GCSE Geography - Urban Issues and Challenges

paper 2

Uk’s urban population

• 90% live in an urban town or city

• urban land only accounts for 7% of the uk’s total land mass

net migration

when more people move into cities than out of cities

why do rural workers migrate (3)

• better work oppotunities as rural work is farming which is hard work or seasonal tourism which pays badly

• more exciting lifestyle: as there are more facilities in cities

• education oppotunities as universities, many students move away to study but dont move back home after their degree

why do international working migrants migrate (3)

• to fill gaps in employment for skilled roles for example NHS requires international doctors and nurses to keep running

• to send money back home (remittance)

• better oppotunities and lifestyle for their children as in some countries girls are frowned upon if they want an education

why do retiring couples migrate (2)

• migrate out of the city for more quieter idyllic lifestyle

• avoid traffic congestion and air pollution which can irritate asthma and cause lung cancer

why do new families migrate (2)

• migrate out of the city to find more affordable housing as city apartments are rising in price

• more pleasant lifestyle as they want more greener spaces for their kids to have a more pleasant childhood

advantages of multicultural cities (3)

• skilled migrants can fill gaps in the economy and services so everyone can have access to doctors and dentists

• multicultural events such as chinese new year, notting hill carnival and eid are becoming popular. Tourists come to stay to watch these events, bringing extra revenue

• new foods are introduced which makes restaurant market more diverse and encourages people from a young age to learn about different cultures

disadvantages of multicultural cities (3)

• people worry that more people are moving to the city which will make job oppotunities more rare and so unemployment rises

• some ethnic groups are targeted for hate crime such as jewish and muslim communities

• in some cities ethnic groups remain segregated so culture isnt shared and instead hostilities rise

what makes a good city (2)

• facilities and attractions: sports stadiums especially if the local team is in the high league tables for a popular sport, shopping centres and marktets, clubs and bars for good nightlife, tourist attractions

• transport systems, an integrated transport system links together different types of transport so people have a choice in transport as some can’t afford car or fit enough to cycle everywhere

urban greening (5)

• planting trees alon streets to provide home to birds and provides shade

• green walls constructed along buildings which are pretty

• parks can be protected land in the middle of the city offering residents an open space for leisure and exercise

• rooftop gardens are becoming more popular

• cemeteries are being protected as they can home many wildlife habitats

greenfield land

land that hasnt been built on before, often used for farming or left naturally

brownfield land

land that has been previously built on, buildings may still be standing or demolished and they have unfertile soil

advantages of greenfield land (3)

• never built on so no additional cost to remove rubble

• cheaper land prices as they tend to be further from city centre

• for struggling farmers, selling their land to developers can be a good source of income

disadvantages of greenfield land (3)

• once buildings have been built the land will never be greenfield again

• urban sprawl can occur which means that if it sprawls too much it may become too far for residents to commute to the centre or lose its characteristics

• habitats are destroyed and wildlife pushed further from city

advantages for brownfield land (2)

• developers use up land rather than leaving it derelict

• housing developments would be close to the city centre so developers can charge more for the houses that they build

disadvantages for brownfield land (2)

• expensive to remove all waste, demolish existing buildings or remove any chemicals

• to compensate for the high cost of preparing the land, housing tends to be unaffordable and high value apartments so not everyone can afford to live in brownfield apartments

social inequality (4)

• high income families more likely to attend higher education. children from low income families are more likely to pursue a job at an earky age which limits job oppotunities in the future

• higher crime rate in low income areas

• low income families have poorer diets as fresh foods are more expensive

• life expectancy is slighly higher for high income households since they can afford private healthcare

regeneration (3)

• encouraging economic growth and attracting new businesses to invest in the city

• changing appearance of a region especially if its derelict or unattractive

• trying to attract different group residents. e.g. high wage investors or multicultural group of workers

canary wharf (4)

• dock for trade and industry till it closed in 1981

• 60% of docklands was left derelict so it was unnattractive for new businesses and target for crime

• now it has modern skyscrapers

• business here are mainly finance and banking headquarters, attracting many high paying skilled workers

sustainable cities (7)

• renewable energy

• use greywater to irrigate plants and flush toilets

• green spaces

• low emission

• biogas tanks (made from wastefood) used as energy

• increased taxes and fines for polluting companies or car users which can be invested back into the city

• rewards given to households who abide by the rules or are more envionmentally friendly

rural area definition

• small population density, large proportion of open, green spaces

• people work in agriculture, tourism and running shops in the local village

urban area definition

• towns or cities with large population density and limited openn green spaces. residents work in offices, factories or running services in the city

HIC cities (3)

• london

• new york

• tokyo

LICS cities (3)

• nairobi (kenya)

• kabul (afghanistan)

• addis ababa (ethiopia)

push factors (4)

• rural jobs mainly in farming is intensive and not well paid

• climate change is making farmin g more difficult the soil is becoming poorer quality from dought

• access to services is limited in rural towns, families need to travel far to their local hospital or school

• rural towns tend to be isolated so electricity and water and food suppliers are limited so they rely on themselves rather than import supplies in

pull factors (5)

• higher paid jobs as there are more businesses meaning here are more job oppotunities

• better education as there are more coolleges and unis

• public transport helps residents be more mobile even if they cant afford a car

• dont need to travel as far for hospitals and medical care

• more facilities avaliable (cinemas, malls, clubs)

megacity definition

population over 10 million

lack of healthcare and education in growing cities and how to combat

• demand becomes higher so there might be a shortage of doctors and teachers so there is not enough facilities to satisfy the population

• encourage more children into education to local young people can be trained to fill the gaps in services

squatter settlements in growing cities (5)

• settle for make shift housing and built on unfavourable land such as next to railway tracks or on steep mountain sides

• locals dont pay rent or own the land so they could be evicted at any time

• high crime rates gangs can establish leading to gun crime, violence and territory disputes

• no water pipes or electricity cables so residents make their own supplies which means taking some from someone else or digging their own water pump, this could be at risk from sewage contamination or over extraction

• since houses are built very close, infectious diseases and fire could spread through the settlement rapidly causing fatalities

unemployment in growing cities

• many people migrate without booking a job online as they dont have limited internet and as migrants cant move back home and are uneducated and unskilled, some have to turn to informal work such as street sellers, house help and cleaners, rag picker

• these jobs are often open to exploitation as they are paid in cash as they dont contribute to tax

air pollution in growing cities

in major cities, traffic congestion is common which causes lots of greenhouse gasses to be emitted into the atmosphere. this could cause respitory problems for locals such as asthma or lung disease

5.5 million people die from polluted air around the world

waste and sewage in growing cities (3)

as population increases, so does household waste such as food waste, sewage and packaging.

• in squatter settlements, roads are too narrow for rubbish bins so residents abandon waste in the street which encourage rats that spread disease

• industries may cut corners and dispose waste illegally to avoid charge for waste which is hazadous to wildlife. sometimes they pollute waterways with poisonous chemicals such as lead which causes liver cancer when drunk

• sewage must be taken away from the city so it doesnt contaminate waterways and cause disease such as cholera, however some cities dont have the infrastructure built for this so waste is dumped near homes

managing growing cities (5)

• provide scholarships for training doctors and teachers

• reduce traffic congestion by building new roads

• squatter settlements to be rehomed into mnore permanent settlements which have water taps and electricity

• companies fined when caught polluting for stricter monitoring

• more sewage plants and waste disposal sites to be created