World Urbanisation

Question 1

Where does the majority of the world pop live?

Answer 1

Urban areas

Just over half of people live in cities of 0.5 million or less

Question 2

Three mechanisms of urbanisation?

Answer 2

People moving from countryside to city
Natural increase is highest in urban areas
Reclassification of villages as urban areas

Question 3

1950 statistics?

Answer 3

Global pop- 2.5 billion

30% in urban areas

Question 4

2050 predictions?

Answer 4

Global pop- 9.3 billion

70% will live in urban settlements

Question 5

Mega cities from 1950 to 2015?

Answer 5

1950- 2 mega cities- New York and Tokyo
2015- 22
17/22 will be in low and middle income countries

Question 6

Worlds biggest cities?

Answer 6

Tokyo
Delhi 
New York 
Mexico City 
Beijing

Question 7

Rate of growth comparing 2 cities?

Answer 7

It took 150 years for New York’s population to grow from 1 million to 8 million
The same growth took São Paulo under 15 years

Question 8

China case study?

Answer 8

In 1949 10% of the pop lived in cities now more than half
China has 654 cities, 240 have more than 500,000
1 billion city dwellers by 2030

Question 9

Migration to China

Answer 9

Relax of Hukou System in 1980’s caused a surge in urbanisation
247 million migrants in 2015

Question 10

Africa statistics?

Answer 10

Africa pop
20 million in 1950
321 million in 2010

Question 11

Relationship between urbanisation and economic development

Answer 11

Urbanisation coincided with industrialisation in Europe
Modernisation theory
Arthur Lewis duel sector model

Question 12

Modernisation theory?

Answer 12

1950’s and 60’s
Urbanisation is a by product of economic development
Consequence of structural economic shift
A positive phenomenon associated with progress

Question 13

Arthur Lewis dual sector model

Answer 13

1954
Unproductive rural labourers move to dynamic urban industrial centres
Urbanisation driven by rational rural- urban migration

Question 14

Why is there little migration in the developing world?

Answer 14

Little development of industry means less reason to migrate

Question 15

So what is the main cause of urbanisation in the developing world?

Answer 15

Improvements in public health increases life expectancy in cities
Therefore urban pop increases
Rapid pop growth

Question 16

Complex migration patterns?

Answer 16

Circular migration and seasonality- Cecilia Tacoli

Reverse migration and de- urbanisation- Deborah Potts

Question 17

Why are China’s cities growing so fast?

Answer 17

Rapid economic growth
Industrialisation
Relaxation of migration controls
State driven urban development

Question 18

Why are Africa’s cities growing so fast

Answer 18

Improvements in health and sanitation
High fertility rates (5-6)
Lifting of colonial restrictions on mobility since 1960’s

Question 19

Why is Africa an anomaly?

Answer 19

Urbanisation despite no economic development

Question 20

Why did the efforts to limit rural to urban migration fail?

Answer 20

Resulted in slums

Question 21

The environmental challenges of global urbanisation?

Answer 21

Urban footprint- pollution and consumption of resources
Will your city drown? - flooding
Heat islands- energy required to keep the city cool
Natural disasters

Question 22

Cities and environmental degradation?

Answer 22

Cities are responsible for 75% of global greenhouse gases
The urban ecological footprint= the area of land a city requires to supply its needs - London would need an area 125 times its surface area

Question 23

Climate change- mitigation?

Answer 23

Efforts to prevent further climate change or limit the extent of climate change

Question 24

Climate change-

Adaptation

Answer 24

Readjusting life to the reality that a certain amount of climate change will inevitably occur

Question 25

Cities relationship to energy?

Answer 25

Cities consume 67% of worlds energy

Question 26

China and vulnerable cities?

Answer 26

78 million people live in vulnerable low elevation cities

Question 27

What has intensified the rural- urban migration?

Answer 27

Ecological crises
Dhaka- A city exploding with climate migrants
Half a million move to the city each year

Question 28

The socio economic challenges of global urbanisation?

Answer 28

Employment- Can cities provide enough jobs?
Poverty and inequality
Congestion
Health

Question 29

Biggest mega slum?

Answer 29

Neza/ Chalco/ Itza

Mexico City- 4 million

Question 30

What is a slum?

Answer 30

An urban area that suffers from 1 or more of these conditions 
Non- durable structures
Insufficient living space 
Deficient access to adequate water 
Usually highly insecure tenure

Question 31

What is the affordable housing challenge?

Answer 31

Who will pay?
The state
Real estate developers- usually out for profit
City dwellers through mortgages- high interest rates in many countries
City dwellers through communities and self help

Question 32

The political challenge of global urbanisation?

Answer 32

Planning policies- who are cities planned for?
Mayors- who do you want to govern you?
Infrastructure
Displaced communities- where will the refugees go?

Question 33

Examples of modern urban riots?

Answer 33

Poll tax 1990

London riots 2011

Question 34

Political challenges in rapid urban growth?

Answer 34

Standing against the interests of big business
Reducing urban inequality
Managing diversity, integration and racial tensions
Demands for democracy

Question 35

Priorities in rapid urban growth?

Answer 35

Providing sources of employment 
Spaces to cater for social integration and socio political inclusion 
Building urban resilience 
Improving public health 
Generation of low carbon industry