa

Many rivers are interrupted by rapids and waterfalls, making them non-navigable for long stretches.
Seasonal variation in water level: rivers become too shallow in the dry season and flood in the wet season.
Silting and floating vegetation (water hyacinth) block channels and harbours.
Few natural deep harbours, and inadequate modern port facilities and dredging.

Answer Details

(a) Four ways air transportation differs from water transportation

Air transportation	Water transportation
Very fast; covers long distances in hours.	Slow; ships take days or weeks.
Carries light, valuable or perishable goods and passengers in small quantities.	Carries heavy, bulky goods in very large quantities.
Very expensive per tonne carried.	Cheapest means of transport per tonne.
Uses aircraft moving through the air, needing airports and runways.	Uses ships/boats on seas, rivers, lakes and canals, needing ports and harbours.
Not affected by relief on the ground but affected by bad weather.	Restricted to navigable water bodies; affected by shallow water, rapids and silting.

(b) Three major contributions of transportation to national development

It moves raw materials to industries and finished goods to markets, boosting industry and trade.
It opens up remote areas, encouraging farming, mining and even settlement of new regions.
It promotes national unity and administration by linking different parts of the country and easing movement of people.
It creates employment and generates revenue for the government.

(c) Three problems of water transportation in Tropical Africa

Many rivers are interrupted by rapids and waterfalls, making them non-navigable for long stretches.
Seasonal variation in water level: rivers become too shallow in the dry season and flood in the wet season.
Silting and floating vegetation (water hyacinth) block channels and harbours.
Few natural deep harbours, and inadequate modern port facilities and dredging.

(a) In what four ways is air transportation different from water transportation? (b) Highlight three major contributions of transportation to national devel...