Megacities EQ2

Question 1

Why do cities grow?

Answer 1

-internal growth
-rural to urban migration
-the other 10% comes from rural areas that become classified as urban

Question 2

What is internal growth?

Answer 2

High birth rates in cities which leads to natural increase (usually contributed to 60% of urban population growth

Question 3

What is rural to urban migration?

Answer 3

-Movement from country side areas to city areas
-Mostly young people, fertile people who therefore can cause a high birth rate- thus migration fuels high internal growth (usually contributes for around 30%)

Question 4

What is a megacity?

Answer 4

• A city with a population of 10million or more
  -globalisation has accelerated migration flows leading to the growth of megacities

Question 5

What is centripetal migration?

Answer 5

Movement of people directed towards the centre of urban areas

Question 6

What are the causes of rural-urban migration?

Answer 6

-urban pull factors
-rural pull factors
-shrinking world technology

Question 7

What are some urban pull factors?

Answer 7

-main factor is employment
-FDI by TNCs in urban areas provide a range of work e.g. manufacturing
-urban areas offer hope of promotion and advancement into professional roles that do not exist in rural areas
-schooling and healthcare is better in urban areas

Question 8

What are some rural push factors?

Answer 8

-the main factor is usually poverty: as a result of a rapidly increasing population with not enough jobs
-land reforms mean subsistence farmer relocate to make room for TNCs and cash crops (crops grown for sale)
-agricultural modernisation reduces the need for rural labour
-resource scarcity in rural areas can trigger conflict

Question 9

How can shrinking world technologies lead to rural-urban migration?

Answer 9

-satellites, TV and radio “switch on”people in remote areas by connecting them to global networks of information (e.g. access to information, job opportunities and cultural awareness)
-successful migrants communicate useful information and advice to new potential migrants
-transport improvement e.g. trans Amazonian high way has helped remove obstacles to migration

Question 10

How does informal housing initially develop?

Answer 10

-Informal housing often develops on city fringes due to rural-urban migration, where new arrivals build shelters in unplanned areas like municipal dumps (Lagos), floodplains (São Paulo), cemeteries (Cairo), or steep slopes (Rio de Janeiro).
-Informal housing can evolve into more stable communities with improved infrastructure. For example, Rio’s Rocinha shanty town now has electricity, McDonald’s, hair salons, and health clinics, transforming into a more desirable district.

Question 11

Is there population growth in developed countries?

Answer 11

-In the developed world, international migration continues to bring population growth but more slowly than in the developing world.
-There is residual internal migration too i.e. from rural areas.
-Environmental rules have aimed to prevent suburban growth into greenbelts. High rise developments on brownfield sites become the answer.

Question 12

What countries experience the most rapid urban growth?

Answer 12

-poorest countries tend to have higher urban growth rates. Migration is the main reason for this
-urban growth rates are also higher in countries that have a dominant city- urban growth rates can be 6-8% per year (mainly consist of slums (currently 1billion people living in slums globally)

Question 13

What are slums?

Answer 13

-according to the UN, a slum is a settlement where over 60% of the inhabitants lack one or more of: durable housing, sufficient living areas, adequate water supply or access to sanitation
-the pandemic has only worsened the plight of slum dwellers further marginalising those already vulnerable

Question 14

What are shanty towns?

Answer 14

Slum housing built from waste materials

Question 15

What are squatter settlements?

Answer 15

Shanty towns that occupy land illegally

Question 16

What is growth in São Paulo, Brazil like?

Answer 16

-Sao Paulo is a megacity in Brazil with a population of around 17million people
-As Brazil’s economic hub, São Paulo attracted people from other regions due to its booming economy, offering jobs in industries, trade, and services, further driving population growth.

Question 17

What are some social challenges in São Paulo?

Answer 17

-increasing number unable to afford official auto construction so moved to favelas where around 2/3 of all homes were in 1992 (often built on floodplains or near polluted rivers making residents more vulnerable to flooding and waterborne diseases + are often hotspots for crime)

Question 18

What are some environmental challenges of São Paulo?

Answer 18

-air pollution is at a chronic level: World Health Organisation limits for particulates and monoxide are exceeded 6months of the years (air pollution contributes to acid rain which can degrade buildings and harm ecosystems + also can cardiovascular + respiratory disease)

Question 19

What is growth like in Las Angeles California?

Answer 19

-a megacity in the USA
-The Los Angeles metropolitan area is home to over 13 million people (2020), making it the second-largest metro area in the U.S.
-Its growth has been fueled by immigration (37% of the population is foreign-born) and its role as a hub for the entertainment, technology, and trade industries
-people spend 95hours n trac annnuay
-despite bein home to lobal edltes 17% live below te poverty lne

Question 20

What is growth like in Mumbai, India? (Main case study)

Answer 20

-Mumbai had a rapidly growing population of around 17million people
-it is experiencing hyper urbanisation due to the growth of its economy in manufacturing
- An increase in territory jobs such as IT and financial services has meant it has become a major centre for outsourced work there

Question 21

What are some social challenges of Mumbai India?

Answer 21

-overcrowded classroom due to increased urbanisation impacted education quality (as of 2021 30% of the population were illiterate or had completed education below primary level)- this could lead to a less skilled workforce
-dhrava slums

Question 22

What are some environmental challenges of Mumbai India?

Answer 22

-Mumbai has lost over 30% of its green cover due to rapid urban expansion and development projects (biodiversity loss, climate change)
-Around 80% of Mumbai’s sewage is untreated and directly discharged into the city’s water bodies, including rivers, creeks, and beaches. This pollution stems from a combination of untreated sewage and industrial waste (disease and damage to marine life)