Geography CUE: Urbanisation

Question 1

What is Urbanisation?

Answer 1

The increasing proportion of people that live in towns and cities and can be regional, national, continental or international.

Question 2

What is Urban Growth?

Answer 2

An increase in the number of urban dwellers.

Question 3

What is Urban Sprawl?

Answer 3

The spread of an urban area into the surrounding countryside. NOT THE POPULATION

Question 4

Consequences of Urban Sprawl?

Answer 4

• More roads and infrastructure required such as pipes, cables and wires.
• Loss of wildlife habitat / farmland & open spaces.
• Air pollution increased - car dependent lifestyles

Question 5

Consequences of Shortage of Housing: Shortage of Affordable Housing

Answer 5

• Rising demand for accommodation (UK) has meant that house prices have increased and rental costs soared.
• Gentrification - properties purchased by wealthy foreign investors.

Question 6

Consequences of Shortage of Housing: Shortage of Quality Housing

Answer 6

• Shortage of accommodation = large areas of informal and inadequate housing on the edge of the city.
• Limited access to basic infrastructure and lack services.

Question 7

Consequences of lack of urban services & waste disposal

Answer 7

• Lack of electricity and water services
• Limited maintenance of infrastructure such as roads, sewers and drainage.
• Rapid spread of disease

Question 8

Consequences of employment

Answer 8

• Pressure to create sufficient jobs
• Migrants move to the city for work they can find

Question 9

Consequences of traffic

Answer 9

• Increased traffic issues
• Congestion
• Pollution
• Unplanned cities

Question 10

What is a Millionaire city?

Answer 10

More than 1 million inhabitants

Question 11

What is a Megacity?

Answer 11

More than 10 million inhabitants

Question 12

What is a Metacity?

Answer 12

More than 20 million inhabitants

Question 13

What is a World City?

Answer 13

A city of influence on a global scale (mainly for financial / commercial reasons)

Question 14

What are Characteristics of Megacities?

Answer 14

• Centres of innovation and education
• Urban Sprawl, edge cities, high density living
• Economy: dominate national and regional, GDP 2 or 3x other cities.
• Services provided on a large scale in an economically efficient manner.

Question 15

What is Suburbanisation?

Answer 15

The movement of people from inner city areas towards the outer edge of the city. Also applies to economic activity.

Question 16

What is Counter-urbanisation?

Answer 16

The movement of people from an urban area to rural or small urban areas (town or village)

Question 17

What is Urban resurgence?

Answer 17

The ‘rebirth’ of urban areas through development or re-urbanisation

Question 18

Factors leading to Deindustrialisation

Answer 18

• Change in government -> Margret Thatcher moved away from manufacturing industries.
• Reduced demand - for traditional produced
• Mechanisation - less need for labour

Question 19

Factors leading to Decentralisation

Answer 19

• Inadequate (obsolete) / out dated buildings
• Competition for space
• Improved transport
• Increased costs -> price of raw materials

Question 20

What is Deindustrialisation?

Answer 20

Long term decline of manufacturing and heavy industries, loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector. Occurred post-war (1945 onwards)

Question 21

What is Decentralisation?

Answer 21

Movement / relocation of industries, offices and services from location in / bear the CBD to edge of city locations. occurred with the obsolescence of CBD locations.