geograpgy urban environments

urbanisation

increase of people living in urban areas (towns or cities)

rates in LICs or NEEs much faster than HICs mostly bc of rapid economic growth

causes of urbanisation

rural- urban migration (movement of people from rural to urban areas)

push and pull factors: natural disasters, war, conflict, employment, education, healthcare, quality of life...

natural increase- when birth rate exceeds death rate

increased birth rate: high % population child bearing age- high fertility rate; lack of contraception/ education about family planning

lower death rate: higher life expectancy due to better living conditions and diet; improved medical facilities- lower infant mortality rate

process of urbanisation

1. agglomeration

2. suburbanisation

3. commuting

4. urban regeneration

5. counter urbanisation

6. urban re imaging

7. urbanisation of suburbs

agglomeration

concentration of people and economic activites at favourable locations eg river crossing points/ close to mineral resources

(everyone moves into cities, where things come towards eg city centers)

commute

come from outside to inside urban area and still making use of urban services (eg shops colleges hospitals)

(suburbs to city, edge to center, then back again)

suburbanisation

towns expanding outwards adding to built up area

(from city center to countryside people moving)

urban regeneration

re using areas in old parts of cities abandoned as people and businesses have moved to suburbs or beyond

(improving run down areas with jobs and services)

urban re imaging (or rebranding)

regeneration of buildings/ areas from urban regeneration

urban characteristics

jobs mostly manufacturing and services

larger population and area

high density people and buildings

busy way of life

rural characteristics

agricultural jobs

sparse and small villages/ hamlets, small population, large area

low density people and buildings

simple quiet way of life

urban area

built up area such as town/ city

lee's migration model

origin, intervening obstacles, destination

push and pull factors (+ve and -ve)

push away from rural areas

pull to urban

(food availability, discrimination, violence, gov)

urbanisation pathway

1. developing- early urbanisation eg Sri Lanka 18%

2. emerging- accelerating urbanisation eg thailand 51%

3. developed- mature urbanisation eg japan 91%

4. developed- counter urbanisation eg UK 83%

problems of rapid urbanisation

1. housing

LIC: squatter settlements and shanty towns

HIC: demand outstips supply

2. access to water and electricity

LIC: clean and safe running water, sanitaion, electricity supplies hard to come by, basic services cannot keep up with rapid population growth

3. traffic congestion and transport

traffic systems become overloaded as areas grow

LICs and HICs: pollution issues- smog

4. health

LICs: not enough doctors, dirty water, air pollution- health suffers

5. education

LIC: only provide small primary schools with few pupils continuing to secondary schools because so few of them

6. employment

many unable to find work despite hope and lure of city- informal sector booms (cash in hand, not in bank- not paying tax, pension etc, not to gov)

LIC and HIC: many travel huge distances for work

natural increase

growth in population resulting in excess births over deaths

birth rate

number of live births per 1000 people per year

death rate

number of deaths per 1000 people per year

unemployment

state of not having a job

underemployment

employed yet does not make use of or acknowledge full ability/ training

push factors

why people encouraged to leave rural areas

pull factors

why people are attracted to urban areas

rural urban migration

movement of people from countryside to towns and cities to live permanently

infant mortality

average number of deaths of children under one year per 1000 live births

urban growth

expansion of towns and cities so they cover more land and gain larger populations

megacity

urban areas with populations greater than 10 million

most current are NEEs (brazil) and LICs (nigeria)

factors to growth of megacities

economic development

population growth

multiplier effect

once a city is prospering, it gathers momentum to carry forward- prosperity = growth

economies of scale

financial savings in terms of transport (distances much less) (communication easy- people and businesses)

global/ world city

any size, recognized worldwide as places of great prestige, status, power and influence

(most important: tokyo, new york, london- financial centers of global economy)

urban land use patterns -HIC

burgess/ concentric zone model (4 zones)- HIC

core: oldest, city center; CBD (central business district), retail gathers as shops can afford high rent

inner city: early suburbs, old housing, non residential land uses (industry/ factories- cannot afford rent in CBD)

suburban ring: present suburbs, housing as dominant land use

urban fringe: countryside eroded by growth (outward spread of built up area for housing and non residential uses)

development on urban fringe

areas between built up towns and open spaces of fields

countryside being taken for outward growth of towns and cities (most evident in suburbs)

land types on urban fringe

retail parks- deal with traffic and parking

industrial estates- built around working people

business parks- created by property developers to attract leisure and firms needing office accomodation

science parks- near university/ research centers

brownfield sites

land previously used for commercial/ industry- may be contaminated- hazardous waste pollution

advantages:

reduced loss of land to agricultural/ recreational use; revive old and disused urban areas; located near main areas of employment

disadvantages:

more expensive- clear old buildings and pollution; surrounded by rundown areas- not appealing as residential area; higher pollution levels

greenfield sites

flat, away from large cities, open land- demand for housing, industry, public works (eg sewage)

advantages: relatively cheap; healthier environment; proximity of countryside

disadvantages: valuable farmland and attractive scenery lost; development = light and noise pollution; wildlife and habitats lost; encourages further suburban sprawl

urban land use patterns- LIC

hoyt model

sectors grow out in wedges around CBD along traditional communication routes

1. center- CBD

2. transportation and industry

3. low class residential (together w 2)

4. middle class residential

5. high class residential

low quality housing next to industrial zone, middle class next to low, high class as far as possible from industry and low class

variation in land use patterns

value of land

values varies across urban areas- decrease away from CBD but also high value land where roads meet

location

important to value- close to key functions = higher value (eg railway stations, road intersections)

problems of urbanisation- HIC (HK)

1. housing

top 5 most densely populated= high demand, gov rent, high rise apartments, cage homes for poorest- up to 10 in a room

2. food, water, electricity

limited lakes and rivers, water pumped from river in China

3. traffic and transport

very good integrated public transport system- 90% journeys taken by public transport, increase in growth in traffic capacity and air pollution

4. social (poverty and deprivation)

large gap between wealthiest and poorest, segregation within society- income inequality, socio economic status of people

5. energy and environmental

6.4m tonnes a year of waste, most dumped in landfills (30% recycled), tried to implement 'waste charge' but cancelled, 99% energy from fossil fuels, not sustainable, smog

6. employment

7. education

8. health

HK

economically very strong- financial and trade services

few natural resources for energy

traffic congestion major issue

public transport good

social and education services good

densely populated- growth upwards, rented housing from gov, areas of poverty

problems of urbanisation- LIC and NIC (kenya/ dharavi)

informal economy huge- very low wages but will stop starvation

education very low

squatter settlements very densely packed and help house population of rapidly urbanising LIC and NIC

sustainable urban living

being able to live in citiesi n ways that do not pollute environment and using resources in ways that ensure future generations can also use them

sustainable urban living- water conservation

reducing amount of water used

collecting rainwater for gardens, toilets

water meters and toilets that flush less water

educating on using less water

sustainable urban living- energy conservation

using less fossil fuels can reduce rate of climate change

promoting renewable energy sources

making homes more energy efficient

encouraging people to use less energy

sustainable urban living- creating green space

can improve urban areas for those who live there

natural cooler areas to relax

encourages excercise

reduce risk of flooding from surface runoff

sustainable urban living- waste recycling

more recycling = fewer resources used

less waste = less landfill

collection of household waste

more local recycling facilities

greater awareness in benefits of recycling

sustainable urban living- case studies

masdar city (UAE)

one of world's most sustainable cities

all energy supplies renewable (location long hours of sun)- solar

energy efficient buildings, smart water consumption- desalination plants solar

waste nearly 0

curitiba (brazil)

older system based on improved transport

bus only zoned off area w/ dual carriages

CBD surrounded by parks so no shanty towns

waste disposal system- get fruit and veg

self help suburbs- people trained to fix and make basic amenities

afghanistai

trying to raise food production

females trained in business, nutrition, hygiene (self help)

crop growing, greenhouses, storing harvests, rain water collection

inhabitants given small plots, training in crop growing

managing urban challenges

organisations:

gov- local and national

charities- NGOs, where gov corrupt/ unable to help poorest of population

self help schemes- giving people skills- teaching eg plumbing

slums:

bulldoze and clear, clear but relocate, redevelop, improve- self help and services, ignore

traffic management- problems

environmental:

increases air pollution, releases greenhouse gases leading to climate change

economic:

congestion can make people late for work, business deliveries longer, can cause companies to lose money

social:

greater risk of accidents- frustration, health issues pedestrians

traffic management- solutions

wider roads- traffic flow easier

ring roads and bypasses- traffic out of city centers

park and ride schemes- reduce car use

encourage car sharing schemes- workplaces

public transport, cycle lanes, cycle hire schemes

congestion charges- discourage drivers from entering busy city centers

traffic management example: bristol

2012 most congested city in uk

now aims to develop integrated transport system- more public transport use; cycle routes and hiring schemes