The urban world

Question 1

What is urbanisation

Answer 1

The increasing proportion of the worlds population who live in cities

Question 2

What is urban growth

Answer 2

increase in the area covered by cities

Question 3

What is a megacity

Answer 3

a city with a population of more than 10 million

Question 4

Why do cities grow? (two main reasons)

Answer 4

Rural - urban migration - the movement of people from the country side into towns and cities
Natural increase - when the birth rate exceeds the death rate.

Question 5

What are some push factors for rural-urban migration

Answer 5

• farming is hard an poorly paid
• desertification and soil erosion making farming hard
• drought and other climate hazards lowering crop yields
• poor harvests leading to malnutrition and famine
• few facilities e.g hospitals, schools
• isolated due to poor roads

Question 6

What are some pull factors for rural-urban migration

Answer 6

• more well-paid jobs
• family already living there
• higher standard of living available
• better chance of good education
• better medical facilities

Question 7

Location of Rio de Janeiro

Answer 7

Rio de Janeiro is situated on the Atlantic coast of Brazil. It has grown up around a large natural bay called Guanabara bay

Question 8

Why is Rio de Janeiro locally and globally important?

Answer 8

It is the cultural capital of Brazil (with over 50 museums and its famous annual carnival which is one of the worlds biggest music and dance festivals)
- held the 2016 Olympics and the 2014 football world cup <– both increasing global importance

Question 9

Why has Rio’s population grown (two reasons)

Answer 9

Migration (international and internal)
Natural Increase

Question 10

What percent of Rio’s growth is due to migration

Answer 10

65%

Question 11

What is internal migration and why does it happen in Rio

Answer 11

Most migrants move to Rio from other parts of Brazil, particularly from rural areas. This is because of the push and pull factors. Internal migrants include
- Former miners from inland state
- Drought-stricken farmers from north east Brazil
- indigenous people driven out the Amazon rainforest due to deforestation

Question 12

What is international migration and why does it happen in Rio

Answer 12

people forced to flee their home countries due to the colonial period
More recently Rio has attracted skilled workers from the USA and UK seeking business oportunities

Question 13

Why does Rio have high natural increase

Answer 13

Rio has a predominantly young population leading to a relatively high birth rate and low death rate.
There are good quality services in the city like health care and social services resulting in a healthier population and also a reduction in infant morality

Question 14

Name the social opportunities in Rio

Answer 14

• Access to services (e.g. health and education)
• Access to resources (e.g. water supply and energy)

Question 15

Name some economic opportunities for growth in Rio

Answer 15

• popular tourist destination
• oil discovered leading to the growth of oil industries
• Rio has one of the highest levels of income per head in the country, leading to high demand of services and retail
• Ternium steel works

Question 16

What are slums and how are they a challenge

Answer 16

• Slums are buildings that were abandoned when industry moved to new areas of the city
• most buildings have been illegally sub-divided, often with many people living in a single room
• dangerously overcrowded, they typically have inadequate services like bathrooms, kitchens ect
• often owned by landlords who charge high rents

Question 17

What are squatter settlements

Answer 17

Squatter settlements are unplanned uses of land by homeless people, and they may be improved over time

Question 18

What are favelas

Answer 18

• Self-built housing on public or private land, initially lacking any proper infrastructure

Question 19

What are some of the challenges in slums

Answer 19

• construction - limited road access due to steepness of slopes. Heavy rain can cause landslides (2010, 13000 lost their homes)
• Services - illegal connections to electricity pylons. Drinking water comes from tapping into city’s water mains, at the bottom of steep slopes
• unemployment - rates are as high as 20%, poorly paid. Average incomes less than 75 a month
• Crime - high murder rate, drug gangs
• Health - high infant morality rates, waste builds up on streets, increasing disease

Question 20

Environmental challenges in Rio

Answer 20

• waste disposal - Rio produces 3.5 million tonnes of waste
• water pollution - Guanabara bay is highly polluted, causing a major threat to wildlife
• traffic congestion and air pollution - Rio is the most congested city in South America. Air pollution causes 5000 deaths per year

Question 21

What is the Favela Bairro project

Answer 21

1 billion US dollar project that aimed to integrate Rio’s favelas into the city by addressing issues

Question 22

Social aspects of the Favela Bairro project

Answer 22

• Day-care and after-school care, enabling adults to be employed
• improving adult literacy
• medical services for drug addiction, alcoholism and victims of domestic violence

Question 23

Environmental aspects of the Favela Bairro project

Answer 23

• replacement of wooden buildings with brick (permanent and less prone to weather damage)
• infrastructure improved (water, sanitation and electricity)
• widening of streets to allow better access

Question 24

Economic aspects of the Favela Bairro project

Answer 24

• inhabitants can apply to own their properties legally, encouraging them to improve their housing
• access to credit, allowing people to buy materials for home improvement

Question 25

In what ways was the Favela Bairro project successful

Answer 25

• by 2005 around 100 favelas had been improved
• training was available in hygiene, computing and community development
• cable car system improved mobility around favelas