Geog chap 7 Flashcards
What is a city?
A city is a defined urban area. It is a large urban settlement with a dense population that is usually a centre of government and administration, culture, social networking and economic enterprise.
What are the specific characteristics needed for an urban area to be defined as a city?
- A large population size
- A high population density
- A built-up area
- Having a range of functions
True/false: Different countries have different minimum population sizes to identify a city.
True.
What is population density?
Population density is the measurement of the number of people living in a unit area of land. Cities typically have a higher population density as compared to other areas within their countries.
How do you calculate population density?
Population density = No. of people living in an area/ Land Area
What does it mean when a city is known as a built-up area?
This means that the land surface is covered by buildings. There is also extensive infrastructure, which is a system of buildings and equipment to provide basic services, e.g., water, electricity, sanitation, telecommunications, and transport, for its residents.
Define range of functions with an example.
Cities serve a range of functions or activities, such as administrative functions and commercial and educational activities. For example, the city of Jakarta plays a key economic function in the country. It has many manufacturing industries that produce and sell a variety of products, including iron, paper, and cars.
Which of these characteristics is/are used to determine whether an urban area is considered a city? You may select more than one option.
A. They have a large population size.
B. They have a high population density.
C. They have a range of functions.
D. They have a high cost of living.
A, B, C
Which of these options best describes a city
1. An area around the central business district usually associated with poor housing and poverty.
2. A zone of mixed land uses at the edge of a built-up area.
3. An outer district lying within the commuting zone of an urban area.
4. A large urban settlement with a dense population that is usually a centre of government and administration, culture, social networking and economic enterprise.
4
Comparison of population size and density and functions between cities and rural areas.
Compared to cities, rural areas have a lower population size and density. There are fewer functions in rural areas, which are also less built-up.
Define rural-urban migration.
Some people living in cities today may have originally come from another location in their country before settling down. These people are referred to as migrants. In many countries, it is common for people to move from rural areas to urban areas such as towns and cities. This is called rural-urban migration.
Rural-urban migrants move for various reasons and they can be classified into push and pull factors. Push factors refer to reasons that make migrants want to leave their place of origin. Pull factors refer to reasons that attract migrants towards a destination such as the city.
What are some push/pull factors?
PUSH
- lower quality of education
- lower opportunities for education
- less variety of jobs
- decreased job availability
PULL
- Higher quality of education
- Higher opportunities for education
- More variety of jobs
- Increased job availability
How do cities and rural areas depend on each other (goods and services)
Cities rely on rural areas for much of their food supply since they have limited space for agricultural activities. Rural farmers rear animals, grow crops for their own needs and sell them at markets in the cities. When this happens, they exchange these food products for money, which becomes their income.
Rural inhabitants also benefit from amenities in cities. For example, they can travel to a hospital in the city for expert medical help and advanced treatment, which might not be available where they live. They can also buy certain goods that are only available from malls in the city.
Below are some reasons provided by migrants why they have moved to the city, decide which of these options describes push factors. You may select more than one option.
A “I live in a country, some distance from the city of Berlin. It has always been my dream to move to the city to attend university.”
B “There are limited job opportunities in the country for the young, it is hard work to be a farmer. Most would prefer to move to the urban areas where there are more job opportunities.”
C “The pay and benefits are much better in Tokyo,” said a young woman who moved from Hiroshima to the capital to work.
D “As I have quite a few health problems, moved from the countryside back to the city as I have to go to the hospital in the city quite often. The country is beautiful and quiet but the public transport is poor and facilities such as convenient supermarkets are limited. You really need a car in the country, but as you age, you might not be medically certified fit to be able to drive”.
B, D
What opportunities are available for people in cities? (e&e)
1. Education and Employment
Education and employment are closely linked. Education provides people with knowledge and skills, which they apply when they gain employment. Employment allows individuals to earn wages, enabling them to afford necessities and improve their well-being.
Cities, as centers of learning, have a large population of children, young people of school-going age, and adults pursuing lifelong education. They host various educational institutions, including vocational schools and universities, catering to different interests.
Businesses thrive in cities due to developed infrastructure, services, and opportunities such as education. They benefit from the concentration of educational institutions and may collaborate with them through work-study programs, where students work in a company while receiving training.
What opportunities are available for people in cities? (TI)
Cities are known for technological innovation, which is the use of scientific knowledge to create new products or services. This is because there are many skilled people living in cities such as researchers, designers, and entrepreneurs. There is also funding from governments and investors for these people to experiment with new ideas. There are 5 methods and ideas that have been used: shading, transport, vegetation, building facade, water bodies and features.
SHADING: Apart from trees, sheltered bus stops and covered walkways are installed to provide shade and shield from rain.
TRANSPORT: The use of public transport, cycling, and walking help to reduce heat production from the transport sector.
VEGETATION: Greenery on roofs and building facades prevents sunlight from heating up buildings.
BUILDING FACADES: Light-coloured surfaces on buildings help reflect sunlight to reduce absorption.
WATER BODIES AND FEATURES: Ponds and pools in the design of urban spaces help to prevent overheating.
What are the challenges faced by people in cities? (pollution)
Increased environmental pollution. Cities are major polluters of air and water. A large amount of fossil fuels are being consumed in the cities every day due to the high concentration of people, businesses and transport networks. This is the leading cause of environmental pollution, whereby contaminants are produced and released into the physical environment. This eventually harms human health.
Water pollution. Water is essential for human life. Unfortunately, water supplies and cities are often affected by improper management of household and industrial waste due to inadequate or broken sewage systems. When waste is disposed of directly or leaked into waterways water quality is ultimately reduced. Pollution threatens human health and aquatic life.
Air pollution. From the World Health Organisation’s survey of cities worldwide conducted in 2016, less than 20% of the world’s urban population live in areas with clean air. The causes of air pollution include the use of coal to generate electricity, high volume of vehicular traffic, and emissions from factories.
Prolonged exposure to air pollution can lead to respiratory infection, lung cancer, heart
disease, and even death. Poor health would subsequently lead to increased demand for healthcare services.
What are the challenges faced by people in cities? (comp for resources)
Competition for natural resources As Cities grow with an increasing number of people making their homes there, they will require a large amount of natural resources to build infrastructure and supply materials for natural use. Competition for natural resources such as land and water arises when there is high demand by cities for the limited amount of natural resources.
Land resource. Cities need land to accommodate large and growing populations for different purposes. What happens if the land area of the current city is insufficient? Cities may expand towards rural areas, replacing forests and farmlands, or leveling hills. Parts of the current city could be rebuilt to use land more intensively, such as by replacing low-lying buildings with taller ones. Competition for land also causes unhappiness when existing residents are relocated to make way for new buildings for other uses. The town plan map below shows a variety of land uses in Punggol East.
Water resource. cities need to ensure the continual supply of clean water to meet the needs of people and businesses. However, this is compromised by competition for land, which limits the construction or expansion of reservoirs. Water catchment areas and groundwater are also affected as more natural vegetation is converted to concrete surfaces.
What are 2 general strategies that cities follow to be sustainably built and managed?
- Environmental management
- Improving quality of life
Describe the different management tactics cities follow and their use.
Cities have large environmental footprints, which leads to the release of large amounts of waste and pollutants into the physical environment, bringing about pollution. Pollution reduces the quality and sustainability of the physical environment. It may spread beyond a city’s borders. Management strategies help to regulate the use of natural resources and minimise the negative environmental impact of human activities.
Reducing water pollution through water treatment ponds
Kranji Reservoir, one of Singapore’s reservoirs, is in an agricultural area. When it rains, rainwater may mix with nutrients from nearby farms and flow into the reservoir, reducing its water quality. To prevent this, farms set up drains around farm plots and treatment ponds to channel and collect rainwater and excess nutrients. Plants like cattails are grown in treatment ponds to purify water. This strategy reduces pollution in the reservoir.
Reducing air pollution through laws
Laws have been adopted by the cities of Hebei and Beijing in China. Each city also sets limits on air pollution for two of the causes of heavy smog, industries and vehicles. Through this, the cities’ governments regulate people’s actions and industrial actions. City governments also implemented a license plate lottery policy and vehicle restriction rule, which help to lower traffic congestion and air pollution.
Management of hazards
To avoid hazards, the city uses better-quality building materials to ensure that buildings are able to withstand the threat of hazards. E.g. Japan is recognised as a world leader in designing and building earthquake-resistant buildings.
land-use planning (hazards)
Land use planning involves making decisions on how land resources will be used for various purposes e.g. housing, recreation and transport. Planning agencies may disallow some uses and construction in unsafe locations to prevent hazards from happening. This information is shared with land owners and property developers to ensure safety.
What are hazards?
Hazards are events that have a negative impact on people, the physical and built environments and the economy.
Examples of human-induced hazards.
Fire, oil spills, and industrial accidents.
What are human-induced hazards?
Human-induced hazards arise from human actions or inaction, such as ignoring safety regulations or warnings.
