Geography - Changing Urban Environments Flashcards
Revision of Geography
What is a settlement?
A settlement is a place where people live. A settlement may be as small as a single house in a remote area or as a large as a mega city.
What is the piece of land which a settlement is built called?
A settlement site.
Give examples of settlement functions.
Port - the original function of cities such as Liverpool and Southampton. Both are still ports, but this function has diminished in importance and they are now multifunctional.
Market town - Watford was originally a market town, and although it still holds a regular market, it is now a thriving multifunctional centre.
Resort - Southport was a popular Victorian seaside resort, although it now has many functions and is a commuter settlement for Liverpool.
Natural resources in the area enabled Sheffield to develop as an important centre in the iron and steel industry. Although steel is still produced, its prominence has declined and Sheffield is a thriving multifunctional city.
What two models are used to define the parts of a city?
The Burgess Model and The Hyot Model
Name 3 disadvantages of the Burgess Model.
- The model is now quite old and was developed before the advent of mass car ownership.
- New working and housing trends have emerged since the model was developed. Many people now choose to live and work outside the city on the urban fringe - a phenomenon that is not reflected in the Burgess model.
- Every city is different. There is no such thing as a typical city.
What features that identify the CBD (Central Business District)?
High/multi-storey buildings. Expensive land values. Department stores or specialist shops, like jewellers. Shopping malls and pedestrian precincts. Cultural or historical buildings, museums and castles. Offices, finance, banks, administration, town hall (business sector).
Bus and railway stations (transport centres). Multi-storey car parks.
Broadmead/Cabot Circus in Bristol
What is typically found in an inner city?
It has mainly terraced housing and flats which were originally built to house factory workers in the CBD,
What are the houses like in the Suburbs of a city?
Suburban houses are usually larger than inner city terraces and most have a garden. Typically, they are detached or semi detached and the roads around them are arranged in cul de sacs and wide avenues. Land prices are generally cheaper than in the CBD and inner city, although the desirability of housing can make some areas expensive.
Where is the urban-rural fringe and what is likely to be found there?
A rural-urban fringe is found on the edge of the city, where it meets the countryside. There tends to be houses with large gardens and airports. Leisure facilities such as golf courses and country clubs are also found here.
What problems can urbanisation cause in MEDC’s?
Urbanisation causes problems like transport congestion, lack of sufficient housing, over-rapid growth and environmental degradation
What is urbanisation?
Urbanisation means an increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas.
What are the 4 main causes of urbanisation?
- Lack of resources in rural areas.
- They believe that the standard of living in urban areas will be much better than in rural areas.
- People hope for well paid jobs.
- Natural increase caused by a decrease in death rates while birth rates remain high.
What strategies have been introduced to help with the problems caused by urbanisation?
Park and ride schemes, cycle lanes, congestion charging schemes (London), car-sharing, two-plus lanes (such as A369 Bristol), low emission zones.
What is a brownfield site and give some advantages and disadvantages?
Brownfield sites are plots of land that are now run down after being used. Advantages - already have transport links, already have access to water and electricity, most likely near CBD. Disadvantages - have to clean up land before use, more expensive.
What is a greenfield site and give some advantages and disadvantages?
Greenfield sites are plots of land which have never been used before. Advantages - Cheaper, quicker. Disadvantages - countryside is build on, Encourage commuting and traffic congestion as people travel into urban areas from the countryside.
