World cities Flashcards
In what year did more people live in urban areas than rural?
2007
What does the UN predict will happen in the future?
By 2020, 53% of the world will live in urban areas, although other estimates suggest 60%
If uninterrupted…
If uninterrupted, the world’s urban population of 3.6bn in 2010 will rise to 5bn in 2030, at an average annual rate of 1.8%, which is double the world’s net population growth
What happened in 1975?
6 of the world’s largest metropolitan areas were located in economically developed countries
Why were 6 of the world’s largest metropolitan areas located in economically developed areas?
Because they had experienced industrialisation earlier than LEDCs, generally between the 18th and 19th century, In specific, in 1861, the UK was the first country in the world to reach a 50% urban population
What is expected in 2025?
That only 2 of the world’s largest metropolitan areas will exist in economically developed nations
Give info about how MEDC urbanisation has slowed
From 0.9bn in 2010, to an expected 1bn in 2030, the average annual urban population in economically developed countries lies at 0.5%, only a 1/3rd of the rate between 1950-2000
What was the urban population of developing countries in 2010?
40% (compared to almost double at 75% in developed countries)
What year has urban populations really started to increase?
2000
Nowadays, what is the annual average increase in urban populations in developing countries?
2.3% - expected to be maintained until 2030
Where are millionaire cities, mega cities and world cities normally found?
What does this mean?
In the northern hemisphere, along a coastline or large river
Also quite obvious readings that they lie north of the Brandt line
Wealth is localised to the northern part of the world
What is a millionaire city?
An urban area where more than 1 million people live
Example of a millionaire city
Budapest, Hungary - 9.87 million
What is a mega city?
An urban area where more than 10 million people live
Which continent now has the largest amount of millionaire cities?
Asia
How many millionaire cities are there in the world?
400
Where were millionaire cities mainly found in the past? Where are they mainly found today?
MEDCS
LEDCS
Example of a mega city
Mumbai, India - 11.98 million
How many mega cities are there in the world?
20
How many mega cities are in developing countries?
More than 2/3rds
What is a world city?
A city with high amounts of influence over the rest of the world. They are hubs for not only business and trade, but also culture and science
Example of world cities
London, Paris (depsite dropping off the the top 10 most populous areas), New York, Tokyo
Why is it hard to define the exact number of world cities?
Hard to do without being biased/impartial to certain parts of the world
What is likely to be one of the greatest challenges for developing countries in the 21st century?
Slums
How many millionaire cities were there in 1950?
83
How many millionaire cities were there in 1997?
285, with 106 in developed countries and a further 179 undeveloped countries.
How many millionaire cities were there in 2005?
336
What do some definitions of millionaire cities also set a minimum level for?
Population density - minimum of 2,000 persons/square km
What are world cities generally?
Generally considered to be focal points for the global economic system
What is one problem with defining cities?
Hard to know where to draw the boundary, include surburbs and conurbations
What have a few of the world’s largest cities done?
Formed agglomerations with other cities
e.g. Tokyo, whose region now includes the population of Yokohama
What is Yokohama?
What is its population?
An example of a region that has been engulfed by a mega city (Tokyo in this case)
3.7 million
What is the population of Tokyo?
13.35 million
What happened in 1980?
Most of the world’s mega cities were in developed countries, such as London, New York
Finish this: By 1999…
Only 25% of mega cities existed in developed countries
Examples of mega cities in non developed countries
Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Shanghai
How can mega cities be distinguished from world cities?
By their rapid growth, new forms of spatial density of population, formal and informal economics, as well as poverty, crime, and high levels of social fragmentation
What proportion of the world lived in mega cities in 2003?
4%
What % of the world’s population live in settlements with under 500,000 habitants?
25%
A fact about the slow growth of mega cities
In 2000, 11 of the world’d mega cities were growing at a rate below 1.5%, whilst only 5 were growing at a rate higher than 3%
What is a meta city?
An urban area with more than 20 million people living there
What is the difference between millionaire/mega cities and world cities?
Millionaire/mega have local and national influence, world cities have global
What are the 4 main characteristics of world cities?
- Hubs for trade, business and transport
- Production hubs
- Political hubs
- Migration hubs
