T5 - Urban Futures

Urbanisation

The growth in the proportion of a country’s population living in urban areas as a percentage.

Megacity

An urban area with over 10 million people living there.

World City

A city that has an influence over the whole world.

• Have centres for trade and business

• Lots of people and goods pass through them internationally

• Tend to be hubs for culture and science

Rural-urban Migration

Movement of people from the countryside to the cities.

• Rate can be determined by push factors (Things that encourage people to leave and area)

• Pull factors (thigs that encourage people to move to an area)

Push Factors (Examples)

• Natural disasters e.g. floods and earthquakes

• Mechanisation of agriculture - reduces jobs for farmers

• Drought - Can make land unproductive

• Conflict/War - Cause people to flee their homes

Pull Factor (Examples)

• More jobs - better wages leading to better quality of life

• Better healthcare and access to education

• Joining other family members who have already moved

• Better quality of life

Internal Growth

When the birth rate is higher than the death rate.

• Urbanisation can be cause by this

• Internal growth is common in cities as young people move into cities and have children increasing the urban population

• Better healthcare can be found in cities so this reduces the death rate leading to an increasing proportion of people

Economical Consequences (Urbanisation in LIDCs)

• Not enough jobs leading to high levels of unemployment

• Many people working in informal sector (jobs aren’t taxed or regulated by the government) meaning people work long for little pay

• People may not have access to education so they are unable to develop the skills needed ot get better jobs

Social Consequences (Urbanisation in LIDCs)

• Aren’t enough houses for everyone - people ending up in squatter settlements badly built or over-crowded

• Infrastructure can’t be built fast enough (lack of basics)

• High levels of crime

Environmental Consequences (Urbanisation in LIDCs)

• Rubbish not collected leading to heaps

• Sewage and toxic chemicals in rivers harming wildlife

• Road systems may not cope with vehicles - congestions leading to more emissions and air pollution

Suburbanisation

Movement of people from city centres to the outskirts.

Push Factors of Suburbanisation

• Urban areas are overcrowded, polluted and high crime rates, quality of life is worse

• Government clear low quality housing in city to built better infrastructure

• Deindustrialisation in city centres leads to people leaving to search for employment

• Unemployment increases in city, people have less money to spend, less local services for people living in centre

Pull Factors of Suburbanisation

• Low population density, more open green spaces

• Planning laws are more relaxed so easier to build houses offering larger more modern houses

• Improved public transport and more car ownership means commuting is easy to inner city.

• Rents are cheaper in outskirt attracting businesses leading to more jobs opening

Economic Consequences (Suburbanisation)

• Office deserted after working hours, shop don’t have customers

• Unemployment increases

Social Consequences (Suburbanisation)

• Building abandoned in city centres so city centre is more run down with more people leaving

• Wealthier middle class people may move to suburbs for better quality of life leaving behind foreign immigrants leading to segregation.

Environmental Consequences (Suburbanisation)

• New housing estates in country side affects habitats

• More concrete grounds increasing surface run off risking flooding

• More cars in suburbs increasing pollution due to congestion

Counter-Urbanisation

Movement of people away from large urban areas to smaller rural areas.

Push Factors of Counter Urbanisation

• Problems with congestion and parking in more urban areas

• More expensive housing in these areas - no value for money

Pull factors of Counter-Urbanisation

• Bigger houses with more outside space

• Improved communication services so easier to work from home

• Better communication means more jobs created in rural areas

• Increased car ownership and better public transport so easy commuting.

Economic Consequences (Counter-Urbanisation)

• Services in rural areas increase in rural areas with more richer people moving there

• Small rural shops could close with people with cars commuting to better shops in urban areas

• Farmers able to make money by selling unwanted land or building for houses

Social Consequences (Counter-Urbanisation)

• Existing houses in rural areas renovated but can affect character of the settlements

• Creation of commuter settlements (work in centre but live far) shops and services close in rural areas with more people spending time in city

• More house demand, increase house price, younger people may not be able to afford

• Schools close in rural areas due to more older people than children

• Rural roads and infrastructure can’t cope with the amount of cars

Environmental Consequences (Counter-Urbanisation)

• People own cars increasing traffic leading to more air pollution

• New housing estates built in open areas destroying habitats

Re-Urbanisation

Movement of people back into urban areas.

Push Factors of Re-Urbanisation

• Lack of Jobs in suburban areas

• Fewer leisure centres and entertainment in rural areas

• Counter-Urbanisation may increase house prices

Pull Factors of Re-Urbanisation

• Movement of industries and businesses out causes deindustrialisation so more redevelopments attracting more people

• Most universities are in urban areas - better for younger people

• Working people want to be close to their job and for good entertainment

• Once re-urbanisation starts it keeps continuing - more people attracting more businesses

Economic Consequences (Re-Urbanisation)

• New shops and services open bosting the economy

• Jobs created are not accessible to original residents who are less skilled

• Tourism may increase bring money to city improving the area even more

Social Consequences (Re-Urbanisation)

• More jobs created so less unemployment reducing crime

• Schools benefit from more students but wealthier people got to private schools

• Tension between original and new citizens

• Shops and services catering newer residents may replace original services

Environmental Consequences (Re-Urbanisation)

• Countryside protected by less people producing waste and pollution

• Some brownfield sites in rural areas may redeveloped causing more wildlife to be disturbed