Desk 27 - Switched off locations, rural to urban migration and global hubs Flashcards
Which country is politically switched off?
North Korea
What does censorship mean?
The suppression or prohibition of speech or writing that is deemed subversive of the common good.
Why is North Korea switched off?
North Korea is a hereditary autocracy ruled by Kim Jong-Un.
It’s run as a one-party system with a command economy organised on the communist system.
Since 1955 it has followed the policy of Junche ‘self-sufficiency’, minimising trade with other countries.
Emigration and foreign tourism by ordinary North Koreans is prohibited.
Ordinary North Koreans have no access to internet or social media. There are no undersea data cable connections.
This is because there is a personality cult where all successes are attributed to the wide leadership of Kim, and the internet and foreign travel would not maintain this.
What is the wider context of sub-saharan Africa?
Sub Saharan africa contains some of the world’s most low-income countries – some of the world’s least developed countries.
They face development challenges, often due to physical factors such as lack of coastline and arid landscapes, getting drier due to desertification
Some challenges have been exacerbated by colonial rule in the past.
There is limited infrastructure – roads, ICT electricity, access to water.
People in these countries have shallow connections with the outside world. They may sell their crops to TNCs in other countries, or accept food aid from international charities.
Which is physically switched off?
Ethiopia
Why is Ethiopia physically switched off?
Ethiopia is landlocked and has no territorial access to the sea. This has likely resulted in remoteness and isolation from world markets. Their sea borne trade unavoidably depends on transit through other countries, with whom political relations may be fraught (Eritrea). Additional border crossings and long distance from the market substantially increase the total expenses for the transport services.
Mountainous regions mean that many parts of the country are cut off from the rest of it and people likely live in isolated farming communities, out of touch with the outside world.
Located in central Africa where temperatures are high, so it may be affected by droughts which would impact negatively on agriculture and prevent economic growth.
What does the gini index mean?
The Gini Index measures the inequality of wealth distribution.
It is shown as a value between 0 and 100.
0 = perfect equality (income is shared equally between all people)
100 = perfect inequality (one person has all the income)
What is the Lorenz Curve?
The Lorenz curve is the graphical / visual representation of income or wealth distribution developed by American economist Max Lorenz in 1905.
The Lorenz Curve can be used to calculate the Gini coefficient – another measure of inequality.
What does rural-urban migration mean?
Rural-to-urban migration is when people move, either temporarily or permanently, from a rural area to an urban city.
What are megacities?
A megacity is a city with a population of over 10 million people.
Why is Shenzhen a megacity?
-Rural to urban migration
-Natural increase (births higher than the death rate)
-External migration
Shenzhen’s 2023 population is now estimated at 13,072,633. In 1950, the population of Shenzhen was 3,148.
Shenzhen has grown by 241,303 in the last year, which represents a 1.88% annual change.
What environmental and social challenges have appeared as a result of rural to urban migration?
-The Dongjiang River’s three main water reservoirs hold 55 percent less water than in previous years. This provides water to 40 million people.
-In Shenzhen ecosystems and habitats have been destroyed because of the degradation of natural environments by population growth and infrastructure development.
-Increased number of automobiles due to increased population and wealth creating air pollution which is detrimental to people’s health. In 2016, 6,400 people died prematurely because of air pollution quality.
-Decreased amount of farmland and crop yields due to industrialisation and population growth which has destroyed incomes for farmers.
-Shenzhen’s growth surpassed planned levels several times, rendering the spatial plans (housing/buildings/infrastructure) obsolete before they were completed.
-Aquifers in Shenzhen are suffering from a variety of pollutants entering the groundwater sources.
What are sponge city policies in Shenzhen?
The construction of sponge city policies in Shenzhen is largely aimed at tackling urban flooding and pollution problems.
Sponge cities seek to reduce the impact ofurban surface-water flooding, water shortages, and the consequences of rapid urbanizationby promotingwater security, water environmental protection, and water ecological restoration.
How is Shenzhen able to manage their environmental issues through buses?
Another green effort looks to reduce pollution from public transport. Earlier this year, Shenzhen fully transitioned from normal buses to the world’s first 16,000-strong 100% electric bus fleet. Unlike their diesel-powered counterparts, electric buses do not release air pollutants. Over 12,000 (62.5%) of the city’s cabs also run on electricity.
What are global hubs?
Global hubs are cities with an unusually high density of transport, business, political or cultural connections to the rest of the world.
-Global hubs are switched on places possessing qualities that make other places want to connect with them.
-Many global hubs are created by either natural resources (on the coastline, access to natural resources) or human resources (labour force)
-Many of the global hubs host major TNCs and have the best educational institutions
