Places and their challenges

Question 1

Urbanisation

Describe the process of urbanisation

Answer 1

The proportion of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas. It is a measure that can be used at local, national, or global scales.

Question 2

Describe the process of urbanisation

Syllabus point

Answer 2

The increasing percentage or proportion of people living in urban areas of a country. This typically involves the movement or shift of people from rural to urban areas or a large influx of migrants into urban areas at a greater rate than into rural areas.

Question 3

Urban and rural areas

Answer 3

In Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics identifies rural places as having population clusters under 1,000 people and urban places as having population clusters above 1,000 people.

Rural areas generally have a lower population density and large amounts of undeveloped land compared to larger urban areas and cities.

Question 4

Urban growth

Answer 4

An increase in the number of people living in urban places. In most cases, an increase in urban growth is accompanied by an increase in the level of urbanisation.

Question 5

Statistics for urbanisation

Answer 5

Globally, 57% of the world’s population live in urban areas, a notable increase from 30% in 1950, and is expected to increase to 68% by 2050.

Urban populations tend to be significantly higher in more developed regions (79%) and high income regions (82%).

Question 6

Statistics for urbanisation

Answer 6

Globally, 57% of the world’s population live in urban areas, a notable increase from 30% in 1950, and is expected to increase to 68% by 2050.

Urban populations tend to be significantly higher in more developed regions (79%) and high income regions (82%).

Question 7

Describe the concept of liveability

Syllabus point

Liveability is the quality of space and the built environment.

Answer 7

The concept of liveability has been linked to a range of factors; for example, quality of life, sense of safety, access to services, mobility and transport, air quality, and social participation.

Question 8

Quality of life

Factors that can affect the liveability of a place

Answer 8

Includes an individual’s mental and physical health, education, recreation and leisure time, employment, and the environment in which they live.

Question 9

Health and safety

Factors that can affect the liveability of a place

Answer 9

Includes factors such as personal security, public health, and traffic safety.

E.g. Tokyo’s low crime rate (1.5 per 100,000 people) and reliable and safe public transport system enhance its safety and overall liveability.

Question 10

Population growth rates

Answer 10

The fastest doubling of world population was between 1950 and 1987, from 2.5 to 5 billion. Since the 1960s (2.1%), growth has havled (currently 1.05%), and it is projected to continue to decline.

47 least developed countries are among the world’s fastest growing, with many projected to double in population between 2019 and 2050.

Question 11

Population growth rates causes

Answer 11

Rapid growth has been driven largely by increasing numbers of people surviving to reproductive age and has been accompanied by changes in fertility rates and improvements to healthcare.

Question 12

Growth of megacities

Implications of urbanisation on world population growth in urban places

Answer 12

In 1950, the only megacities were NYC and Tokyo. In 2022, there were 40 megacities, more than half in Asia and the Pacific. By 2030, 8 new megacities are predicted.

An increasing number of megacities are struggling to provide basic necessities for its people.

Question 13

Urban living and population growth

Implications of urbanisation on world population growth in urban places

Answer 13

As nations develop, child mortality declines and incomes grow, and with this, fertility rates tend to fall. Therefore as a country develops it’s likely to experience a decline in population growth rates.

↗ children survive, ↘ fertility rates.

Urban living linked with higher levels of education and literacy, better health, and longer life expectancy.

Question 14

Urban living and population growth

Implications of urbanisation on world population growth in urban places

Answer 14

As nations develop, child mortality declines and incomes grow, and with this, fertility rates tend to fall. Therefore as a country develops it’s likely to experience a decline in population growth rates.

↗ children survive, ↘ fertility rates.

Urban living linked with higher levels of education and literacy, better health, and longer life expectancy.

Question 15

Short term and long term population growth in urban areas

Implications of urbanisation on world population growth in urban places

Answer 15

Short term - additional growth may occur as younger people who move to urban places are more likely to have children.
Long term - may slow because fertility rates are lower due to education and delayed childbirth for women as they enter the workforce.

Question 16

Demographic moving from rural to urban areas

Implications of urbanisation on world population growth in rural places

Answer 16

Generally the younger demographic, attracted by the prospect of better employment, education, and opportunities. This decreases birth rates, and results in an ageing population.

• Nine of the top ten percentage declines in population growth from 2018-19 in Australia were in rural WA.
• Northampton experienced a decline of 4.3%.
• More females than males leaving due to limited employment.

Question 17

Agricultural products

Economic interdependence of urban and rural places

Answer 17

Food and fibres are produced in rural places and transported to urban places for further processing and distribution. Often they are redistributed as packaged food products.

Question 18

Job creation

Economic interdependence of urban and rural places

Answer 18

Job creation, both in rural places where mines are and in major urban places where head offices and relevant government departments are located. Urban workforce travel to rural areas.

There have been more than 30 international mining and exploration companies with head offices in Perth such as BHP.

Question 19

Energy production

Economic interdependence of urban and rural places

Answer 19

Location of non-renewable energy sources has typically been in rural areas, and therefore also the power generation facilities. Renewable sources of energy production will also be based in rural areas.

• Town of Collie - coal based energy production.
• Albany Wind Farm, 18 wind turbines which generate 80% of the electricity requirements of Albany.

Question 20

Tourism

Environmental interdependence of urban and rural places

Answer 20

Rural areas hold attraction to urban residents in terms of short-term lifestyle experiences often provided by the environment. Opportunity for escape, reflection, and reconnection with nature.

In the long-term people may relocate to rural places due to benefits in terms of lifestyle, and the ruralness of these locations may be lost. E.g. Busselton.

Question 21

Pollution

Environmental interdependence of urban and rural places

Answer 21

Vastness and remoteness of rural areas often results in the flow of wastes from urban places. For undesirable functions such as landfill sites and sewage treatment plants.

Question 22

Distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 22

An estimated 90% of the population living in urban areas, and 70% live in the top eight most populous cities. 90% live within 80km of the coast.

Question 23

Establishment of capital cities

Historical factors

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 23

Australia was established as six separate colonies. Therefore, six separate capital cities grew, located on the coast and on a river, inlet, or natural harbour.

• Main ports for colonies relying on importing and exporting.
• Road and rail connected to and spread from these areas.
• Need to become self-sufficient in food production established new urban settlements in rural areas, such as York.

Question 24

Agriculture and exporting

Historical factors

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 24

Wool and wheat production for England. Produce was transported back to coastal port/capital cities, which continued to grow and provide employment in processing, transport, and associated industries.

• Large farms and increasing mechanisation resulted in low population densities in rural places.
• Few, small, widely spaced urban places away from initial points of settlement.

Question 25

Value the outdoors and private car ownership

Cultural factors

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 25

Australians love and value the outdoors, especially the beach. This has reinforced the pattern of dense settlement along coastal zones.

Reliance on private car ownership has contributed to many large urban places such as Melbourne covering more area than other cities of similar sizes.

Question 26

Rural-urban drift

Cultural factors

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 26

Rural-urban drift: younger demographic, attracted by the prospect of better employment, education, and opportunities.
Urban to rural: retirees seeking a quieter lifestyle or more aesthetically pleasing location.

Caused growth of smaller centres into large urban places, such as Mandurah, population over 97,000.

Question 27

Capital cities and ports

Economic factors

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 27

Road and rail transport to port facilities and associate infrastructure has created economic inertia. Industry and commerce located to larger, coastal urban places.

• Government calls to move Fremantle’s port facilities to Kwinana, but deemed too far, expensive, or impractical.
• Other major coastal urban places have grown due to similar reasons, such as Bunbury and Geraldton.

Question 28

Mining discoveries

Economic factors

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 28

Australia’s first major gold discoveries near Bathurst and Orange NSW in 1851. Prior to this, small centres of agricultural activity, but populations quickly boomed. Discovery of gold in 1890s in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie regions.

• Kalgoorlie-Boulder has one of the world’s longest continually operating gold mine, only remaining urban place of substantial size (28,000) in region.

Question 29

Climate

Environmental factors

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 29

Southern half of Australia (seasonal mediterranean) favoured by first settlers over (drier) northern areas for ideal conditions. Interior areas with arid climates for large scale uses such as extensive pastoralism.

• Queensland, southwest, and southeast coast, and adjacement inland regions have highest concentration of urban places and rural places.
• Few urban places and dispersed rural places in interior areas.

Question 30

Topography

Environmental factors

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 30

Flat coastal plains along the coast have resulted in the extensive, low-density nature of large urban places, due to availability of cheap, flat, and easily cleared land.

Question 31

Topography

Environmental factors examples

Factors influencing distribution of urban and rural places in Australia

Answer 31

Great Dividing Range, initial barrier to inland expansion in eastern Australia. First crossing of Blue Mountains (1813) and expedition of Hume and Hovell (1825) opened access to southest interior.

• Expedition of Hume and Hovell from Sydney to Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne.
• Southest interior for agriculture and subsequent rural settlements.

Question 32

Define urban sprawl

Answer 32

The outward spread of typically low density residential and urban development on the periphery of urban areas.
* Tends to occur in a low density way.
* To accommodate a growing population.

Perth, sprawling the fastest, spreading approximately 150km along the coast with the average resident 21km away from the CBD.

Question 33

Define invasion and succession

Answer 33

The gradual invasion of one land use type into an area dominated by a different land use, succession has occurred when the invading land use has almost completely transformed the land use in that particular zone.

• Typically occurs in transitional zones, inner mixed zone and rural-urban fringe.
• Gradual conversion of agricultural activities into residential or industrial functions. E.g. Lansdale and Baldivis.

Question 34

Define renewal

Answer 34

The rehabilitation of urban areas, by regeneration, replacement, repair, or renovation, in accordance with comprehensive plans, typically larger scale redevelopment projects, usually initiated by government.

Heavily blighted homes, abandoned factories, polluted environment led to the East Perth Redevelopment Authority 1991. Transformation into upmarket residential area, through demolition and redevelopment.

Question 35

Define land use planning

Answer 35

Planning policies and regulations that play an important role in shaping the land uses and characteristics of urban and rural places. Includes transport planning, determining residential densities, planning for future growth.

Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million, land use planning and infrastructure frameworks aim to accommodate 3.5 million people by 2050.

Question 36

Land use competition

Answer 36

Competition that occurs between different land use functions when more than one land use can benefit from a particular location.
* Increases land value, usually land use that can deliver the highest return on investment will locate there.

• CBD has the most intensive land use with many high-rise buildings maximising their returns.
• Number of relatively distinctive land use zones moving from the CBD to periphery.