AQA Geography Y10 GCSE Summer Exam

Topics: Urban Issues and Challenges

Urbanisation

The increasing percentage of the population living in towns and cities

Location of Lagos, Nigeria

Located in the south west coastline of Africa. It has good access to trade due to placement on the coast

What type of country is Nigeria?

NEE (newly emerging economy) / LIC (low income country)

Lagos’ Regional Importance

• Accounts for 10% of Nigeria’s population

• Very well connected to other major towns = important centre for regional trade

• 75% of Lagos’s revenues are internally generated

• Has a large migrant population that increases cultural diversity

Lagos’ National Importance

• One of the worlds major cities & most populous city in Africa

• Generates 30% of Nigeria’s GDP

• Generates 80% of Nigeria’s industry

• Accounts for over 53% of manufacturing employment in Nigeria

• Other Nigerian states are following its model

Lagos’ International Importance

• Major financial centre in West Africa

• Becoming a major hub for the headquarters of global companies and services that support them

• Has a major international airport which provides non-stop flights to hundreds of destinations around the world

Key Lagos Facts

• Average earnings - $670 per year

• Population - 20 million

• Waste produced per day - 10,000 tonnes

• Area - 1,000 km2

• Population growth rate - 600,000 per year

• 70% of people in Lagos live in informal settlements/slums

• 40% work in the informal sector

• Became a megacity (population of at least 10 million) in 2010

• Oil boom in 1970s

Natural Increase

The difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths in a population over a specific period (usually a year)

Positives of Natural Increase within a country

• Larger workforce

• Economical Growth

• Greater Human Capital

Negatives of Natural Increase within a country

• Strain on resources

• Increased Unemployment

• Social and Economic inequalities

Natural Increase in Lagos

Birth rate - 35.2 births per 1000 people

Death rate - 9.6 per 1000 people

Rural Nigeria to Lagos Push Factors

• Low farming wages but lots of hard work

• Land shortage and & soil erosion

• Sick children are less likely to get access to medicine for a cure

• Poor facilities but growing rural population

Rural Nigeria to Lagos Pull Factors

• Educational opportunities & employment (jobs)

• Since 1970s the oil industry has boomed

• Better health services in urban areas

• Booming film industry

Overall Opportunities and Challenges in Lagos

Opportunities:

• local markets

• 500 billion from oil

Challenges:

• Gap between rich and poor is huge

• The average wage is less that $2 in Makoko

• Overpopulated classrooms

• Poor hygiene

Makoko Floating School: Urban Planning, Improved Quality of Life

• Greenery - better air quality

• Barrels allowing building to float - won’t flood, rainwater is collected and stored = improved life expectancy

• Photovoltaic cells (solar panels) - sustainable, renewable energy, provides light safety

• Local building material - money stays in the area, employment

• Rooftop classroom - less overcrowding, natural ventilation

• Triangular roof & building - rain water can run off, no flood

• June 2026 - bid storm destroyed the structures

Social opportunities: Education

• Basic free education for children until 9 years

• 65,000 teachers in Lagos

• In 2010, adult literacy rate was 92%

• Many universities and colleges

• Employment opportunities

Social Opportunities: Healthcare

• life expectancy in Lagos = 54.4 years

• No. of people covered by health coverage & not experiencing financial hardship = 14.9 million

Social Opportunities: Water Supply

• 10% of Lagos has access to piped water

• In 1990, 33 million in Nigeria had access to piped water, 71 million had access in 2020

  • - Improved piped water with projects like Second National Urban Water Sector Reform

Social Opportunities: Electricity

• 31% of households in Lagos are connected to the grid

• 69% of grid

• Solar panels to generate sustainable energy long term

Economic Opportunitues:

• Lower unemployment in Nigeria vs Lagos

• Most find work in the informal economy to gain a living (70%, 2017)

• 500 people sort 3000 tonnes of waste by hand to sell

• 1970s Oil boom

  • created job opportunities

  • causes people to migrate

  • recognition due to shell the company farming the oil

Challenges: Slums and Informal Settlements

• Estimated population of 100,000-300,000 people in Makoko

• Exist due to rapid growth creating high land costs, pushing the poor and migrants to the waters edge

• No electricity, lack of facilities & sanitation, threats of water levels rising

• Average life expectancy in slums = 47 years

• At least 200 slums

• They earn as little as $1.25 per day

• Not taxed or regulated by the government

Challenges: Clean Water

• 10% have piped water

• 55% dig boreholes or wells to reach groundwater, which is contaminated with sewage - negative impacts

• Majority rely on water vendors

Challenges: Sanitation

• 75% of people lack safe sanitation

• Diarrhoea is the second largest killer of children under 5 in Lagos

Challenges: Energy

• 640 power outages per year = 160 days of no power

• Nigeria’s national electricity transmission network is undeveloped & outdated

• Renewable energy sources have a high upfront cost

Challenges: Healthcare

• 17% of Lagos’ population has health insurance

Challenges: Education

• Less that 8% of the governments budget goes to education

• The number of registered children by 2023 was 2.3 million - not enough

• 3000 children in Lagos don’t go to school

Challenges: Reducing Unemployment & Crime

Unemployment:

• Rapid population growth

• Informal economy & low quality jobs

• Skills gap

Crime:

• Poverty & inequality

• Bad conditions

• Ineffective law enforcement

• Street gang - ‘Area Boys’ have a presence on most streets recruiting children as young as 8 years

Challenges: Air Pollution, Water Pollution & Waste Disposal

Air Pollution:

• Lagos air quality remains one of the lowest out of the major megacities.

Water Pollution:

• Drinking water often contains bacterial.chemical pollution = diseases

Waste Disposal:

• 10,000 tonnes of waste is generated daily

Challenges: Traffic Congestion & Management

• Congestion occurs 75% of the time

• On average people spend 3 hours in traffic every day

• Fatal accident rate is 28 in 100,000 people - 3x more that in Europe

• The Bus Rapid Transit - provides a separate lane for buses - is not sufficient as Lagos is such a big city

London’s Location

Located in the south east England in the River Thames

London’s National Importance

The UK's, largest, wealthiest, and most culturally diverse city, generating over 20% of the country’s GDP

London’s International Importance

• The main hub for the UK transport system

• Uk’s two busiest airports - Heathrow and Gatwick close to London

  • maintains Londons global connections & its importance as a tourist destination

Cultural Mix

Refers to a country or place that has more than one culture living together in close proximity

London’s Cultural Mix (2021)

• No. of residents born outside the UK was 3.58 million from 3 million, 2011

• Proportion of non-UK born rose from 37% to 41% (4%)

• London received 150,000 non-UK migrants in 2021

Advantages of London’s Cultural Mix

• enriches areas of cultural life

• diverse food and music

• exposure to religions, languages & cultural parties

• Cultural event - Notting Hill Carnival

Disadvantages of London’s Cultural Mix

• Ghettos - hard economically poorer cultural groups from living in poorest parts of our cities

• Language - public services such as school have to provide language translation services

Opportunities from Urban Change (economical)

Improved Public Transport - integrated transport system:

• 700,000 cycle journeys a day

• Public transport has increased by 40% since 2000

• Public transport accounts for 25% of journeys

  • reduces CO2 emissions

  • Better access to job opportunities

  • Reduces journey times and congestion

Opportunities from Urban Change (social)

Multiculturalism

• Proportion of non-UK born rose from 37% to 41% (4%)

• 1/3 foreign born

  • enriches London’s cultural offering

  • Stronger communities

  • New business opportunities for migrants

Opportunities from Urban Change (envoirnmental)

Urban Greening - London has created more green spaces

• 700 new rooftop green spaces opened in 2021

  • Better air quality and mental health

  • canals, rivers and jettys allow birds to breed - animal habitat

Urban Decline

The deterioration of the inner city often caused by lack of investment and maintenance

Urban Deprivation

A standard of living in a town or city with inadequate income to meet basic needs

• Despite large wealth, parts if London suffer from urban decline & deprivation.

• Hard for the poorest to have a decent standard of living due to expense especially rent - takes a huge proportion of peoples income

• Example - Kesingnton (upper class) vs Newham (lower class)

Urban Regeneration

The investment of capital in the revival of old, urban areas by either improving what is there or clearing it away for rebuilding

Regeneration Includes

• encouraging new businesses to replace those that have closed/moved

• Employers - provide employment though shops or offices into the scheme which can improve the economy

• Upgrade the quality of the built environment by finding new uses for old/empty buildings

• Focus on tourism - increasing footfall and spending in the area

Case Study: Lower Lea Valley

The UK regeneration project is in Stratford, East London. Took place in the year 2012.

Why the LLV needed Regeneration

• Industrial decline and derelict land - many brownfield land

• Social deprivation - high unemployment & poor health

• Environmental Issues - only 5% of Newham designated as parkland in 2001

• Housing - poor housing quality,

• Transportation - public transport was disconnected and outdated

Was LLV Successful: Positives

• Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - 100 hectares if open space

• (East Village) 2800 homes for locals & people moving into the area

• Here East - hub for creative & media industries - 5,000 jobs

• International Quarter employs 25,000 people

• New jobs in construction & tourism creates multiplier effect.

• By 2030 - 20,000 jobs bringing £56 billion to the economy

• 560 acres of brownfield land decontaminated

Was LLV Successful Regeneration: Negatives

• 3.3 million tons of CO2 created

• Wildlife had to be relocated

• Materials came from overseas - carbon footprint

• Only 30% of new homes were affordable

• Small local businesses often displaced

• Rising cost of living and property prices (OG working class residents)