Chapter 15 Flashcards
urbanization
the movement of people to cities
Where/When is urbanization happening?
- most developed countries became urbanzied around the 19th & 20th centuries - shift from rurual to urban is largely complete
- processs of is now happening in developing countries
The movement of people to cities was promoted by 3 key developments
- Mechanization - use of machinery, displaced workers in mining, farming logging and fishing
- Industrialization - switch to an economy dependent on manufacturing industires, encouraged the concentration of manufacturing at sites which became destinations for workers leaving rural areas
- Technological change in fuel sources - from firewood to coal then petroleum meant energy supplies could be hauled long distances to cities to be consumed by the facctories
in-migration
people moving into cities
millionaire cities
- more cities have more than 1 million people (way more than before)
- number of huge cities in the developing countries demonstrates the rapid rate of urbanization in those parts of the world
Dealing with rapid urban growth
- lrg cities in developing countries are experiencing a lot of difficulties in managing their rappid growth
- many settle in shanty towns other settle on the street
- these cities have few resources to accomodate these extra people and the many new arrivals overload the city’s infrastructure
- demands of pop put strain on water supplies, sewage facilites, mass transit, power grids, health/social services
- efforts of cities to improve conditions (ex. turn of electricity) are usually futile because of the large # of migrants coming daily
- growth of these citites are haphazard
shanty towns
makeshift neighboruhoods/towns were squatters live`
The Plight of Street Children
- flood of migrants to cities has produced street children
- est. 100 mill worldwide - city in Brazil - 10% pop
- abbandoned by families struggling with poverty or fleeing abusive homes the children have to make their own way - begging, peddling inexpensive goods, stealing or prostitution
- often they become victims of street violence, sexual predetors or substance abuse
Push Factors
- people are driven to cities by certain factors (called push factors) which encourage them to leave their rural homes
ex. might find rural areas lacking in places such as adequeate food supplies or jobs
pull factors
- people are drawn to cities because of these factors, these factors attract them
ex. cities are seen as places of opportunity
urban functions
why cities are established and grow
- are established over time, and function might change
ex montreal - early function: act as central location for fur trade, now: a cultural centre among other things
- in general - larger pop , more functions it can offer
site
refers to the physical characteristics of the land in which the city is built
- descriptions usually include details about landforms, drainage, natural vegetation
Situation
describes the relationship between the city and its wider surroundings.
details about surrounding landforms may be included as well as information about the population and economic patterns
why might a location be picked
- if the site and situation of a location accomadate the kinds of activites that people want to engage in then a community may be established
ex. fertile soil and acess to places for trade = a market town could grow
basic activites
also reffered to as town-forming activites
- in some cases industries are the basic activites (ex mines,mills factories)
- other ex include tourism, military facilites, public admin, transportation
- these urban facilites serve a large pop than just the community and bring wealth into the area
