Megacities Flashcards
Do cities go through the urbanisation cycle stage by stage or…
Cities don’t go through the stages one by one, different populations movements can be happening in a city at the sa,e time
What is urbanisation
The growth in the proportion of people living in urban areas
Why does urbanisation occur
Because of migration -especially rural-urban migration
Where does urbanisation occur quickly
In developing countries (where most megacities have recently developed) due to massive rural-urban migration
How have cities grown in developing countries
One way the cities have grown is by poor migrants setting up shanty towns -unplanned and often illegal settlements where people build their own houses out of whatever they can find, usually on the outskirts of town
What is suburbanisation
Movements of people from the city centre to lower density housing on the outskirts of the city
Why does suburbanisation occur
As urbanisation increases, city centres become more overcrowded and people want more space
Improvements to public transport mean people can live further away but still reach the city easily
What happens as megacities grow (suburbanisation)
More suburbs are added so suburbs are not on the outskirts any more
A complex pattern of what develops (suburbanisation)
Wealthy and poorer areas
Explain the complex pattern of wealthy and poorer areas developing
- Wealthy people live in the suburbs on the outskirts of cities because they can afford large houses with more space
- Wealthy people also move into poorer suburbs closer to he centre and renovate the houses - called gentrification
What is counter-urbanisation
Movement of people out of the city into surrounding villages/rural towns
Improvements in what aid counter-urbanisation
Improvements in transport/communication means people can commute to work or work from home over the Internet
Why does counter-urbanisation occur
Happens due to high property prices and overcrowding in cities, as well as people preferring quiet rural areas
What is re-urbanisation
Movement of people back into redeveloped city centre residential areas
What have lots of cities done in developed countries (re-urbanisation)
Redeveloped
Why does redevelopment take place in developed countries (re-urbanisation)
Attracts young, affluent people who want to be near to the cultural activity of the city centre, eg redeveloped canal ares such as Brindleyplace in Birmingham
Example of a megacity in a developed country
London
Where is London
South east of uk
What is the population of London metropolitan
13 million people
Where is greater London
Flat land around the mouth of the river Thames
What is the population density of greater London
About 4,800 people per km2
Explain -population of London is growing but not rapidly
Population of greater London has grown by less than 1 million people since 1981
Urbanisation in London?
Still occurring -people are moving/migrating from abroad
2006 -net gain of almost 70,000 international migrants
Almost all parts of greater London have gained but biggest gains were in the most central areas (Westminster and Camden)
Counter-urbanisation in London?
Still happening -people are moving out of greater London to the rest of the uk
2006 -net loss of around 80,000 people to other parts of the uk
