urban challenges

Question 1

Rio de Janeiro facts?

Answer 1

2nd largest city in brazil
14 million population in the larger metropolitan area
10% of the Brazilian economy
56% of economic activity in brazil comes surrounding region
most popular tourist destination in the country besides having a diverse industrial economy
transport hub with large international airports + docks –> third biggest port for trade in Brazil
Brazil’s companies have their headquarters in Rio
iconic beaches and Statue of Christ visited by 2.3 million tourists in 2016

Question 2

population growth of Rio?

Answer 2

4 million in 1950 –> 14 million today
35% caused by natural increase (difference between births and deaths)
65% caused by rural to urban migration

Question 3

push factors for rural-urban migration?

Answer 3

desertification and soil erosion make farming harder
drought and famine
lack of education + healthcare
poor transport

Question 4

pull factors?

Answer 4

better income in factory jobs
better education
better public transport
entertainment and night life

Question 5

HDI facts about Rio?

Answer 5

literacy rate: 99%
infant mortality: 6.2
life expectancy: 78.8
doctors per 1000: 3.6
access to improved water: 100%
access to electricity: 100%

Question 6

Rio’s economy?

Answer 6

2nd biggest industrial city in Brazil with 6% of employment in industry
highest FDI in the country
1.6 million visitors per year
85% of all films in Brazil are made in Rio

Question 7

challenges faced in Rio?

Answer 7

physical barrier of hills have restricted growth of the city: steep slopes are unfavorable for economic development and housing –> informal housing(favelas) are packed tightly around the hills –> government cannot provide vital infrastructure such as water, sanitation, energy, waste collection in the favelas

Question 8

solutions to problem of steep slopes?

Answer 8

Favela-Bairro program - $8 billion to improve water and sewage services –> project encountered big delays + residents were required to move out + rent prices doubled, forcing others to leave

self-help schemes - authorities provide people in favelas with low-interest loans, tools, training and materials to either improve their homes and be given ownership of the land or to construct permanent accommodation –> residents provide the labor themselves which saves money for basic amenities such as electricity and water
schemes have cost the government more than $200 million
example of this scheme: Rocinha

energy supplies - 760 km of new power lines installed
nuclear generator built
HEP plant which will supply 30% of Rio’s electricity

Question 9

challenges in favelas and their management?

Answer 9

most residents in favelas live on less than $1.50/day
lack of access to public services like health care, education, space for recreation

Rocinha has only three primary care units serving 150 thousand people
deprivation, high infestation of disease, rugged geography make work as a General Practitioner difficult in Rocinha
Rate of tuberculosis is 11 times higher in Rocinha than in Brazil

Question 10

Why do cities in LICs grow so rapidly?

Answer 10

Culturally, LICs have larger family sizes: educational levels of women are lower, hence women marry young and have limited access to contraception

Question 11

Measures for education in favelas?

Answer 11

authorities have created the schools for tomorrow programme; its aim is to keep kids in school in the poorest and most violent neighbouroods
other programmes provide free child care and adult education for teenage parents

Question 12

measures against crime in favelas?

Answer 12

policy of ‘pacification’ - 1. armed police forces, backed by soldiers and marines, go into favelas to drive out gangs + police are made permanently present in areas that were previously unsecure
2. with the favela secured, municipal authority’s from Rio send staff to provide social services like schools, healthcare centres, rubbish collection
(only 30/600 favelas have been pacified

Question 13

air pollution and traffic congestion?

Answer 13

car owneship has increased by 40% in the last 10 years –>/ new toll roads in the city centre to reduce congestion

Question 14

mobility in the favelas?

Answer 14

cable car system, favela Complexo do Alemao - cable cars enable residents to get from one end of the favela to the other in 16 minutes; to walk it would have taken 2 hours
local people get a free return ticket every day
the system connects to Rio’s railway network, facilitates the transportation of people from Complexo do Alemao to the city centre –> creates new opportunity for better paid work than is locally available

Question 15

water pollution in Guanabara Bay?