Outline and discuss key factors driving increased Caribbean urbanization during the twentieth century.

Question 1

Level & Pace of Urbanization in the Caribbean

Answer 1

HIGH Levels: population in urban areas

the Bahamas, 
Cayman Island, 		
Dominican Republic, 
Martinique, 		
Puerto Rico, 
Trinidad and Tobago, 	
and US Virgin Islands

Question 2

Level & Pace of Urbanization in the Caribbean

Answer 2

MODERATE Levels:

Barbados,
Guadeloupe,
St. Kitts and Nevis
and St. Lucia

Question 3

Level & Pace of Urbanization in the Caribbean

Answer 3

(Relatively) LOW Levels:

Montserrat, 
Haiti, 
St. Vincent, 
Antigua 
and Barbuda

Question 4

Level & Pace of Urbanization in the Caribbean: Urban Growth

Answer 4

HIGH (>2.8%)

Antigua and Barbuda, 
Dominican Republic, 
Haiti, 
Montserrat, 
St. Lucia, 
St. Vincent 
and Guyana

Question 5

Level & Pace of Urbanization in the Caribbean: Urban Growth

Answer 5

LOW

Cayman Islands, 
Cuba, 
Guadeloupe, 		
Martinique, 
Puerto Rico 
and Trinidad and Tobago

Question 6

Urban Growth

Answer 6

=>cities with high levels of urbanization have low growth rates and vice-versa

=>a possible slowing down of urban growth in countries with high levels of urbanization

Question 7

Some Outcomes of Urbanisation

Answer 7

Increase in large cities (+100,000)

1950=7 cities in region

1970=12 cities

Late 1980s=at least 24

Question 8

Some Outcomes of Urbanisation (2)

Answer 8

Urban Primacy

1st ranked city several times larger than next ranked city

Generally, +40% of nation’s population

Question 9

Some Outcomes of Urbanisation (3)

Answer 9

Kingston:

1970-12x larger than Spanish Town+Montego Bay

1982-6x larger than “ + 7.5x “

2005-4x larger than “ + 7x “

-reducing urban primacy

Question 10

Some Outcomes of Urbanisation (4)

Answer 10

Cuba:
Havana= 5x larger than Santiago de Cuba
7.5x larger than Camaguey

Puerto Rico:
San Juan=7x larger than Ponce

Question 11

Factors Driving Urbanisation

Answer 11

Rural-urban migration

Natural increase

Economic diversification

Historical antecedents

Question 12

Factors Driving Urbanisation (2)

Answer 12

Rural-urban migration:

Stepwise up urban hierarchy

Some direct to capital

Flow of migrants declines with distance from capital

Push: rural poverty, low earnings, small farm holdings, low status

Pull: better employment, more educational facilities, higher status jobs, more services

Question 13

Factors Driving Urbanisation (3)

Answer 13

Natural Increase:

High levels of births in relation to deaths

Improvements in health

Increased access to medical facilities

Question 14

Factors Driving Urbanisation (4)

Answer 14

Economic Diversification:

Industrialization
Tourism
Mining

Question 15

Factors Driving Urbanisation (5)

Answer 15

Historical Antecedents:

Colonization
Sugar plantations
Slavery

Question 16

Challenges of Urbanisation in the Caribbean

Answer 16

Unemployment:

Since 1930s in Jamaica
Higher rates for urban areas
Linked to social instability

Question 17

Challenges of Urbanisation in the Caribbean

Answer 17

Crime:
World Bank-6 categories of urban violence
1) political
2) gang
3) drug
4) economic
5) interpersonal
6) domestic

Question 18

Challenges of Urbanisation in the Caribbean

Answer 18

Crime:
low investor confidence

economic decline

movement of business out of affected area

high health and police costs

disaffection and migration of urban middle class

higher mortality and morbidity rates

reduced access to social services

breakdown of community spirit

gender related violence

Question 19

Challenges of Urbanisation in the Caribbean

Answer 19

Informal Settlements:

UN Habitat-
Jamaica = 36% of urban dwellers
Trinidad & Tobago = 32%
Haiti = 86%
Guatemala = 62%

Question 20

Challenges of Urbanisation in the Caribbean

Answer 20

Environmental Management:

Parish Councils dependent on Central Government

Inadequate resources

Inadequate infrastructure/processing

Health problems: respiratory problems, malaria, birth defects

Question 21

Challenges of Urbanisation in the Caribbean

Answer 21

Transportation:

Inability of modes and processes of transportation to keep pace with urban population

Congestion, pollution, long waiting times, poor road conditions, increased number of private vehicles