3.2.1 Section A: Urban Issues and Challenges -The Distribution UK Cities Flashcards
What was the UK’s population in 2022?
68.5 mil
How has the UK’s population changed since 1900?
- exponential population growth
- rapid increase in number of people living in UK from 1900
How is the UK’s population distributed?
unevenly distributed
What % of the UK’s population lives in urban areas? and how many of those live in London or the South East?
- 82% live in urban areas
- I in 4 of those live in London and the South East
How much land area does the South East of England cover in the UK? and how much of the UK’s population lives in the South East of England?
South East of England covers 1/10 of the land area but has over one third of the UK population living there
What is the population distribution in many highland areas in the UK? and explain why:
many highland regions of Scotland and Wales are very sparsely populated - these are upland areas that are remote and can experience harsh climatic conditions
Which place in the UK has the lowest population density and what is its population density?
Scottish Highlands/Elleen Siar: 9 people per km2
What place in Northern Ireland has the lowest population density and what is its population density?
Lowest population density in Northern Ireland - Moyle: 35 people per km2
What place in England has the lowest population density and what is its population density?
Lowest population density in England - Elden, Cumbria: 25 people per km2
What place in Wales has the lowest population density and what is its population density?
Powys: 26 people per km2
Where is the UK’s highest population density outside of London and what is its population density?
Portsmouth: 5141 people per km2
What is the only major city in the North East in the UK where its population has fallen?
Sunderland
Why is there a higher population in SE England?
higher population in SE England as better temps and better conditions for farming
What was the population of Scotland in 2015?
5.3m
What was the population of England in 2015?
54.3m
What was the population of Northern Ireland in 2015?
1.8m
What was the population of Edinburgh in 2015?
450,000
What was the population of Cardiff Ireland in 2015?
310,000
What was the population of London in 2015?
7.2m
What does the distribution of the UK’s major cities and most densely populated areas reflect?
its industrial past - shaped by the Industrial Revolution in the 18th C
What took place in the industrial revolution in the UK?
- there was a development of heavy industries and concentration of population near supplies of coal and raw materials such are iron ore - for example:
- the Central Lowlands of Scotland (Glasgow)
- North East England (Newcastle & Sunderland)
- Lancashire (Manchester)
- South Wales (Cardiff and Swansea)
Why did London develop?
- London developed because of its position as the capital of the UK with associated political and administrative functions
- from being the capital of a large empire it became a global city and a financial centre
Why did Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh develop?
Belfast, Cardiff, and Edinburgh grew because of their function as capital cities of Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland
Why did Birmingham develop?
the UK’s second biggest city, Birmingham grew mainly as a centre of industrial innovation due to its key position as an important trading centre explaining the growth of ports such as London, Liverpool, and Bristol
What is the general drift in population distribution in the UK?
has been a general drift towards the SE England and London - one of the world’s financial, business and cultural centres
Counter-urbanisation:
moving from urban to rural areas
Why are more and more people moving to rural areas?
- the UK has increasing population of older people, many choosing to retire to live on the coast or in the country
- counter-urbanisation: the movement of people from urban to rural areas
- because of COVID there are easier ways of working remotely meaning more people choose to move/live in urban areas
- increase in younger people moving to rural areas as well
Since 1997 what has been greater than the annual outward migration?
since 1997 annual inward migration has been greater than annual outward migration
Between 2009 and 2014 how much has the UK’s population increased each year?
between 2009 and 2014 this increased the population by an average of 243,000 each year
Where do immigrants generally settle in the UK?
immigrants generally settle in larger cities where there are more job opportunities
What has the net migration been like between 2015 - 2021 for the UK?
the net migration (inward minus outward) has declined every year from 2015 to 2021 - this likely to continue because of UK’s exit from Europe
Map showing the distribution of the UK’s population:
Map showing the population of the UK and its major cities in the UK:
