6.1 changes in rural settlements

Contemporary issues in rural settlements in LICS, MICs and HICs (e.g depopulation, service provision,) including impacts of interns, migration and the consequences of urban growth.

What is a rural area

Low population density countryside area - where the economy is dependant on primary activity

Define green-belt:

Areas of open land retained around a city - where development is restricted

What are MIC/HIC contemporary issues ?

Rural-urban migration

• rural depopulation is primary driver for rural issues.

• BRs decrease below replacement level leading to cut services

• Leads to unemployment and out migration

MIC/ HIC CONTEMPORARY ISSUE

• farm diversification

• decline in farm work due to increased mechanism → reduces wages → poorer farmers

• Farms increase in size, hedgerows reduce biodiversity

• Farms bought by corporations

• Farm diversification - used for other industries such as tourism

MIC/HIC CONTEMPORARY ISSUE:

SERVICE DECLINE: lower population density

• Shops, post offices, healthcare, transport and activities provide a backbone for communities

• Reduce quality of life

• Causes: depopulation, market forces.

MIC/HIC contemporary issue - Rural transport

Increase care ownership = public transport decline.

Poor, elderly, young and vulnerable isolated.

Creates barrier for low income families to access employment.

Fuel price increases

What is a dormitory settlement?

• rural settlement that has become increasingly urbanised recently - largely occupied by employed people in nearby urban areas

What is the second home concept?

• urban ppl buy 2nd home in rural location

• Offers high local employment and increased tax paid funds and services that may have stopped otherwise

• Money for new infrastructure to be installed

• However hour prices increase, visual degradation

What are the LIC contemporary issues

Social

Negative

• ageing rural population as young move to city

• Public services close due to pop decline

Positive:

• reduced unemployment due to smaller pop

• Big focus on traditional family structures

Environmental

Negative

• natural resources exploited by large companies

• Harsh environments make farming difficult

Positive:

• rural population decline reduces pressure on resources such as food and water

Economic

Negative:

• reduced agricultural production and insufficient labour

• Development schemes focus on high profile urban areas - rural forgotten

• Political corruption and discrimination of gender, race and religion increase poverty

• Families that are large/ rapidly growing (high dependency ratio) will suffer financial hardship

Positive:

• remittances provide a large proportion of a family’s income