GCSE AQA Geography Section A: Urban Issues and Challenges

what are urban areas?

densely populated with high economic activity including towns and cities

what is urbanisation?

an increase in the % of people living in towns + cities

what is the global pattern of urbanisation?

• high level of urbanisation throughout N/S America

• Australia is completely urbanised (75-100% urbanised)

• South Africa and Asia are sparsely urbanised

• India is not urbanised

what is the rate of urbanisation like in HICs?

• economically developed, already urbanised

• 80% live in urban area

• rate of urbanisation is low e.g. UK

what is the rate of urbanisation like in LICs?

• less economically developed

• 30% live in urban areas

• high rate of urbanisation e.g. Ethiopia

what is the rate of urbanisation like in NEEs?

• rapidly developing economic development

• urban population of 50%

• medium rate of urbanisation e.g. Brazil

what are the factors affecting the rate of urbanisation?

migration and natural increase

what are push factors?

conditions that drive people from their homes

what are pull factors?

conditions that attract immigrants to a new area

push factors[encouraging people to leave home] of rural-urban migration

1. natural disasters damage property/farmland which is £££, rural areas find it harder to recover by having less resources

2. few jobs as mechanised agricultural equipment doesn't need as many workers

3. desertification makes lands unproductive so farmer incomes are unstable

pull factors[encouraging people to an area] of rural-urban migration

1. better paid + more jobs

2. better healthcare + education

3. better quality of life

what is a megacity?

urban areas with more than 10 million residents

key points on slow growing megacities

• found in HICs located in S-E Asia and Europe

• high property prices, advanced infrastructure, formal economy, no squatter settlements

• e.g. Tokyo, Japan

key points on growing megacities

• found in NEE's located in S-E Asia and S America

• under 20% of population ins squatter settlements, informal economy increased, crime

• e.g. Mexico city, Mexico

key points on rapid-growing megacities

• found in LICs located in S-E Asia and Africa

• less than 50% of population in urban areas, large squatter settlements, informal economy, poor infrastructure from no tax from informal economy

• e.g. Dhaka, Bangladesh