Unit 5: Urban Futures

urbanisation is

the increase in the proportion of a country's population living in towns and cities

in ACs, urbanisation has

happened earlier due to the Industrial Revolution
now rates have slowed, and even reversed

in LIDCs and EDCs, urbanisation is

rapidy happening

a megacity is

a city with more than 10 million people

a world city

centers of economic, culture, and political activity that are strongly interconnected and together control the global systems of finance and commerce

examples of world cities

London, Tokyo, New York
most are in ACs

urban sprawl is

the process of urban areas rapidly expanding outwards

a green belt is

an area of open land around a city, on which building is restricted

characteristics of slums

often built on steep hillsides
buildings made of flammable materials
poor building quality
high population density

hazards of slums

buildings destroyed by landslides
fire spreads easily
slums collapse in earthquakes
rapid disease spread

commuter settlements are where

people work in rural areas but continue to work in the city
people spend most of their time away at work so shops often close

rural-urban migration

the movement of people from the countryside to the city

push factors for rural-urban migration

natural disasters
poor farming equipment
drought
conflict
less jobs

pull factors for rural-urban migration

more jobs with higher wages
better healthcare
better education
better quality of life

internal growth occurs when

the birth rate is higher than the death rate

birth rates are higher in cities because

young people move to cities for work
better healthcare in cities

economic consequences of rural-urban migration

not enough jobs in cities lead to unemployment
people have to work in the informal sector
this is not taxed, has little pay and harsh conditions
lack of education leads to lack of skills for jobs

social consequences of rural-urban migration

lack of housing leads to squatter settlements
lack of basic services (clean water and sewage)
poor health
high levels of crime

environmental consequences of rural-urban migration

poor waste disposal and sewage systems
rubbish ends up in landfills
sewage and chemicals enter rivers and harm wildlife
congestion leads to increased greenhouse gases

suburbanisation

movement of people from city centres to the outskirts

push factors for suburbanisation

urban areas are overpopulated
too much pollution
high unemployment rates

pull factors for suburbanisation

more green spaces
better housing
people can commute to work
rent is cheaper

economic consequences of suburbanisation

less people in inner city
business struggle for customers and close down
leads to unemployment

social consequences of suburbanisation

city centre becomes abandonded and derelict
economic and ethnic segregation
foreign immigrants are poorer and cannot afford better housing

environmental consequences of suburbanisation

new housing in countryside affects habitats
increased use of cars to commute results in more air pollution

counter-urbanisation

the movement of people from urban areas to rural areas

push factors for counter-urbanisation

congestion and parking problems in urban areas
housing is expensive

pull factors for counter-urbanisation

bigger houses
more outdoor space
improved communication services allow people to work from home
cheaper for businesses to work in rural areas

economic consequences of counter-urbanisation

rural areas have an increase in business
newer residents are usually retired people or professionals with higher incomes
farmers can sell unwanted land for housing
more demand for housing so prices increase

social consequences of counter-urbanisation

younger people are unable to buy houses
population is dominated by older people
schools end up closing
rural roads and infrastructure cannot cope with traffic
may lead to commuter settlements

environmental consequences of counter-urbanisation

new housing affects wildlife
most people in rural areas travel by car
leading to congestion and air pollution

re-urbanisation

the movement of people back into urban areas

push factors of re-urbanisation

lack of jobs in rural areas
less lesiure or entertainment
house prices too high

pull factors of re-urbanisation

more universities in urban areas
can live closer to work
developments in quality of life
businesses returning encourage others to return

economic consequences of re-urbanisation

new shops and services open, boosting the economy
tourism increases in the city centre
original residents may have been unskilled
so work now increases

social consequences of re-urbanisation

less unemployment leads to less crime
more students in state schools
house prices increases so original residents move out
possible tension between original and new residents
shops may replace the shops for the original residents

environmental consequences of re-urbanisation

redevelopment of brownfield sites improves old industrial and polluted areas
decreases pressures on greenfield areas
could destroy urban wildlife