Changing Cities

What effect has urbanisation caused to the world population?

1. More than half of the world's population now lives in urban areas due to urbanisation

2. Current trends show that by 2030, the urban population will increase from 3.8 billion to 5.1 billion

In what areas has the most population growth(in urban areas) occured?

1. In 2014, the urban population in cities in emerging and developing countries was 2.9 billion.

2. This number has increased to 4.1 billion as of 2020

What will the population growth be in cities of developed countries?

There will only be an increase from 1 billion to 1.05 billion people living in the cities of developed countries

When did the urban population of developed countries increase the most?

The urban population, of developed countries, increased the most during the 19th century- during the agriculatural and industrial revolution.

Why did the urban population, of developed countries, increase the most during the 19th century?

1. New technological capital in farms meant that workers were no longer in high demand

2. City centres began to attract workers due to greater opportunities of employment in new factories

What is urbanisation?

The increase in the percentage of people living in towns and cities, causing them to grow

What is counter urbanisation?

The movement of people and employment away from urban areas, back to smaller settlements and rural areas beyond the city, or to other towns and cities.

What is re-urbanisation?

The movement of people back towards cities and urban areas, away from rural areas and the suburbs

Explain the effects of more people moving to urban areas in developing and emerging cities

1. Insufficient time to build houses, resulting in people moving into slums and shanty housing

2. Greater noise pollution, air pollution, plastic pollution

3. Greater investment, creating more economical opportunities

4. The inequality gap between the rich and poor widens

Provide some statsistics for the growth in population of urban areas in the UK

1. The growth of towns and cities in the UK was exponential, with a 10% increase yearly between 1830 and 1890

What percentage of the UK now lives in Urban areas?

82% of the UK population, and the number continues to grow

List two reasons why the urban population grows significantly in developing countries

1. Natural increase

2. Migration from the countryside

How does natural increase result in the excessive growth of the urban population in developing cities?

1. The birth rates would be higher than the death rates. Migrants are usually very young, allowing the death rates to be lower.

2. This is why the child population in developing cities is very high

How does migration from the countryside result in the excessive growth of the urban population in developing countries?

1. Migration from the countryside is stimulated by push factors. This includes the mechanisation, reduction of jobs in farming, crop failure, harsh conditions of rural life.

2. Migration is also stimulated by pull factors. This includes the higher and more sustained wages in cities, the better services such as water pipes, access to education, healthcare, and electricity

What is population density?

The amount of people per square kilometre of the area

What are the 4 reasons for the UK's regional variation in urbanisation?

1. Physical

2. Historical

3. Economical

4. Political

Explain how physical factors cause a regional variation in urbanisation

1. In the North and West regions of the UK, the hills are much higher, the slopes are steeper, and the soils are thinner and in lack of nutrients. This makes farming more hard and wearisome. This explains why there is a low population density(people living per square kilometre of the area) in Northern and Western regions.

2. In contrast, the soils in the Southern regions of the UK( Herefordshire and East Anglia) contain more nutrient rich soils which is more favourable for farming. However, these communities usually have a lower population because they are further away from population urban areas.

Explain how historical factors have caused a regional variation in urbanisation

1 Since the 19th century, the industrial revolution played a big impact in the population distribution of the UK

2. This is because a greater number of factories were build in coalfield areas- such as central Scotland, the north and north East of the UK, and Southern Wales.

3. This caused there to be an increase in the number of industrial cities like Glasgow, Bradford, Manchester, and Birmingham

What are coalfield areas?

Areas with a greater number of coal deposits-underground that can be extracted through mining

Provide some statistical facts of the UK's population growth

1. In 1801, London was the only city in the UK with a population of over 100,000. This changed in 1901 when 33 cities contained populations of over 100,000- 56 of the UK's entire population

2. In 1801, 17% of the UK's population lived in cities with a population of over 10,000, in 1854 54% of the 33 million population lived in towns and cities

What is a conurbation?

An area which contains existing urban areas which have grown and merged into one large urban area

How have the UK's economical factors contributed to the regional variation in urbanisation

1. Since the 1950s, the UK's economic growth focused on improving the tertiary sector- education and healthcare, as well as the quaternary sector- research and development.

2. However, these sectors required a largere area, transport, communication, and access to the growing markets of the European union for a sustainable growth

3. This resulted in these sectors experiencing different levels of growth in the UK, with increasing growths of the tertiary and quaternary sector in the Southern and Southern-eastern areas of the UK- such as Swindon.

4. London, in particular, experienced very high levels of growth, which is why the city is the main driver for the UK's road,rail, and air communcations. London has a very large market, a very big labour force, and is the world centre for banking, culture, and creative industries

How have the UK's political factors contributed to regional variation in urbanisation

1. London is the hub of the UK Government and decision making. This is an important factor for encouraging firms and consumers to move in and around the capital city.

2. This is also reinforced by the UK's relationship with the European Union, as the UK sells and buys a plethora of goods and services within the Union.

3. London's status as one of the most successful financial sectors in the world is also responsible for its sustained growth.