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The means of transportation has changed and improved over many centuries. Long ago,
during the times of the kings and knights, animals such as horses, buffaloes and camels were
used by man for transportation purposes. These animals no doubt did save man from traveling by
foot, they took a long time to complete the journeys, especially when transporting goods.
In 1825, George Stephenson's opening of the first railway marked a significant progress in
the history of transportation. Railways were in popular demand because they could carry more
people and loads. More importantly, they ran faster than animals. Railways improved the
communication networks and hence, imports and exports of goods and people traveling out of
their towns or even countries to work were made possible. Unfortunately, since the invention of
motor vehicles, the popularity of railways has declined.
Motor vehicles were first invented in the eighteenth century. These vehicles were preferred
by many people as they do not run on tracks and hence do not have fixed routes. Travelers can
then plan their own routes to suit their convenience. This is especially so when the destinations
are places like small towns or remote areas. In these places, few or even none of the trains ever
reach them; so traveling by the motor vehicle would solve this problem. Over many years of
modifications, the motor vehicle is now one of the most commonly used means of transportation.
Today, we travel in cars, taxis, buses, lorries or vans almost every day.
Another form of transportation is by water. It may be the slowest but definitely the cheapest
form of bulk transportation. Though over the centuries of innovations, water transportation has
improved from the ancient wind dependent yachts to the modern motor driven ships, journeys by
water are still characterized by the dangers and unpredictability of meeting natural disasters like
the storms.
The evolution of world transportation has reached its
pinnacle with the invention of airplanes. Transportation by planes is the easiest and fastest. Planes gliding smoothly in the air,
are not obstructed by seas, hills, buildings and so on. Though convenient, this means of transport
is the most expensive. Despite the popular demand, the transportation network of the planes is
still not a balanced and complete one till today. Developed countries tend to make use of air
transportation more frequently than the less developed ones as they do more exporting and
importing of goods and also have more people traveling to and fro their countries. Hence, the
networks in these developed countries are denser.
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