Urbanisation Flashcards
Define urbanisation:
The growth in the proportion of a country living in urban areas.
Define urban sprawl:
When the countryside surrounding an urban area starts becoming engulfed by its expansion.
Define suburbanisation:
The decentralisation of people living in the inner city to the surrounding areas of the city and rural urban fringe.
Define counter-urbanisation:
When people move from large urban areas to smaller urban areas or to rural locations.
Define urban resurgence:
The movement of people back into the city centre when an urban area in decline becomes redeveloped and regenerated.
What 4 pull factors cause rural to urban migration occur?
- Employment opportunities (especially in service and low-skilled labour industries)
- Better access to facilities
- More reliable resources (e.g. food, water, energy)
- Better infrastructure and transport (better quality of life)
How does natural population growth lead to urbanisation?
- High birth rates cause a youthful population
- Yong people are more likely to live in urban areas due to more employment opportunities
- Causes an increase in urban population
- Causes an increase in demand for urban settlements = urbanisation
Give 3 issues with urban sprawl:
- Increases water/air pollution
- Loss of green spaces
- Increased traffic = congestion
What 2 factors cause suburbanisation?
- Demand for bigger houses
- Quieter and safer area.
What are the 2 effects of suburbanisation?
- Transport to surrounding areas (e.g. commuting) causes traffic congestion
- Some suburban areas become so developed they become urban areas
What are the 2 causes counter-urbanisation?
- People move for better quality of life (e.g. cleaner air, no traffic congestion)
- In HICs/NEEs, some rural locations have high levels of development (e.g. good infrastructure, transport)
Define deindustrialisation:
When industry declines in an area.
How an deindustrialisation cause urban areas to experience urban resurgence?
- Deindustrialisation causes industrial buildings to become derelict
- Developers may implement plans to regenerate the area through redevelopment
- Regeneration causes economic growth and attracts new people to the area = urban resurgence
Define urban policy:
A measure taken by local governments to develop urban areas through political or legal frameworks.
What are the 5 main features of a world city?
- Stong global connection/headquarters
- Economic hub
- Densely populated
- Base for TNCs
- Large scale infrastructure
Define a megacity:
A city with more than 10 million people inhabiting it
Give 3 examples of megacities:
London
LA
Tokyo
Why might urban population data not be an accurate measurement:
- Different sources define ‘urban area’ differently
- Undocumented people are not included in census/populated data so are under-represented
Give three ways how megacities benefit people:
- Provide core facilities (e.g. education, healthcare)
- Wide range of social opportunities
- Many job opportunities
Give two ways how megacities benefit the economy:
- Produce greater GDP than other cities
- Economic/financial hubs = cause technological innovation
Give one way how megacities benefit the environment:
- Encourages the use of public transport = reduces emissions
Give two ways how megacities disadvantage people:
- More competition for jobs
- Social segregation can occur (especially from different cultures or economic backgrounds)
Give one way how megacities disadvantage the economy:
- Strains on facilities if under-developed
Give three ways how megacities disadvantage the environment:
- Increased air water pollution
- Increased traffic congestion
- Increasing public transport will also increase emissions/traffic congestion
What 4 push factors cause rural to urban migration to occur?
- Lack of job opportunities/ high unemployment rates
- Lack of access to facilities(e.g. schools, healthcare)
- Unstable resources (e.g. food, water, energy)
- Safety issues (e.g. natural disasters, war)
How can suburbanisation cause social segregation?
- Complex pattern of wealthy and poorer areas develop.
- Wealthier middle-class people move to the suburbs where there is a better quality of life.
- Those left behind are poorer and may include foreign immigrants.
What is a world city?
A city that has political and financial influence over the world.
Give four characteristics of world cities:
- Dominate international trade and regional economies.
- Home to world-renowned universities
- Celebrate culture
- Attract a high number of international visitors e.g. migrants, students, tourists.
In developed countries, what is the primary method of food production?
Commercial farming.
Why do cities tend to have higher living standards than rural areas?
Better access to healthcare and education
What is political reform?
Focuses on issues that affect urban life e.g. quality of houses, poor sanitation, working conditions.
Why do cities tend to have a younger population than rural areas?
Many young people are attracted to move to urban areas e.g. through job opportunities and entertainment, where they start a family.
Explain the deindustralisation of Europe and North America in the 1960s.
- Developing nations e.g. Singapore and Taiwan became industrialised.
- They were able to produce goods at a cheaper price than Europe or North America.
- By the 1970s, the developed world was struggling to compete
- Industries collapsed, causing unemployment and poverty in Europe and NA
Explain the rise of the service economy in the 1980’s.
- Many service industries e.g. retail, banking began to expand and dominate western cultures
- These industries have been responsible for the majority of economic growth in developed countries since deindustrialisation
Explain the current issue of decentralisation:
- As land prices in city centres increase, businesses and shops relocate to the suburbs
- Decentralisation has causes shops and offices to close, causing derelict buildings, unemployment and urban poverty.
Name the 4 schemes created to improve UK cities since 1979:
- Urban development corporations
- Enterprise zones
- City challenge
- Partnership schemes.
Explain the urban development corporation scheme to develop UK cities since 1979:
- Government created UDCs which used private sector funding to restore derelict areas.
- ## London Docklands was produced to attract new businesses, improve the local environment, create jobs and build new houses.
Explain the enterprise zone scheme of 1981:
- EZs were established in areas of high unemployment - tax was reduced.
- Aimed to attract start-up companies to the area to create jobs.
- Housed over 5000 companies
- Tax reduction encouraged existing businesses to move there, limiting the number of new jobs available.
Explain the city challenge scheme of 1991:
- Local authorities competed for government funding to regenerate deprived urban areas.
- Funding was allocated to projects that benefited the local community - this was very successful.
- However, many deprived areas did not receive any funding.
Explain partnership schemes in 2010:
- Government has worked with provide companies to provide financial support and expertise for urban regeneration.
- Schemes aim to improve physical, economical and social conditions in deprived areas.
- E.g. by building new homes, creating parks and reducing unemployment.
How does economic change lead to ‘contrasting impacts on the place characteristics’
