2.2. Causes and Consequences of urbanisation

Question 1

What is natural population growth?

Answer 1

when more people are being born than dying

Question 2

What leads to high rates of natural increase?

Answer 2

• younger population
• better healthcare
• low infant mortality rate
• falling death rates

Question 3

What are the processes associated with rural to urban migration?

Answer 3

push and pull factors

Question 4

Why are people in LICs more likely to move to other areas?

Answer 4

Rural areas are much more isolated in LICs so people go to urban areas thinking there are better opportunities

Question 5

What are the consequences of urban growth?

Answer 5

• housing and urban sprawl
• waste
• employment
• transport

Question 6

What are some of the housing and urban sprawl consequences of urban growth?

Answer 6

• gentrification
• decentralisation
• requires more roads and infrastructure
• loss of farmland and open spaces- fresh food
• wildlife habitat loss due to urban sprawl
• more fuel consumption/ traffic congestion
• increased commuting
• affects water quality and quantity

LICs specifically:
- high population density -> shortage of accommodation
- informal housing
- limited access to basic infrastructure

Question 7

What are some of the waste consequences of urban growth

Answer 7

• financial restraints can result in lack of basic services such as water and electricity
• maintenance of infrastructure = limited
• traffic congestion = polluted water, flooding, rapid spread of disease
• 2015 -> 5% of piped water reached squatter settlement areas in 42 Indian cities and towns
• old tyres cut up and used to make sandals
• washing machine doors used as kitchen bowls
• food waste fed to animals/ composted
• glass bottles collected and returned

Question 8

What are some transport consequences of urban growth?

Answer 8

• traffic flows for shopping, entertainment and other services
• urbanisation and suburbanisation have led to increased traffic in cities -> caused congestion- pollution, damaging health and wasting billions of pounds on lost productivity
• spread of houses in suburbs + beyond = surges of morning & evening commuters
• car boom of 1960s, city planners built more and wider roads -> didn’t work

Question 9

What are some economic consequences of urban growth?

Answer 9

• high proportion of young people moving to cities
• unemployment rates are typically high
• underemployment
• many migrants find employment in informal work such as street hawking