Sea-land connectivity in the global complex network: the case of United Kingdom

Abstract The main objective of this research is to analyse the connectivity of cities in a coupled network made of planar (railways) and non-planar (maritime) topologies. It takes the state of the network during the period 1880–1925, namely the context of the First Globalization wave (1880–1914), when trade and urban development were closely tied to progress in communications systems and especially steam propulsion. Edges represent intercity physical infrastructure on land, and inter-port ship voyages at sea. We test several hypotheses in terms of inter-network specialization and urban hierarchies. Main results underline a crucial influence of railway proximity on vessel traffic volume. A case study of the United Kingdom also reveals that the networks are highly interdependent, while the combination of infrastructures is closely associated with city size and urban growth. We discuss main results in the light of network science, spatial science, maritime history, and transport research.