mock only - Urban Futures

Causes of rapid urbanisation in LIDCs

• Rural - urban migration

• Internal growth

Push factors of rural-urban migration in LIDCs

• In countryside there is:

  • No electricity

  • Lack of job opportunities

  • Only jobs are hard labour in primary sector

  • Climate may be different in rural areas e.g. Heavy rainfall in Northern Nigeria pushes people to move to Lagos

Pull factors of rural-urban migration in LIDCs

• Good electricity

• More jobs

• More security

• Jobs in the secondary and tertiary sector

• More services like schools (and closer together)

Why does rural-urban migration happen more in LIDCs than ACs

• In LIDCs, living in the countryside is very different to the city

• Whereas in ACs there's not too much of a gap

• In Zambia in rural areas only 3% of people have access to electricity, but 47% do in urban areas

Why does internal growth happen in LIDCs

• Migrants are young (working age) so are having children

• LIDCs have less access to contraception, women are more inclined to have kids than to go to work. This leads to a high birth rate

What are the consequences of rapid urban growth in LIDCs

• Leads to slums as government can't support quick population increase

• Unemployment -> people work in informal sector

• Overcrowding

• More crime as people outnumber police

What is suburbanisation and how is it caused

• When people move out of the city, into rural or undeveloped land, creating suburbs

• Push factors = overcrowding, pollution, traffic, unemployment

• Pull factors = green spaces, family friendly, new housing estates, rent is cheaper when further from city, safer

Consequences of suburbanisation

• New housing damages countryside and animal habitats

• Increase of cars adds air pollution since everyone is commuting

• City centres can become deserted as offices and businesses are abandoned

• Increased pressure on greenbelt

• Better sense of community in suburbs

What is counter urbanisation and how is it caused

• When people move from urban to rural areas

• Push factors = overcrowding, pollution, traffic

• Pull factors = green spaces, safer, family friendly, new housing estates, rent is cheaper, safer, you can work from home, everyone has cars so can commute

Consequences of counter urbanisation

• Small villages lose their identity (often become 'commuter towns')

• More space in the city

• More pollution from cars

• Helps keep the countryside modern because new services will be opened up

What is re urbanisation and how is it caused

• When people move back into cities

• Push factors = lack of jobs in rural areas or suburbs, less leisure and entertainment, counter-urbanisation may have increased house prices

• Pull factors = people want entertainment facilities, redevelopment of brownfield sites means improved housing, young people attracted to universities

 

Consequences of re urbanisation

• Shops and services benefit from more residents

• House prices increase in redeveloped areas due to more people

• Increase in tension between new and old residents

• House prices drop in rural areas / suburbs

What is London's importance locally

• Economic hubs in the City of London and Canary Wharf generate income and economic growth

What is London's importance nationally

• 30% of the UK's income comes from London

• It is the home of the UK government

• It is the UK's capital and wealthiest city

• Avg salary in London is more than £10,000 more than the avg salary in the UK

What is London's importance globally

• It is close to the UK's busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick

• It is a worldcity

• One of the most important financial centres in the world

• Home to the HQs of many international companies

• Attracts investment and migrants from across the globe

Patterns of migration and how this is changing the growth and character of the city

• The population of the UK is growing due to international migrants

• More people are coming to than leaving London

• Within the UK, lots of people migrate to London for work or university

• As a result, it is a very ethnically diverse city; less than 50% of London is white British

• Migration strongly influences London's character

  • People of the same ethnicity gravitate towards the same areas, creating distinctive areas of a certain culture like Brick Lane

Culture in London

• London has famous theatres in the West End

• Museums like the National Gallery and the British Museum

• Hosts London Fashion Week

 

Ethnicity in London

• There are some areas in London with lots of people from one ethnicity e.g. Chinatown, Brick Lane

• Means there is food and music from many different cultures. As well as festivals like Notting Hill Carnival, Chinese New Year parade etc

 

Housing in London

• In richer communities and suburbs, housing is modern apartments or large homes with gardens

• In poorer communities in the inner city, housing density is higher and buildings are split between families

Leisure in London

• There are lots of leisure facilities like cinemas, pubs etc

• London has some of the best shopping areas and restaurants in the whole of the UK

• Large parks e.g. Hyde Park

• Attractions like the London Eye

 

Consumption in London

• London consumes nearly 7 million tonnes of food a year, most of which is imported

One initiative to make London more sustainable

• A congestion charge was introduced to discourage people from driving into the city

• Benefits:

  • Congestion charge has reduced traffic by 35%

  • Increased public transport usage

  • 12% more cycle journeys into the congestion zone

  • It reduced levels of nitrous oxides in the air

• Downsides:

  • Pollution from diesel black cabs increased since they are exempt

  • It burdens drivers with lower incomes that have to drive into the city for their job (e.g. uber drivers)

  • Leads to overcrowding on tubes and buses

Challenges of living in London (4)

• Air pollution

• Rise in violent crime

• Inequality

• Transport system

How is air pollution a problem

• 2 million Londoners live in areas of pollution above international pollution limits

How is inequality a problem

• The gap between rich and poor is very big

• Avg income in Kensington and Chelsea is £130,000 but in Newham it is £35,000

How is transport system a problem

• Roads are frequently congested

• Avg speed traffic in central London is only 8 mph

• London Underground is often overcrowded

How is rise in violent crime a probelm

9000 cases of knife crime in 2015 compared to 15,000 in 2023