Topic 3 - Challenges Of An Urbanising World Flashcards
Urbanisation
The growth in the proportion of a countries population living in urban areas.
Urbanisation in the world
• More than 50% of the worlds population currently live in urban areas and this is increasing every day.
• Urbanisation happened earlier in developed countries during the industrial revolution. Developed countries have very slow rates of urban growth.
• A smaller proportion of the population in developing countries currently live in urban areas. In general the fastest rates of urbanisation in the world are in developing countries.
• The percentage of the population living in urban areas varies in emerging countries. Some, such as Thailand, Nigeria and China, are experiencing rapid urban growth.
• Urbanisation is predicted to continue at a fast rate in regions still have large rural populations. By 2050, the majority of people in every global region are predicted to live in urban areas.
Mega cities
An urban area with over 10 million people living there.
High rates of urbanisation are leading to the growth of mega cities.
• In 1950 the biggest and most influential cities were largely in developed countries.
• By 2014 there were 28 mega cities and this number is still growing.
• More than two-thirds of current mega cities are in developing and emerging countries.
Where are mega cities located?
There is a uniform pattern as the majority of the mega cities are found in the Northern Hemisphere in the continents of Europe, Asia and North America. There is a cluster in East Asia.
Urban primacy
Where one city dominates the country it is in. These ‘primate cities’ have a much larger population than other cities in the country - usually more than twice as many people as the next biggest city.
In what ways do Primate Cities influence the country?
- Decision makers - Headquarters of many TNCs that make global decisions on investment. 80% of the TNC headquarters in USA, EU and Japan.
- Politics - Government decisions in the Uk can affect the globe.(e.g. aid, conflict, intervention, investment)
- Investment - NYC and London are financial centres - 1/2 worlds money flows through London each year.
- International hub for travel - Heathrow and Gatwick = 120 million passengers travelling to London each year,
Why are people moving to urban areas?
Push factors
• Shortage of land
• Population
• Povety
• Crops fail
• Drought
• Natural disasters
• No services
• No hospitals
• No electricity
• No sanitation
Why are people moving to urban areas?
Pull factors
• Job opportunities
• Less natural disasters
• Bright lights and entertainment
• Better education
• Better hospitals
• Running water
• Electricity
• Better wages
Why are people moving to urban areas?
Natural increase
There is natural increase which means more births than deaths. This is because of a bigger younger population of child bearing age and also better healthcare.
How Economic change has led to migration in developed countries?
De-industrialisation has led to the decline of industrial areas - people moved away to find work elsewhere. Some cities are still declining however many cities have been regenerated and are attracting people again.
How Economic change has led to migration in emerging countries?
Some cities in emerging countries are growing and some have stabilising populations.
1) Some cities have become industrial centres – there are lots of manufacturing jobs. Other cities have a rapidly expanding service sector. People move to the cities to work in the new industries and in services supporting them.
2) As countries get wealthier they’re investing in flagship projects e.g. sports stadiums for international events, to attract foreign investment. This creates more jobs, attracting workers.
How Economic change has led to migration in developing countries?
Cities in developing countries are growing.
1) Rural areas are very poor – improvements in agriculture mean fewer farm workers are needed. This leads to national migration to cities as people seek better jobs. There are lots of opportunities in the informal sector for low skilled migrants from rural areas.
2) some cities have good transport links so traders focused there – providing lots of jobs.
3) Some cities are attracting foreign companies and manufacturing industry is expanding.
Urbanisation
The increase in the proportion of the population living in built up urban areas.
• Cities in developed countries grew during the industrial revolution. Workers lived in small terraced houses around the factories in the city centres.
• When factories relocated to emerging counties, slums and apartment blocks sprang up around them to house workers.
Suburbanisation
The movement of people from the middle of the city to the edges - urban areas expand rapidly as housing is built in the outskirts.
• Urbanisation caused urban areas to become overcrowded and polluted, with little natural space. Suburban areas offered more open green spaces and seemed more family friendly.
• Improvements in transport networks meant that people could live in the suburbs and commute into the city to work.
De-industrialisation
1) As countries develop, experience deindustrialisation. Urban areas are affected by industry moving: Out of city centres in to rural areas where rents are cheaper, overseas to countries were costs are lower.
2) Deindustrialisation can lead to depopulation as people leave the old industrial areas.
3) The city centre and industrial zones on the edges of cities decline – unemployment increases leading to lower living standards and poverty. Shops, restaurants and other amenities close.

