Sunday, 30 September 2007
Geography Chapter: Transport and CommunicationsY
Tansport and Communications
Types of Transport
Land
-Trains
-Cars
-Bicycles
Water
-Ships
-Ferries
-Canoes
Air
-Spacecraft
-Aeroplanes
-Helicopters
Transport Hub
-countries or cities with a variety of well-connected transport networks or system
-people from all over the world get to these places easily
-people can mive around easily in these places
-these places are very well-connected
E.g. London
-5 airports, 6 railway terminals, well-connected roads, may also travel by water
-extensice public transport system; buses and trains running on land and underground
-one of the world's busiest airports, welcoming more than 11 million international visitors each year
Types of Communications
Print Media
-printed format such as newspaper and magazines
Telecommunications
-send signals and messages over long distances using electronic equipment like radio, TV, telephone, the Internet
-satellite television : allowing people to view live events taking place in other countries
Effects of development (or rather, technological advancement)
Increased accessibility
-able to travel longer distances within a shorter period os time
-able to move goods faster, and in greater amounts, than ever before
E.g. England and France being seperated by English Channel
the Channel Tunnel was then built in 1994 under the waters, across the English Channel to increase the accessibility between Englad and France
Increased connectivity
-able to exchange information and trade with people who live in distant places more easily
-good communications network can benefit and enhance transport system (like how pilots maintain close contact with airports to ensure a safe journey)
Shrinking World
-world have seems to have shrinked due to technological advancement
-faster to travel between places
-faster to communicate with one another
-faster in obtaining information from other parts of the world
-business can be carried out across countries with greater ease
-helped in developing a culture of entrepreneurship
Globalisation
-spreading of information, ideas, cultures and value from one place to another easily
Case Study: Singapore
Why a transport and communications hub
Well-positioned at the centre of international transport routes
-attracting traders around the world
-led to development of services like transport, communications, warehousing and processing industries
How can being a transport and communications hub help us earn money?
Increasing demand for goods and services
-when more ships stop at our ports, demand for related services like ship repair
Attracting overseas companies to set up business
-well-developed transport and communications network makes it convenient to contact with other companies faster and easier
-hence attracting foreign companies to locate business here, creating job opportunities for locals
Increasing opportunities for doing business overseas
-greater connectivity encourages local companies to seek opportunities overseas
E.g. with the use of the Internet, local businessmen can communicate with foreign businessmen without travelling to meet face to face
Singapore as a Transport Hub
Air
-upgrading of airport to cope with increasing number of passengers
-T1, T2, Budget Terminal, (and up coming T3)
-serving over 80 airlines flying to more than 50 countries
-handling 44 million passengers per year
-by 2008 (completion of T3), can cater to over 64 million passengers
Sea
-one of the busiest ports in the world
-operated by PSA International and Jurong Port
-well-connected with 200 shipping lines to 123 countries
Land
-advanced network of roads, expressways and railway lines
-4 main espresswasy, 2 train systems (MRT & LRT), buses and taxis
-transportation system provides access to ports and airports, connecting people to the rest of the world
-road and railway connected to Malaysia
Singapore as a Communications Hub
Mass media
-encourage international media companies to set up here
-hence encouraging growth of local media companies
Information Communications Technology (ICT)
-develops new IT products like softwares
-softwares to help keep track of business deals and customer information
-government encourage use of the Internet for education, business and recreation
-meanwhile, developing a culture of entrepreneurship