(a) State three differences between rail and water transport (b) In what four ways can transportation influence economic development in any named country in...

Answer Details

(a) Three differences between rail and water transport

Also acceptable: rail follows a fixed inland route and can reach interior areas, while water transport is limited to navigable waterways and coasts.

(b) Four ways transportation can influence economic development (using Nigeria as the named West African country)

1. Opening up of remote areas: roads, rail and waterways make interior farming and mining regions accessible, encouraging production.
2. Movement of raw materials and finished goods: good transport links farms, factories and markets, promoting trade and industry.
3. Encouragement of agriculture and marketing: farmers can move perishable produce quickly to urban markets, raising farm incomes.
4. Employment and growth of towns: transport construction and services create jobs, and towns grow at route junctions and ports (for example Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt).

Also valid: it promotes tourism, national integration and even distribution of development.

(c) Three problems of rail transport development in developing countries

• Shortage of capital to build and maintain the expensive rail lines and rolling stock.
• Difficult physical relief such as rivers, swamps, mountains and hard rock that raise construction costs.
• Obsolete equipment and poor maintenance leading to frequent breakdowns, derailments and unreliable services, worsened by shortage of spare parts and skilled personnel.