How is the UK changing in the 21st century?

• Physical features

  • Scotland and Wales are the most mountainous regions.
  • In the south and east of England land is flat and suited for settlements, roads and railways.

  
• Precipitation patterns

  • Highest in the north and west, average annual precipitation is 2800mm.
  • Lowest in the south and east, average annual precipitation is 500mm.

  
• UK relief rainfall

  • Prevailing winds from the southwest.
  • Air carrying moisture reaches upland areas and is forced up to produce relief rainfall.
  • Other side of the upland area has little moisture, called rain shadow.

  
• Water stress

  • Most rainfall in the north and west.
  • South and east have the greatest demand due to higher population, agriculture and industry.
• Water stress solutions

  • Transfer water from wet areas to drier areas using a pipeline.
  • Construct new reservoirs to capture and store water in the east.
• Population density

  • Average is 281 people per km2.
  • Most populous region is the south east of England, London, Birmingham and Manchester.
  • Areas of attractions, employment and entertainment.
  • Lowest density is the north, Scotland due to mountainous landscape.

  
• Land percentages in the UK

  • Grass 52%.
  • Arable 20%.
  • Forest 12%.
  • Urban 14%.
  • Water 1%.
  • Other 1%.
• Land use in the UK

  • Mountainous areas have poor soil and harsh climate, crop growth is limited.
  • Grasslands in the west, wet and mild climate, ideal for rich pastures for beef, dairy and sheep.
  • Arable farming in the east and south of England, due to warm, dry and sunny climate, crops and flowers.
  • Coniferous woodlands in north, Wales and Scotland.
  • Urban areas spiralling outwards.
• Housing shortage

  • Rise in population means shortage in housing.
  • UK needs to build 250,000 homes a year, only half is built.
  • House prices rise, become unaffordable.
• Migration

  The movement of people across an official boundary, either internationally or nationally with the intention of creating a permanent place of residence.
• Impacts of national migration

  • prior to 18th century, many UK residents lived in rural areas, relying on agriculture as the main form of employment.
  • during 19th century, the Industrial Revolution saw a rise in number of people concentrated in cities, as they migrated from rural to urban to seek employment and better pay.
  • UK is in the post-industrial phase, population spread around cities.
• UK's changing age structure

  • immigrants are young with young families.
  • UK is becoming an ageing population.

  
• Demographic transition model

  • based on the changes that took place in the UK.
  • birth and death rates change over time, affecting overall population as the country develops.
  • gap between birth rate and death rate is called natural change.

  
• UK and the DTM

  • 1700-1760, high fluctuating birth and death rates, population remains low and stable.
  • 1760-1870, early expanding as birth rates remain high but death rates begin falling rapidly, natural change increases.
  • 1870-1950, late expanding as birth and death rates decline rapidly, natural change is rapid.
  • 1950-2020, low fluctuating birth and death rates, population remains high and stable, there is little natural change.
  • 2020, potential decline, death rates begins to increase but birth rates decline further, natural change falls.
• Ageing population

  • 18% of the UK population is over 65.
  • distribution of older people is higher in coastal areas.
  • average age is 37 in major conurbations.
  • average age is 45 in remote rural areas.

  
• Responses to ageing population

  • government pension bonds to encourage older people to save money for the future.
  • pensioners receive support in care, transport and heating to make life more comfortable.
  • allowing more immigration provides the demand needed of a younger workforce needed for the economy.
• Social effects of ageing population in the UK

  • healthcare services under pressure.
  • older people do more voluntary work.
• Economic effects of ageing population in the UK

  • taxes rise to pay for healthcare and services.
  • older people pay less taxes and have more disposable income.
• Ethnic diversity in the UK

  • 18% of the UK population belongs to a black, Asian, mixed or other ethnic group.
  • Bristol is increasingly diverse, in 2011 15% of the population was from an ethnic minority group.
  • the change has been driven by Polish, Somalian and Indian people.
  • this results in a mix of cultures and different forms of entertainment and hospitality, and a wide food industry.
• UK's changing economy

  • in the last few decades heavy manufacturing industries have declined due to competition abroad.
  • UK is moving into service industries like finance.

  
• Clarke-fisher model

  • pre-industrial stage, most people worked in the primary sector such as farming or mining.
  • industrial stage, more people moved into the secondary sector of manufacturing.
  • post-industrial stage, emphasis is on service-based tertiary sector and quaternary sectors of research and ICT.
• Clarke-fisher model reading

  • pre industrial, 70% of people were employed within primary industry and lived in rural areas.
  • 1850's, jobs in primary rapidly declines to 15% in 1900.
  • 1900, 60% worked in secondary.
  • 1950's, tertiary overtook secondary as the main employment sector.
  • 1970's onwards there's a steady rise in quaternary sector and development.
  • 70% of people are now employed in the tertiary sector.

  
• Cause of economic change in the UK

  • de-industrialisation, decline in traditional manufacturing industries, growth in the tertiary and quaternary sectors due to global shift of manufacturing to developing countries where labour cost is cheaper.
  • globalisation and increased world trade with cheaper imported goods, further decline in manufacturing.
• Government policy changes

  • 1979-2010, UK economy grew strongly and unemployment decreased due to increase investment in education and technology.
  • 2008, the UK entered a recession, unemployment increased.
  • recession ended in 2009, creating a strong focus for decreasing national debt during 2010 elections.
  • 2016, Brexit causes the UK to pull out of the EU.
• Changes at work

  • increase in female workers.
  • paid holidays and maximum working hours reduced from 48 hours a week to 40 or less.
  • increased self-employment opportunities.
  • flexible working patterns, part-time work, paternity leave, homeworking.
• North-south divide

  • the divide reflects the political, regional and economic gap between the north and south of England.
  • policies like aggressive deindustrialisation, privatisation and the housing act, widened the gap between these regions.
  • these caused unemployment, strikes and rising costs for people living in the north.

  
• UK's core economic hubs

  • Belfast Titanic Quarter, film studio, offices and education based on the old shipyard.
  • Aberdeen, centre for the north sea oil and gas industry, now developing as a research and development hub.
  • Salford, media industry including BBC and ITV, manufacturing of chemicals.
  • Silicon Glen, high-tech industries based in key Scottish cities, they focus on electronics and software.
  • Bristol, creative and digital industries, key services such as law and finance.
  • Silicon Fen, high tech research hubs associated with Cambridge University.
• Cambridge

  • one of the most important major economic hubs in the UK.
  • located in south east of England, along the M11 growth corridor, home to a top university.
  • 20,000 biotech and IT companies, its economy is set to grow by £170 million making it the fastest-growing city in the country.
  • businesses generate a combined £30 billion.
  • Cambridge attracts 4 million tourists a year.
  • Cambridge workers are rated the most highly skilled in the country with an average salary of £40,000 a year, one of the highest in the country.
  • unemployment is lower than 3%.
• Cambridge north west development

  • its national and global importance grew with the development of Cambridge cluster in 1960's, the university helped academics commercialise their ideas, back their companies by developing Trinity College's Cambridge Science park in 1970.
  • 1990, company formations reached average two per week.
  • recently, the university has a £1 billion investment in a research facility, which will include 3000 new homes, new schools, a nursery, shops and surgeries.
  • with another £1 billion from the government, the city will further develop a new railway station, houses and roads.