World cities

Question 1

In what year did more people live in urban areas than rural?

Answer 1

2007

Question 2

What does the UN predict will happen in the future?

Answer 2

By 2020, 53% of the world will live in urban areas, although other estimates suggest 60%

Question 3

If uninterrupted…

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What happened in 1975?

Answer 4

6 of the world’s largest metropolitan areas were located in economically developed countries

Question 5

Why were 6 of the world’s largest metropolitan areas located in economically developed areas?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

What is expected in 2025?

Answer 6

That only 2 of the world’s largest metropolitan areas will exist in economically developed nations

Question 7

Give info about how MEDC urbanisation has slowed

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What was the urban population of developing countries in 2010?

Answer 8

40% (compared to almost double at 75% in developed countries)

Question 9

What year has urban populations really started to increase?

Answer 9

2000

Question 10

Nowadays, what is the annual average increase in urban populations in developing countries?

Answer 10

2.3% - expected to be maintained until 2030

Question 11

Where are millionaire cities, mega cities and world cities normally found?
What does this mean?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What is a millionaire city?

Answer 12

An urban area where more than 1 million people live

Question 13

Example of a millionaire city

Answer 13

Budapest, Hungary - 9.87 million

Question 14

What is a mega city?

Answer 14

An urban area where more than 10 million people live

Question 15

Which continent now has the largest amount of millionaire cities?

Answer 15

Asia

Question 16

How many millionaire cities are there in the world?

Answer 16

400

Question 17

Where were millionaire cities mainly found in the past? Where are they mainly found today?

Answer 17

MEDCS

LEDCS

Question 18

Example of a mega city

Answer 18

Mumbai, India - 11.98 million

Question 19

How many mega cities are there in the world?

Answer 19

20

Question 20

How many mega cities are in developing countries?

Answer 20

More than 2/3rds

Question 21

What is a world city?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Example of world cities

Answer 22

London, Paris (depsite dropping off the the top 10 most populous areas), New York, Tokyo

Question 23

Why is it hard to define the exact number of world cities?

Answer 23

Hard to do without being biased/impartial to certain parts of the world

Question 24

What is likely to be one of the greatest challenges for developing countries in the 21st century?

Answer 24

Slums

Question 25

How many millionaire cities were there in 1950?

Answer 25

83

Question 26

How many millionaire cities were there in 1997?

Answer 26

285, with 106 in developed countries and a further 179 undeveloped countries.

Question 27

How many millionaire cities were there in 2005?

Answer 27

336

Question 28

What do some definitions of millionaire cities also set a minimum level for?

Answer 28

Population density - minimum of 2,000 persons/square km

Question 29

What are world cities generally?

Answer 29

Generally considered to be focal points for the global economic system

Question 30

What is one problem with defining cities?

Answer 30

Hard to know where to draw the boundary, include surburbs and conurbations

Question 31

What have a few of the world’s largest cities done?

Answer 31

Formed agglomerations with other cities

e.g. Tokyo, whose region now includes the population of Yokohama

Question 32

What is Yokohama?

What is its population?

Answer 32

An example of a region that has been engulfed by a mega city (Tokyo in this case)
3.7 million

Question 33

What is the population of Tokyo?

Answer 33

13.35 million

Question 34

What happened in 1980?

Answer 34

Most of the world’s mega cities were in developed countries, such as London, New York

Question 35

Finish this: By 1999…

Answer 35

Only 25% of mega cities existed in developed countries

Question 36

Examples of mega cities in non developed countries

Answer 36

Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Shanghai

Question 37

How can mega cities be distinguished from world cities?

Answer 37

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

Question 38

What proportion of the world lived in mega cities in 2003?

Answer 38

4%

Question 39

What % of the world’s population live in settlements with under 500,000 habitants?

Answer 39

25%

Question 40

A fact about the slow growth of mega cities

Answer 40

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%

Question 41

What is a meta city?

Answer 41

An urban area with more than 20 million people living there

Question 42

What is the difference between millionaire/mega cities and world cities?

Answer 42

Millionaire/mega have local and national influence, world cities have global

Question 43

What are the 4 main characteristics of world cities?

Answer 43

1. Hubs for trade, business and transport
2. Production hubs
3. Political hubs
4. Migration hubs