Urbanisation (Including Most Case Studies) Flashcards
Define the term ‘urbanisation’.
The process by which a growing percentage of the population lives in urban areas such as towns and cities rather than rural areas (countryside).
How does the rate of urbanisation differ in developing/emerging vs. developed countries?
Developed:
- Urbanisation is slower as large proportion already live in urban
areas.
- Built up areas continue to grow.
- Urban life is spreading into rural areas.
Developing/Emerging:
- High rates of urbanisation occur in developing and emerging countries due to:
Most economic development in these countries is concentrated in big cities
Push/pull factors lead to high rural to urban migration
Cities experiencing natural increase in population
What are the main causes of rapid urban growth?
• Most new economic development in these
countries is concentrated in the big cities.
• Push-pull factors are leading to high rates
of rural-urban migration.
• Cities are experiencing high rates of
natural increase in population.
What are some of the push/pull factors that cause Rural-Urban MIgration?
Push (away from) :
- Lack of jobs
- Poor Education
- Poor Healthcare
Pull (move to) :
- Better job opportunities with higher wages
- Better education
- Better healthcare
- Public Utilities - better infrastructure
What are the 4 stages of the urbanisation pathway?
Stage 1: Early Urbanisation - Low level of urbanisation (developing).
Stage 2: Accelerating Urbanisation - Rate of economic development and urbanisation speed up (emerging).
Stage 3: Mature Urbanisation - As the pace of economic development slows,
so does the rate of urbanisation (developed).
Stage 4: Counter Urbanisation - In advanced economies, decentralisation
sets in, people move to smaller towns and cities and to semi-rural areas.
Define the term ‘agglomeration’
• The concentration of people and their activities at particular locations.
Define the term ‘suburbanisation’
• The outward spread of the urban area, often at low densities compared with the older parts of a town or city.
The creation of suburbs is encouraged by:
•Improvements in transport, with good
access to the city centre
•Overcrowding elsewhere in the city
•Congestion and high prices in city centre
areas
•Residential quality decline elsewhere
•Increasing rural-urban migration
What is ‘urban regeneration’?
• Re-using old areas to encourage people to stay in the urban areas for council tax, business, etc.
Define the term ‘counter-urbanisation’
This is the movement of people from urban areas into rural areas.As cities grow even bigger, people and businesses move even further out – to smaller towns and rural areas.
What is a ‘megacity’?
A city with a population of over 10 million. e.g. London, Tokyo, etc.
What factors affect the growth of megacities?
• Economic development : this is about searching for jobs and trying to make more money to improve standards of living.
- Formal Economy - Pay taxes - recognised jobs - official. e.g. Mumbai, India, etc.
- Informal Economy - Street vendor, cash in hand - don’t usually pay
taxes. e.g. Dhaka, Bangladesh, etc.
• Economies of Scale : Products bought in large quantities can be sold for cheaper prices.
- A megacity can offer some benefits where the impact of people is concentrated in one area, rather than sprawling over a large area. This means better public services, communications and infrastructure.
• Multiplier Effect - as Megacities develop, it acts as a magnet drawing people and businesses due to the creation of jobs, supply, demand, more customers, etc. In turn this further develops increasingly magnetising them - constantly increasing; the cycle continues. This increases the level of urbanisation. e.g. a new business is opened and jobs are created, people fill the vacancies and then have more income to spend (disposable income) so more businesses open due to the increased demand, etc.
• Population growth – As cities develop they act as a ‘pull factor’ drawing in people from rural area to live and work in cities. There is also ‘internal growth’ where people who have moved into the cities have lots of children, so sustaining population growth (Mexico City, Mumbai, Pearl River Delta in China, to name a few).
Discuss the trend in the location of megacities, describe the distribution, are there any patterns to how the worlds megacities are spreading?
- Most megacities are found near the coast for means of transportation, communication, trade, etc. e.g. Beijing, New York, etc.
- The majority of megacities are located in Asia/India in the Eastern areas.
- All of the megacities are spreading in emerging countries where the economy is developing.
What are the problems associated with rapid urbanisation?
• Housing – Homelessness is a big problem as people from rural areas - cannot afford to buy houses. There is poor public transport so they cannot move to live close to the city centre (the most desirable place to live), to get to their job if they can find an opportunity. As a result, people will often move to live in informal housing areas. This means they do not have the rights to live on certain land - do not own the land. Lots of families are evicted from their homes as a result of this. They are not provided for by the government - no clean water, no electricity, no funding, etc. Towns made up of informal housing are often known as shanty towns.
• Access to water and electricity - People living in informal housing lack the provision of basic services such as clean water and electricity cannot account for the rapid growth of population due to urbanisation. Increased risk of fires for people cooking their food on open campfires may cause settlements to be burnt. Their excretion (sewage) goes into polluted streams into the water cycle causing increased water pollution for people living in the more developed areas.
• Traffic congestion and transport - Poor road qualities and public transport systems to provide for the rapidly growing population. High pollution levels from car emissions causing large amounts of smog. Higher risk of car crashes - too crowded. Ambulances may not be able to get through to help people.
• Health - Lack of healthcare facilities - not enough doctors or hospitals to hold the population. Lots of diseases such as cholera and typhoid from unclean water. Not only this, but from pollution and smog levels lung/respiratory issues/diseases such as asthma and cancer.
• Education - Lack of available schools - many are overcrowded and under-finished. Not enough equipment and basic stationary needs such as notebooks and pencils. Costs extra to send them to school. Students leave school early (after primary) to go and work to provide an income to feed their families. Lack of education - no drivers licenses, lack of basic knowledge - to read and write, basic laws and rights, etc.
• Employment - Hard to find employment/jobs with a sustainable wage. Lots of people informally employed in jobs such as road-side shoe cleaner, selling street goods, selling food and cooking from home. Not close enough to main areas or customers.
• Social problems - Due to poor conditions and cramped accommodations there is a lot of crime, lots of the population are involved in drug trafficking and theft. There are often lots of violent gangs. People are split due to social views, occupation, religion, etc.
• Environmental issues - Large amounts of water and air pollution from large industries. May resort to wasteland/landfill impacting the surrounding rural areas.
What are some of the risks and solutions for large cities?
Risks For Large Cities :
- Pollution & Climate Change - Natural Disasters, Rising Sea Levels : Large cities are located near coast : Coastal flooding.
- Deforestation - Loss of biodiversity, etc.
- Food & Water Shortages - Drought, Malnutrition, Starvation,
- Falling GDP - Migration : Increased movement to refugee camps.
- Overpopulation - Demand for food, water, resources, equipment, etc.
Solutions For Large Cities :
- Individual & Large Commitments to Reduce Carbon Footprint - More sustainable and efficient transport systems, productions, etc.
- Introducing Plants and Trees in Urban Areas.
- Switching to Alternative Energy - Wind, Solar & Hydro-electric Power.
- Global Alliances - Sharing Ideas and Technology to Work Together to Tackle Climate Change.
- Architectural Structures - Reducing emissions, safe, sustainable and efficient transport/housing solutions.
What is the CBD of a city? What are the features?
CBD - Central Business District :
• Land has very high value - due to lack of space and competition of land, this usually leads to tall buildings resorting to building up.
• Very Accessible - Major rail and road routes (often find public transport stations meet here).
• Banks, Building Societies, Estate Agents - Where they can receive more customers.
• Old Core - Often narrow streets/historical core.
Describe the location of Hong Kong as well as any other additional facts.
Hong Kong is located in South-Eastern Asia, off the East-coast of
China. Hong Kong is both a country, city and Island. It has a land area of
over 1000km^2 and over 7m population. 3.1 Earths are needed if
everyone lived the lifestyle of Hong Kong People.
