UPSC NCERT Notes - Geography - Transport and Communication

The UPSC NCERT Notes on Geography, specifically focusing on Transport and Communication, serve as an invaluable resource for aspirants preparing for the Civil Services Examination. In the vast landscape of the UPSC syllabus, Geography plays a pivotal role, and within it, the intricacies of transport and communication are crucial components. These notes, derived from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) materials, provide a comprehensive understanding of the geographical aspects of transportation and communication systems. Aspirants will find a nuanced exploration of concepts, case studies, and historical perspectives that not only cater to the specific requirements of the UPSC exam but also foster a holistic comprehension of the dynamic interplay between geography and human connectivity. This collection of UPSC NCERT Notes acts as a guiding beacon for candidates seeking to master the geography segment of the examination, ensuring a thorough grasp of the multifaceted dimensions of transport and communication in the context of India and the world.

Table of Contents

Transportation

Transportation is a service or facility designed for the movement of people and goods from one location to another, utilizing various means such as humans, animals, and different types of vehicles.
A network of several places (nodes) connected by a series of routes (links) forms a transportation pattern. This pattern can be expanded to encompass various types of links between points, facilitating mobility.
Transportation occurs across land, water, and air. Land transport includes roadways and railways, while water transport and air transport constitute the other two modes.

Modes of Transportation

The primary modes of global transportation—land, water, air, and pipelines—serve both inter-regional and intra-regional transport needs, catering to both passengers and freight (excluding pipelines).
The choice of a transportation mode depends on factors such as the type of goods and services to be transported, the associated transport costs, and the available modes.

Land Transport

The primary mode of transporting goods and services occurs over land. Initially, humans served as carriers, later supplemented by animals.
The advent of railways played a pivotal role, opening up continental interiors for commercial activities such as grain farming, mining, and manufacturing, particularly in the United States of America (USA). Land transportation has evolved to include pipelines, ropeways, and cableways for the movement of liquids like mineral oil, water, sludge, and sewers.

Roadways

Road transport is considered the most cost-effective for short distances compared to railways. Developed countries boast universal access to high-quality roads, including motorways, autobahns (in Germany), and inter-state highways that facilitate swift movement.
The global motorable road length is approximately 15 million km, with North America contributing 33%—a region with the highest road density and the largest number of registered vehicles. In terms of road length, the USA, India, and China rank first, second, and third worldwide.

Highways

Highways are metalled roads connecting distant places, designed for unobstructed vehicular movement.
Typically, highways are 80 m wide, featuring separate traffic lanes, bridges, flyovers, and dual carriageways to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow. Developed countries establish extensive highway networks, linking every city and port town.
North America exhibits high highway density, approximately 0.65 km per sq km, ensuring every place is within 20 km of a highway. Notable highways include the Trans Canadian Highway, the Alaskan Highway, the Pan-American Highway, and US Highway 20.

Distribution of Highways in the world

Europe, with a significant number of vehicles and a well-developed highway network, faces competition from railways and waterways.
In Russia, a dense highway network extends from the industrialized region west of the Urals, with Moscow serving as the hub.
The Trans-Siberian Highway, ranking fifth globally, traverses Russia from the Baltic Sea to the Sea of Japan, covering a vast width of the country. Also known as AH6, it forms a grid of national highways and is a critical transport route in Russia.
The expansive road network includes remarkable routes that span thousands of kilometers, facilitating connectivity and transportation across various countries.
Trans-Siberian Highway Stretching over 11,000 km from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, the Trans-Siberian Highway holds the distinction of being the longest continuous road within a single country.

China National Highway G010

China boasts an extensive highway system, with National Highway G010 spanning 5,700 km from Tongjiang in Heilongjiang to Sanya in Hainan. This highway traverses provinces like Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong.
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) A strategic infrastructure project, CPEC covers a 3,000 km route connecting China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to the Gwadar port in Balochistan, Pakistan. The bilateral initiative aims to enhance connectivity through highways, railways, pipelines, and various development projects.
Indian Highways India boasts an extensive highway network, with National Highway No. 44 (NH 44) being the longest, connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
The Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) links major metropolitan cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.
African Highways In Africa, a notable highway links Algiers in Algeria to Conakry in Guinea. Additionally, the Algiers-Conakry Highway connects the two cities, providing crucial connectivity.
Australian Highways Australia features a well-connected highway system, with Australian Highway 1 spanning 14,500 km and connecting coastal areas. Stuart Highway, the longest in Australia, covers 2,834 km, linking Darwin in the Northern Territory to Port Augusta in South Australia.

Border Roads

International boundary areas often have border roads, essential for integrating remote communities with major cities and supporting defense efforts.

Railways

Railways serve as a crucial mode of land transport for both goods and passengers. The railway network varies in gauge size, with Europe boasting one of the most dense rail networks globally, covering approximately 440,000 km.
Europe The first public railway line opened in 1825 between Stockton and Darlington in Northern England. Different countries adopt various gauges, including broad, standard, meter, and small gauges, with the standard gauge being prevalent in the UK. Europe’s extensive rail network includes key railheads in London, Paris, Brussels, Milan, Berlin, and Warsaw, with Belgium having the highest railway density.
North America boasts one of the world’s most extensive rail networks, accounting for nearly 40% of the global total. The densest rail network is found in the highly industrialized and urbanized East-Central USA and adjoining Canada.
South America’s rail network is most concentrated in two regions: the Pampas of Argentina and the coffee-growing region of Brazil, contributing to 40% of the continent’s total route length.
In Asia, the rail network is densest in the densely populated areas of Japan, China, and India. Notably, China’s Xining to Lhasa route reaches an altitude of 4,000 m above sea level, with the highest point at 5,072 m.
Africa, the second-largest continent, has only 40,000 km of railways, with South Africa alone accounting for 18,000 km due to the concentration of mining activities in gold, diamonds, and copper.

Key African Rail Routes:
Benguela Railway: Angola to Katanga-Zambia Copper Belt.Tanzania Railway: Zambian Copper Belt to Dar-es-Salaam on the coast.Blue train: Cape Town to Pretoria in the Republic of South Africa.Railway through Botswana and Zimbabwe: linking landlocked states to the South African Network.

Trans-Siberian Railway (9,332 km): Connects the Pacific coast in Russia (East) to St. Petersburg (near European borders) in the West.
Trans-Canadian Railway (7,050 km): Connects Halifax in the East to Vancouver on the Pacific coast, linking key cities like Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Calgary.
Canadian National Railway: Canada’s largest railway spanning approximately 32,831 km of track.
Union and Pacific Railway: Connects New York to San Francisco, transporting valuable exports like ores, grain, paper, chemicals, and machinery.
Australian Trans-Continental Railway: Connects Perth on the West coast to Sydney on the East coast, passing through key cities like Kalgoorlie, Broken Hill, and Port Augusta.
Orient Express: Connects Paris to Istanbul, facilitating the export of cheese, bacon, oats, wine, fruits, and machinery.
Trans-Andean Railways: Connects Valparaiso to Buenos Aires, serving as the most important rail route in South America.
Northern Trans-Continental Railway: Connects Seattle to New York, playing a crucial role in the USA’s rail network.
Mid Trans-Continental Railway: Runs between San Francisco and New York.
South Trans-Continental Railway: Connects Los Angeles to New York, contributing significantly to the USA’s rail infrastructure.
Cape to Cairo Railway: Connects Cape Town to Cairo, serving as a vital rail link in Africa.
Beijing-Canton Railway: Connects Beijing to Canton, covering a distance of 2,350 km and ranking as one of China’s most important railways.
Trans-Asian Railway Network Agreement: An agreement signed on November 10, 2006, by 17 Asian nations as part of a collaborative effort to enhance rail connectivity across the continent.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has embarked on an ambitious initiative to establish a trans-continental railway network connecting Europe with Pacific ports in China.
Commonly referred to as the Iron Silk Road, a nod to the historical Silk Road trade routes, this project was initiated by UNESCAP’s Transport and Tourism Division in 1992 under the banner of the Asian Land Transport Infrastructure Development project. The agreement formally took effect on June 11, 2009.
This trans-continental rail network is set to traverse India through the Myanmar border, passing through Bangladesh and re-entering India near Zede, extending beyond the Indian border near Atari. Drawing parallels with the rail link connecting Paris and Istanbul in Europe, the Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) treaty aims to link India with 28 countries across Asia and Europe. As of now, this treaty has received approval from India, China, Russia, South Korea, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Tajikistan.

The Yiwu-London Railway Line

The Yiwu-London Railway Line, a significant component of the New Eurasian Land Bridge, spans approximately 12,000 km, making it the second-longest railway freight route globally, following the Yiwu-Madrid railway line. Part of the One Belt, One Road policy, this project contributes to the establishment of a modern-day Silk Road.

Maglev Trains, utilizing electromagnetic forces for levitation and propulsion, are currently operational in six locations worldwide—three in China, two in South Korea, and one in Japan.
High-Speed Rail (HSR), a specialized rail system designed for significantly faster travel, gained prominence with the Tokaido Shinkansen, or bullet train, launching operations in Japan in 1964. Several European countries, including France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, have since adopted high-speed rail systems

Pipelines

Pipelines play a crucial role in transporting liquids and gases globally, such as water, petroleum, and natural gas.
Networks of pipelines facilitate the transportation of cooking gas (LPG) and liquefied coal in various parts of the world. In the USA, a dense network of oil pipelines connects producing areas to consuming regions, while in Europe, Russia, West Asia, and India, pipelines link oil wells to refineries and ports or domestic markets.
Turkmenistan in Central Asia has extended pipelines to Iran and other parts of China. A proposed Iran-India via Pakistan international oil and natural gas pipeline is anticipated to become the world’s longest upon completion.

Druzhba Pipeline

The Druzhba Pipeline, meaning “friendship,” stands as one of the largest crude oil pipeline networks, spanning approximately 5,500 km. This extensive system supplies oil from Russia to both Eastern and Western European countries, running from Almetyevsk in Central Russia to Schwedt in Northern Germany. With over 20 pumping stations along the route, the construction of this pipeline, owned by the Russian state-owned company Transneft, amounted to approximately $5.92 million.
The Trans-Arabian Pipeline, also known as Tapline, is a crude oil pipeline in South-Western Asia connecting OPEC countries like Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Stretching over 1,720 km, it runs from Al-Dammam on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia to Sidon, Lebanon, on the Mediterranean Sea.

Nord Stream Pipelines

The Nord Stream Pipelines comprise two underwater gas pipelines. Nord Stream 1, completed in 2011, spans 1,224 km from Vyborg in North-West Russia to Lubmin in North-Eastern Germany via the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream 2, finished in September 2021, runs from Ust-Luga in Leningrad to Lubmin, with a capacity to handle 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually once operational.

Motihari-Amlekhgunj Pipeline (India-Nepal Pipeline)

The Motihari-Amlekhgunj Pipeline marks South Asia’s inaugural cross-border petroleum products pipeline between India and Nepal.
Covering a distance of 69 km, it transports petroleum products from Motihari in India to Amlekhgunj in Nepal, with a capacity of 2 million metric tonnes per annum, promoting cleaner and affordable energy in Nepal and strengthening India-Nepal bilateral ties.

Sino-Myanmar Pipelines

The Sino-Myanmar pipelines link Myanmar’s deep water port of Kyaukphyu in the Bay of Bengal to Kunming in Yunnan province, China.
Completed in August 2014, the oil and natural gas pipelines run in parallel, passing through key locations in Myanmar before entering China at the border city of Ruili.

Iran-Oman-India Pipeline

The South Asia Gas Enterprise Private Limited (SAGE) is constructing the Iran-Oman-India pipeline to meet India’s growing energy demands. This underwater natural gas pipeline is intended to bring Iranian natural gas to India via Oman, providing a more direct route and supporting India’s energy needs.

Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline (Peace Pipeline)

Also known as the Peace Pipeline or IP Gas, the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is an ongoing project covering a distance of 2,775 km.
Originally proposed in the 1990s, it aimed to deliver natural gas from Iran to Pakistan, with an additional 600 km extension to India.
India withdrew from the project in 2009, citing concerns with gas pricing and pipeline security in conflict-prone areas like Baluchistan.

Important Pipelines of the world

Several pivotal pipelines contribute to the global energy network, including:

Big Inch Pipeline: Among the oldest petroleum pipelines, the Big Inch Pipeline spans from Texas to New Jersey in the USA, transporting petroleum products from Texas oil fields to the northeastern United States.
Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAPI): Also known as the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline, TAPI is a proposed natural gas pipeline developed with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It aims to transport Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and eventually to India.
Keystone Pipeline: Originating in Alberta, Canada, and terminating in Illinois and Oklahoma, USA, the Keystone Pipeline plays a crucial role in the transportation of shale oil across the North American continent. It reduces the dependence on non-North American oil sources.
ESPO Pipeline: Commencing in Russia and concluding in China, with potential delivery to Japan, the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean Oil Pipeline (ESPO) strengthens China’s strategic partnership with Russia by accessing its energy reserves. The exclusion of Japan may further enhance the China-Russia collaboration.

Water Transport

Water transportation offers unique advantages:

No need for route construction; port facilities at the two ends suffice.
Oceans are interconnected, facilitating navigation with vessels of various sizes.
Cost-effectiveness due to lower friction in water compared to land, resulting in lower energy costs.

Sea Routes

Oceans serve as smooth highways with no maintenance costs.
Transformation into navigable routes by sea-going vessels is a key human adaptation to the environment.
Ocean transport is a cost-effective means for hauling bulky materials over long distances between continents.
Modern passenger liners and cargo ships are equipped with radar, wireless, and navigation aids, enhancing efficiency and safety.

Important Sea Routes

Sea Route	Description	Important Ports
Atlantic Sea Route	– Links North-Eastern USA and North-Western Europe, two developed regions of the world. – Busiest waterway, often referred to as the Big Trunk Route. – One-fourth of the world’s foreign trade moves on this route.	– Port Said, Aden, Mumbai, Colombo, and Singapore are significant ports along this route.
Mediterranean-Indian Ocean Sea Route	– Connects the highly industrialized Western European region with West Africa, South Africa, South-East Asia, and the commercial agriculture and livestock economies of Australia and New Zealand.	– Ports vary along the route, covering locations from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean.
Cape of Good Hope Sea Route	– Connects Western European and West African countries with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay in South America. – Traffic is less due to limited development and availability of similar products and resources in Africa and South America.	– Ports along this route serve regions in Western Europe, West Africa, and South America.
Southern Sea Route	– Links the ports on the West coast of North America with those of Asia. – Includes Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Yokohama, Kobe, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, and Singapore.	– Important ports on the American side: Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles. – Important ports on the Asian side: Yokohama, Kobe, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore.
North Pacific Sea Route	– Connects Western Europe and North America with Australia, New Zealand, and the scattered Pacific islands via the Panama Canal. – Used for reaching Hong Kong, Philippines, and Indonesia.	– Ports vary along the route, covering locations from Western Europe to North America and the Pacific islands.

Coastal Shipping

It is a convenient mode of transportation with long coastlines.
Shenzhen in Europe are most suitably placed in coastal shipping connecting one member’s cos with the other.

Shipping Canals

The Suez and the Panama Canals are two vital man-made navigation canals or waterways, which serve as gateways of commerce for both the East and Western worlds.

The Suez Canal

Constructed in 1869, the Suez Canal in Egypt links Port Said in the North to Port Suez in the South, providing a vital connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. This sea level canal spans approximately 160 km and has a depth of 11 to 15 m, eliminating the need for locks.
By creating a new gateway to the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal significantly shortens the direct sea-route distance between Liverpool and Colombo compared to the Cape of Good Hope route. Additionally, a navigable fresh water canal from the Nile joins the Suez Canal in Ismailia, supplying fresh water to Port Said and Suez.
In 2015, Egypt announced plans to expand the Suez Canal further, with the goal of reducing waiting times and doubling the number of ships that can use the canal daily by 2023. This expansion includes 72 km of new channels and bypasses, deepening the main waterway.
The Suez Canal plays a pivotal role in Egypt’s economy, contributing significantly to its income. In the past year alone, Egypt earned US$ 5.61 billion in revenues from this strategic waterway.

Main Canals of the World

Canal	Description
Sault-Ste-Marie Canal	Joins Superior Lake with the Atlantic Ocean.
Manchester Shipping Canal	Connects Manchester with Eastham.
North Sea Canal	Joins North Sea with Amsterdam.
Nicaragua Canal	Connects Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.
Suez Canal	Joins Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.
Panama Canal	Joins Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean.
Kiel Canal	Joins North Sea with Baltic Sea.
Stalin Canal (Volga Don Canal)	Connects Black Sea and Caspian Sea.
Göta Canal	Connects Stockholm to Gothenburg.

The Panama Canal

It connects the Atlantic ocean in the East Pacific ocean in the West.
It has been constructed across the Panama Isthmus between Panama city and Colon by the US Government, which purchased 8 km of area on either side and named it the canal zone.
It is about 72 km long and involves a very deep cutting for a length of 12 km.
It shortens the distance between New York and San Francisco by 13,000 km by sea.
The economic significance of this canal is relatively less than that of the Suez. However, it is vital to the economies of Latin America.

Other Important canals

Canal	Description
Ludwig Canal	Located in Southern Germany.
Erie Canal	Connects the towns of Albany and Buffalo in New York, linking Lake Erie and Lake Huron. The canal played a significant role in stimulating economic growth for New York City.
The Rhine-Main-Danube Canal	Also known as Europa Canal, located in Bavaria, Germany. Completed in 1992, it spans 171 km, connecting the Main and Danube rivers across the European Watershed.
The White Sea-Baltic Canal	Also known as White Sea Canal, situated in Russia. Opened on August 2nd, 1933, it connects the White Sea in the Arctic Ocean to Lake Onega, further linked to the Baltic Sea.
Soo Canal	Connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron, facilitating navigation from the productive interior parts of the USA to the Atlantic sea coast. This canal has played a crucial role in bringing ocean shipping to the center of the continent in North America.
The Welland Canal	A ship canal in Ontario, Canada, connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. It forms a key section of the St Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes Waterway, enhancing maritime transport in the region.

Ports

Ports are the primary gateways of international trade, serving as crucial hubs for docking, loading, unloading, and cargo storage. To ensure these functions, port authorities manage navigable channels, organize tugs and barges, and provide labor and managerial services. The quantity of cargo handled by a port reflects the development level of its hinterland.

Ports can be classified based on cargo handling and location:
Industrial Ports: Specialize in bulk cargo like grain, sugar, ore, oil, and similar materials.
Commercial Ports: Handle general cargo, including packaged products, manufactured goods, and passenger traffic.
Comprehensive Ports: Handle bulk and general cargo in large volumes, encompassing most major ports worldwide.

Posts based on location are classified as

Inland Ports: Located away from the sea coast, linked to the sea through rivers or canals. Examples include Manchester, Memphis, and ports along the Rhine.
Out Ports: Deep-water ports built away from the actual ports, serving parent ports by receiving large ships. Examples include Athens and Piraeus in Greece.

Specialized Functions:

Oil Ports: Dealing in the processing and shipping of oil, including tanker ports and refinery ports.
Ports of Call: Historically developed ports used for refueling, watering, and obtaining food items. Examples include Aden, Honolulu, and Singapore.
Packet Station: Also known as ferry ports, concerned with transporting passengers and mail across short distances.
Entrepot Ports: Collection centers where goods are brought from different countries for export, like Singapore, Rotterdam, and Copenhagen.
Naval Ports: Ports of strategic importance serving warships with repair workshops, such as Kochi and Karwar in India.

Important Ports with Their Countries:

Santos: Brazil (Coffee port of the world)
Auckland: New Zealand
Lisbon: Portugal
Brisbane: Australia
Montreal: Canada
Boston: USA
Marseilles: France
Port Said: Egypt
Chicago: USA
Rio de Janeiro: Brazil
Dar-es-Salaam: Tanzania
Shanghai: China (Busiest port of the world)
Sydney: Australia
Havana: Cuba
Vancouver: Canada
Hamburg: Germany
Zanzibar: Tanzania
Los Angeles: USA

Inland waterways

Waterways, including rivers, canals, lakes, and coastal areas, have served as vital transportation routes throughout history. The development of inland waterways depends on factors such as the navigability of the channel, its width and depth, the continuity of water flow, and the technology employed for transportation.
In densely forested regions, rivers become the primary means of transport, facilitating the movement of heavy cargo like coal, cement, timber, and metallic ores. Despite inherent limitations, efforts have been made to enhance river navigability through dredging, stabilizing river banks, and constructing dams and barrages to regulate water flow.

Important Inland Waterways:

Waterway	Description
The Rhine Waterways	Flows through Germany and the Netherlands, navigable for 700 km from Rotterdam (Netherlands) to Basel (Switzerland). Connects industrial areas of Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands with the North Atlantic sea route.
The Danube Waterways	Rises in the Black Forest and flows Eastwards through many countries. Navigable up to Turnu Severin, serving Eastern Europe.
The Volga Waterways	Most important waterway in Russia, providing a navigable route of 11,200 km draining into the Caspian Sea. The Volga-Moscow Canal connects it with the Moscow region, and the Volga-Don Canal connects it with the Black Sea.
St. Lawrence Seaway	The Great Lakes of North America—Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario—are connected by Soo Canal and Welland Canal, forming an inland waterway. Connects the interior part of the USA with the Gulf of Mexico in the South. Ports like Duluth and Buffalo are equipped with facilities comparable to ocean ports.
The Mississippi Waterways	A major river system facilitating inland navigation in the USA, connecting the interior parts with the Gulf of Mexico in the South.

Air Transport:

Air transport is the fastest means, often the only way to reach inaccessible areas.
Favored for long-distance passenger and valuable cargo trade.
Overcomes geographical challenges like mountainous snow fields and inhospitable deserts.
Infrastructure for aircraft manufacturing and operations includes hangars, landing facilities, fueling stations, and maintenance facilities.
Noteworthy air strikes in Iraq demonstrate the strategic importance of air transport.
Key air corporations in the USA include United Airlines, World Airlines, Pan-American Airlines, and Eastern Airlines.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents 280 airlines, contributing to 33% of total air traffic, and influencing aviation policy.

Inter-Continental Air Route:

New York-London-Paris-Rome-Cairo-Delhi-Kolkata-Hong Kong-Tokyo
New York-San Francisco-Honolulu-Hong Kong-Adelaide-Perth

Continental Air Route:

New York-Chicago-Montreal Route
London-Frankfurt-Warsaw-Moscow
London-Paris-Frankfurt-Prague-Warsaw
Delhi-Kolkata-Hong Kong-Tokyo

National Air Route:

New York-Chicago-San Francisco
St Petersburg-Moscow-Tashkent
Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai
Delhi-Kanpur-Patna-Kolkata
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (USA) is the world’s busiest airport.

Aircraft Companies:

Airbus (France), Boeing (USA), Bombardier (Canada), Embraer (Brazil), Tupolev (Russia).
Tupolev, part of the United Aircraft Corporation after merging with five other companies, is based in Moscow, Russia.

Communication:

Communication is the process of conveying messages to others, with historical methods including the telegraph and telephone. During the mid-20th century, the American Telegraph and Telephone (AT&T) company held a monopoly on the USA’s telephone industry.
In developing countries, cell phones leverage satellites for rural connectivity. The telecommunication sector has seen rapid development and competition, marked by the breakthrough use of Optic Fiber Cables (OFCs). Major telephone companies worldwide upgraded their copper cable systems to include optic fiber cables, enabling rapid, secure, and virtually error-free data transmission.
The digitization of information in the 1990s led to the integration of telecommunication with computers, forming integrated networks known as the internet.

Satellite Communication:

Satellite communication emerged in communication technology in the 1970s after the USA and the former USSR pioneered space research. Artificial satellites in Earth’s orbit connect even remote corners globally with limited onsite verification.
Satellites have made the unit cost and time of communication invariant, making it equally cost-effective to communicate over 500 km or 5,000 km via satellite. India has made significant strides in satellite development, launching Aryabhatta, Bhaskar-I, Rohini, and Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment (APPLE).

Cyber Space: Internet:

Cyberspace, the world of electronic computerized space encompassing the internet, including the World Wide Web, facilitates communication and information movement in computer networks without physical constraints between sender and receiver.
The internet’s rapid spread is unprecedented in human history, with less than 50 million users in 1995, about 400 million in 2000, and over 2 billion in 2010. Recent years have seen a shift in global users from the USA to developing countries.

Top 10 Internet Users of the World (2020-21):

China – 765 million users
India – 391 million users
United States of America – 245 million users
Brazil – 126 million users
Japan – 116 million users
Russia – 109 million users
Mexico – 75.94 million users
Germany – 73.43 million users
Indonesia – 66.45 million users
United Kingdom – 62.35 million users

Global Positioning System (GPS):

Created by the US Department of Defense (DoD), GPS initially operated with 24 satellites and became fully operational in 1994.
GPS is a space-based satellite navigation system providing location and time information about the Earth in all weather conditions.
Maintained by the United States Government, GPS is freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver.
The GPS programme provides critical information
The GPS project was developed in 1973, to overcome the limitations of previous navigation stems, integrating ideas from several redecessors, including a number of classified engineering design, studies from the 1960s. In line with GPS Indian Space Researchs
Organisation (ISRO) has developed the indigenous Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
The United States was the first country to ntroduce satellite technology with the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Countries that Developed GPS Technology

Countries	Technology
USA	Global Positioning System (GPS)
Japan	Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS)
Russia	Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS)
China	BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
European Union	Galileo
India	Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)

Prelims facts

North Atlantic sea route is busiest sea route in the world because it connects – two major industrial zones of the world [UPPSC (Pre) 2003]
Shortest air-route from Perth to London – Perth, Mumbai, Rome, London (IAS (Pre) 1994)
To which country the airlines ‘Lufthansa ‘ belongs to – Germany [MPPSC (Pre) 2004)
The sequence of the countries in terms of railway length in descending order is – USA, Russia, China and India [UPPSC (Pre) 2014)
The Canadian Pacific Railway runs between- Montreal and Vancouver |JPSC (Pre) 2013]
Euro – tunnel for fast running trains joins – England – France [RAS/RTS (Pre) 1997]
The world’s largest rail-road tunnel Gotthard base tunnel is located in – Switzerland [UPPSC (Mains) 2012]
Which country has the World’s longest Network of Bullet train? – China [UKPSC (Pre) 2016]
In which Country, port Gwadar is located? – Pakistan [JPSC (Pre) 2013]
The name of Port City in Venezuela which has been developed as oil port is – Maracaibo [IAS (Pre) 1999]
The Port of Igarka is located in Russia [UPPSC (Pre) 2016]
Who wrote the famous Periplus of the Erythraen sea? – William H Schoff [BPSC (Pre) 2018]
Alexandria is a port located in? – Egypt [UPPSC (Mains) 2007]
Where is the Port Diamond located ? – South Africa [UPPSC (Pre) 2010]
Which port is known as the ‘Coffee Port’ of the world? – Santos ILAS (Pre) 2000, MPPSC (Pre) 2015]
Between India and East Asia, the navigation time and distance can be reduced by – opening a new Canal across the Kra Isthmus between Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea [UPPSC (Pre) 2011]
Trans-Canada Highway connects – Saint John city to Vancouver [BPSC (Pre) 2018]
The world’s longest rail-road tunnel Seikan is in – Japan [UPPSC (Pre) 2012]
The inland waterway in Southern Germany is? – Ludwing Canal [UPPSC (Pre) 2017]

UPSC NCERT Practice Questions

1. The Trans-Continental Stuart Highway runs between

(a) Darwin and Melbourne

(b) Edmonton and Anchorage

(d) Chengdu and Lhasa

2. Which one of the following cities is not located on the Trans-Siberian rail route? UPPSC (Pre) 2019

(a) Kazan

(b) Omsk

(d) Chita

3. Euro tunnel for fast running trains joins RAS/RTS (Pre) 1997, UKPSC (Pre) 2015

(a) Holland – England

(b) England – France

(d) France – Luxembourg

4. The correct sequence in descending order of the given countries in terms of railway length in the world is UPPSC (Pre) 2014

(a) India, USA, Germany, Canada

(b) Canada, Germany, USA, India

d) Germany, USA, Canada, India

5. The world’s longest rail route tunnel Seikan is in UPPSC (Mains) 2012

(a) China

(b) South Korea

(d) Malaysia

6. Which country has the world’s longest network of bullet train? UKPSC (Pre) 2016

(a) Russia

(b) Japan

(d) China

7. The Canadian Pacific railway runs between IPSC (Pre) 2013)

(a) Edmonton and Halifax

(b) Montreal and Vancouver

(d) Halifax and Vancouver

8. Which one of the following rail/railways passes Romanh Germany, France, Austria, Hungary and Romania?

(a) Trans-Siberian

(b) Cape – Cairo

(d) Central Pacific

9. Assertion (A) North Atlantic sea route is the busiest sea route in the world.Reason (R) It connects two major industrial zones of the world. UPUDA/LDA (Pre) 2003

Codes

(a) Both A and ki are true and R is correct explanation of A.

(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the cored explanation of A.

(d) R is true, but A is false.

10. Which of the following is the busiest sea route of the world? UPPSC (Pre) 1998, 2014

(a) Indian ocean

(b) North Atlantic ocean

(d) Pacific ocean

11. Which one of the following is known as the ‘coffee port’ of the world? IAS (Pre) 2000, MPPSC (Pre) 2015

(a) Sao Paulo

(b) Santos

(d) Buenos Aires

12. During a flight from Delhi to Tokyo, the following are the landing airports. IAS (Pre) 1997

1. Hong Kong

2. Hanoi

3. Taipei

4. Bangkok

The correct sequence of the landing at these airpots during an onward journey is

(a) 1, 2, 3, 4

(b) 4, 2, 1, 3

(d) 4, 1, 2, 3

Know Right Answer

1(a)

2 (c)

3 (b)

4 (c)

5 (c)

6 (d)

7 (b)

8 (c)

9 (a)

10 (b)

11 (c)

12 (b)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the significance of studying transport and communication in the context of UPSC NCERT Geography notes?

A: Transport and communication are crucial components of geography that play a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of a region or country. Understanding these topics is essential for UPSC aspirants as it provides insights into the connectivity, accessibility, and mobility aspects of a region. Effective transport and communication systems are integral for trade, cultural exchange, and overall development. Moreover, questions related to these topics are often asked in the UPSC exams, making it imperative for aspirants to grasp the fundamental concepts outlined in the NCERT Geography notes.

2. How does the study of transport in geography contribute to the understanding of regional disparities?

A: The study of transport in geography sheds light on the spatial patterns of connectivity and accessibility, revealing regional variations and disparities. Regions with well-developed transport infrastructure tend to experience economic growth and development, while poorly connected regions may face isolation and underdevelopment. Understanding the role of transport in shaping regional imbalances is crucial for UPSC aspirants as it enables them to analyze and propose solutions to address these disparities, aligning with the broader socio-economic development goals.

3. What role do communication networks play in the globalization process, and why is this important for UPSC preparation?

A: Communication networks, including the internet, telecommunication, and media, play a pivotal role in the process of globalization. They facilitate the exchange of information, ideas, and cultures across borders, connecting people globally. In the context of UPSC preparation, understanding the impact of communication networks on globalization is essential as it helps aspirants comprehend the interconnectedness of the world. Additionally, questions related to the influence of communication on socio-economic and cultural aspects are common in UPSC exams, making it imperative for candidates to be well-versed in these topics.

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UPSC NCERT Notes – Geography – Transport and Communication