Settlement case studies

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Sardinia case study

Basic info:

Italian island on the Mediterranean sea

Approximately 1.7 million inhabitants

Intro:

A settlement hierarchy - it is the arrangement of settlements in order of their importance

The settlement hierarchy Sardinia obeys the general pattern that most people live in cities compared to villages (as there are more services and jobs in the cities).

Main points:

Cagliari (0ver 250 000) - It has a big port (good location for it). It's the main commercial and industrial center of the island. It's also one of the biggest container terminal in the Mediterranean. It has one of the largest fish markets in Italy.

Carbonia (30 000) - Was built as a housing area for the workforce of the nearby coal mines. Since the mines closed in the 1970s, Carbonia has dealt with high unemployment.

Bosa (8 000) - Agriculture and fing played an important part in the economy of the city. It experiences a growth of popularity in tourism.

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Atlanta case study

Basic info:

Atlanta is the capital city of Georgia state

Population growth from 2 million in 1970 to 6 million in 2013

Fastest growing metropolitan city in the USA

Facts and figures:

527 hectares of new green spaces and parks

53 km of shared-use paths

$20 billion of new economic development

30 000 new permanent jobs from new businesses in retail, entertainment education, health care, professional services, hospitality, arts

45 neighborhoods gain new and greater connectivity

Problems experienced:

Traffic congestion - 50 000 km of roads in Atlanta, 90% residents that drive to work experience 68 hours of delays/year

Air quality - traffic congestion causes increase in respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis or asthma. Air stagnates in city, so fumes from vehicles rarely blown away

Impermeable city surface - more concrete and asphalt replacing soil and tress means surface water cannot drain away, causing flash floods and water contamination

Cultural loss - civil war battlefields surrounding Atlanta, such as the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield to the north, and under threat from suburban homes

Population growth - Atlanta is the largest metropolitan area in SE USA, urban sprawl was inevitable

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Lima case study

Basic info:

Lima is the capital of Peru

In South America

Nearest ocean: Pacific Ocean

Population went form 600 000 in 1940 to about 8.9 million now

30% of Peru's (29.5 million) population lives here

Mostly young men and women emigrate to Lima

Factors influencing migration to Lima:

Not enough agricultural land because it is shared between sons

Droughts and other natural hazards

Low prices for agricultural products

Cannot afford clothes and food for children

Not much opportunity for children to go to school

No running water, electricity or sewage disposal in many countryside villages

What migrants experience when they get to Lima:

Racial discrimination

Separation from family

Better-quality services, .e.g water, electricity

Better schools for migrant's children

Low pay and long working hours

Forced to live in self-built houses or on the streets

Problems associated with urbanization in Peru:

Lack of houses -> build more houses

Big traffic -> expand road infrastructure

Waste disposal problems -> encourage recycling

Lack of hospital places -> increase funding for hospitals

High pollution levels in city centre -> allow only eco-friendly cars to the city centre

Lack of places available in schools -> there can be more schools built

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Dharavi slum (urban development and problems)

Background info:

in Mumbai (21 million people)

1 million people in one square mile

Conditions in the slum:

daily 4000 cases of typhoid and diphtheria

12 neighbourhoods with no maps or signs

small dwellings (12x12 feet)

one toilet per 500 people --> unsanitary

Positives:

pottery area with 10 000 people

family life (sometimes even 5 people per room)

85% have jobs (mostly locally in slum)

80% of waste is recycled (UK: 23%)