Rural-Urban Migration Flashcards
What is rural-urban migration?
The movement of people from rural areas (areas with a low population density) to urban areas (areas with a high population density).
Migration to urban areas in developing countries is triggered by two main factors:
1) Foreign investment from TNCs is concentrated in urban areas because the population density is high, so there’s access to a large workforce. This means new job opportunities are created in urban areas.
2) Increased access to technologies as well as transport links mean people in rural areas learn more about the opportunities available in urban areas.
What are reasons why people leave rural areas in developing countries (push factors)?
1) Inconsistent income and food supply- many are subsistence farmers- crops failures can mean no income and even starvation.
2) Overpopulation in rural areas.
3) Low standard of living- often little access to adequate health care and education and the demand is high because birth rates are high. Not everyone has access to electricity or clean water.
A few reasons why people migrate to urban areas in developing countries (pull factors).
1) Job opportunities- more jobs are available in urban areas.
2) Higher wages- jobs in urban areas usually offer a higher and more stable income.
3) Higher standard of living- better access to health care and education. Also, greater access to things like a clean water supply and electricity.
What are million cities?
Million cities are cities with a population of 1 million people or more.
What are megacities?
Metropolitan areas with a population of over 10 million.
China’s rural-urban migration.
1) 300 million rural Chinese people are now thought to live in cities. In 1990, around 74% of the population lived in rural areas, but in 2006 it had decreased to around 56%.
2) There’s a movement of people towards the east coast because most of the cities in China are concentrated there, e.g Beijing and Shanghai.
3) Rural-urban migration in China has helped to create lots of million cities, e.g there are more than 90 cities with a population of more than 1 million people in China today.
Rural-urban migration in China is caused by different factors.
1) Foreign investment from TNCs- lots of companies have opened factories in urban areas in China.
2) Technologies and transport links spread knowledge to rural areas about opportunities in urban areas.
Why are people leaving rural areas in China? (push factors)
1) High unemployment- use of machinery has meant fewer workers are needed.
2) Poverty- people move to escape.
3) Lower standard of living- rural areas don’t have the money to improve their services (lack of tax money).
Why are people migrating to urban areas in China? (pull factors)
1) Higher employment- large scale industrialisation since the 1970s has focused on urban areas. Large numbers of manufacturing jobs have been created by foreign TNCs.
2) Higher wages- average income is three times higher in urban areas than rural.
3) Higher standard of living- better availability of services.
