Mega cities

Define megacity

a very large urban agglomeration of at least 10 million inhabitants

Define overurbanisation

Where the rate of urbanisation outpaces the industrial growth and economic development. It occurs when large cities cannot provide enough jobs or raise enough revenue to provide services that people need

Define megacity

a very large urban agglomeration of at least 10 million inhabitants

Define overurbanisation

Where the rate of urbanisation outpaces the industrial growth and economic development. It occurs when large cities cannot provide enough jobs or raise enough revenue to provide services that people need

Define slum

A heavily populated urban area characterised by the substandard housing and squalor

Define formal sector

the area of economic activity that is formally recorded by the state; this is the areas in which there is a shortage of domestic labour

Define informal sector

the economy's activities that are not regulated by labour and taxation laws or monitored for inclusion in gross domestic product estimates.

Define rural-urban migration

the movement of people from the countryside to the city. This causes urban growth and urbanisation

Define natural increase

the difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths during a year.

Nature of megacities

- Exploding populations
- Operations of a dual economy
- enormous differences in socioeconomic levels
- extensive urban challenges
- limited government action

Spatial distribution of mega cities

• Most of larger megacities congregated in the Asian region
• In coastal areas flatter terrain (easier to build), access to ports (income generator), climate is more attractive, higher tourism levels promote jobs
• Near borders people can migrate easier so the cities grow

Factors influencing the development of megacities in developing regions

• NGOs
• Better infrastructure
• Rural-urban migration
• Government assistance
• Geographical location
• Access to investment funds
• Economic status
• Resources
• Job opportunities
• Prospect of a better lifestyle

Reasons for growth of megacities in the developing world

- Urbanisation
- Natural increase
- Rural-urban migration

Natural increase due to

• High fertility rates
• Death rates
• Technology
• Birth control access

Rural-urban migration push factors

- Famine, drought, natural disasters
- agricultural change
- poor living conditions
- unemployment
- war and conflict
- increasing landlessness

Rural-urban migration pull factors

- employment
- increased government expenditure
- promise of higher income
- better healthcare and education
- urban facilities and way of life
- protection from conflict

Informal economies in megacities

• With such a large surplus of labour, wages can be kept low and working conditions poor
• The United Nations estimates that 37% of the people living in the mega-cities of the developing world are employed in the formal sector
• The informal sector is labour intensive, existing to serve the needs of the urban poor outside the control of authorities