Changing Cities Unit

Changing Cities Unit

1. Key Terms

   • Developing Country
     • Country with low human development (LHD), a poor country. Countries in Africa mainly fall in this category.
   • Emerging Country
     • Country with high or medium human development (HMHD). Countries in Asia and Latin America mainly fall in this category.
   • Developed Country
     • Country with very high human development (VHHD). Countries in North America, Europe and Oceania mainly fall in this category.
   • Natural Increase
     • When population numbers show a positive difference between the birth rate and death rate (birth rate exceeds death rate)
   • Urbanisation
     • The increase in the number of people living in towns and cities rather than in the country side
   • Major City
     • City with population of at least 200,000 people.
   • Mega City
     • City with a population of at least 10 million people.
   • Human Development Index
     • A measurement of life expectancy, access to education and gross national income per capita used to assess how much progress a country has made

2. Global Trends

   • Overall more people live in urban than rural areas.
   • Amount of people living in urban areas is predicted to increase from 3bil to 5bil by 2030
   • Most rapid growth in cities is occuring in developing and emerging countries
   • Rates in urbanisation in developed countries have slowed since the 1960's
   • Global rates of urbanisation have slowed since the 1990's
   • Africa has the fasted rate of urbanisation
   • 3/4's of developed countries have an urbanised environment
   • The number of mega cities have increased in the last 50 years. Many of which are located in developing and emerging countries.

3. Urbanisation

   • Urbanisation in developing and emerging countries.
     • Natural increase:
       • Higher birth rates than death rates
       • Migrants are at child bearing age
       • Decreasing death rate and higher life expentancy due to better living environment/quality of life.
     • Migration:
       • Push factor:
         • Lack of farm jobs due to mechanisation
         • Harsh living conditions in rural life
         • Crop failures in rural areas
       • Pull factor:
         • Higher wages in city
         • Better jobs in the city
         • Better services: Piped water, health care, electricity and education.
     • Growth has resulted in mega cities.
   • Urbanisation in developed countries.
     • Main cause: Industrial revolution
     • Occured during the 19th century during the agricultural and industrial revolution
     • People moved from rural to urban areas because of:
       • Mechanisation of farming
       • Large farming estates enclosed land meaning poorer villages could not use their own land to support themselves.
       • Rise in factory jobs as countries industrialised.
     • After industrial boom cities stopped developing fast, and now only develop as people move into the city
     • Cities provide better jobs especially for the younger generation

4. Negative impacts of urbanisation:

   • Developed:
     • Social:
       • Buses and trains cannot cope with increase in people.
       • Schools do not have enough placements for children resulting in bad education and stress on teachers.
     • Economic:
       • Housing prices and rent constantly increasing as there are not enough houses for people.
       • Money will be spent for improving infrastructure, resulting in larger growth.
       • Negative multiplier effect?
     • Environmental:
       • Increasing air pollution and traffic.
       • Many cities suffer from problems like litter.
   • Emerging and Devloping:
     • Social:
       • Impacts agriculture as old people are left to the country side.
       • Illegal unplanned shanty towns/slums develop as there are not enough houses. These dont have any electricity, water. Sewage pollutes local water, causing diseases.
       • Increase in crime rate due to lack of jobs.
       • Gaps between the rich and poor widen.
     • Economic:
     • Environmental:
       • Increase in pollution.

5. Benefits of urbanisation:

   • Better social integration and understanding.
   • Range of health care and education is more accessible in urban areas, improving literacy rate and health for the country.
   • Investment in the area increases, leading to larger economic opportunties.
   • Tourism will develop in the area, providing a source of foreign currency.
   • Large cities allow mor distrubution of resources such as transport , energy and labour.

6. Reasons for regional variations in urbanisation:

   • Historical:
     • Industrial revolution - Enclosure acts forced people to displace from the Midlands and northern England.
     • Capital city - London stood out from other towns in 1801 due to its importance and size.
   • Political:
     • Centre of government - London is the centre of the government and decision making which encourages firms.
   • Physical:
     • Retirement settlements - South coast of the UK has been developed into a retirement settlement as it is more relaxing.
     • Ports - Cities which had located on rivers and estuaries grew as ports as trade with other countries developed.
   • Economic:
     • Tourism - As coastal towns and cities developed their tourist industry, people moved there for jobs
     • Tertiary and Quanternary sectors - The UK has focused on developing those sectors resulting in improved transport and communication.