A considerable part of the trade, export and import, was in transit, chiefly with French Congo, which had no direct communication with the sea except through Belgian Congo.
This was a notable addition not so much to the area as to the resources and population of the Belgian Congo.
This railway would give the quickest means of access to British Central Africa and the southern part of Belgian Congo.
From Mt Sabyino the frontier between Belgian Congo and the Uganda Protectorate goes in a direct line north to Mt Nkabwe, and thence along the Ishasha River, to its mouth on the S.E.
The imports included the transit trade (with the Belgian Congo and German East Africa), which grew from £8460 in1903-1904to £82,615 in 1908-1909.