Geography unit 2 section A- urban issues and challanges

Urbanisation

The proportion of the worlds population who live in cities

Why does urbanisation grow

• natural increase (births minus deaths)

• Migration

Global pattern of urban change

• urbanisation is slowing in HIC’s

• Greatest rate of urbanisation is in LIC’s and NEE’s

• 90% of the increase in urban population is taking place in Africa and Asia especially India, China and Nigeria

Natural increase

When the birth rate is higher than the death rate

It is higher in LIC’s and NEE’s because:

• Lots of people aged 18-35

• Improvements to health care has lowered death rate significantly

Rural - Urban migration

Movement of people from the countryside to the city. Cause by push and pull factors

Push factors

Reasons why people want to leave the countryside:

1. Farming is hard and poorly paid

2. Farming is often at subsistence level, leaving nothing to sell

3. Rural areas are isolated, often with few services

Pull factors

Reasons why people are attracted to the city:

1. A higher standard of living is possible

2. Better medical facilities

3. Better chance of getting an education

Mega city

A city a population of over 10million (growing more quickly in NEE’s and LIC’s)

Location and importance of Rio

• south east Brazil

• A global city

• Important financial and industrial centre

• A major regional national and internal centre for many companies

• International transport hub

• Cultural capital of Brazil

• A UNESCO world heritage site

How and why has Rio grown in population

• migration

• Natural increase

How has urban growth created social opportunities in Rio?

• Many of Rio’s international migrants are skilled workers

• Money has been invested into health care and education as well as to fund events like the 2014 World Cup and 2016 olympics

Economic opportunities for growth in Rio

• Rio is Brazil’a second most important industrial centre

• Existing industries stimulate the development of new industries (multiplier affect)

• The tourist and oil industries have helped stimulate economic development

Challenges of living in the favelas

• high crime rate (murder rate of 20 per 1000 people in many favelas

• Health (infant mortality rates are as high as 50 per 1000.

• Services (in non-improved favelas 30% have no electricity)

• Unemployment (rates as high as 20%)

Squatter settlement definition

Unplanned invasions of land by homeless people