Urban Future

• Urbanisation in Advanced Countries (ACs):

  • Rate of urbanisation has slowed down because most people already live in cities due to urbanisation happening earlier during the Industrial Revolution
  • Cities become more crowded, causing some people to move back to rural areas
  • Improved transport infrastructure allows people in ACs to commute from further away and from rural areas
• Urbanisation in Emerging Developing Countries (EDCs):

  • Experiencing rapid urbanisation
  • Example: In 1978, 18% of China's population lived in cities, in 2018, 59% lived in cities
  • Urbanisation rates in EDCs depend on economic development levels
• Urbanisation in Low Income Developing Countries (LIDCs):

  • Example countries: Ethiopia, Niger, Nepal
  • Ethiopia had an estimated 20% of its population living in towns or cities in 2019
  • Expectation for rapid urbanisation in LIDCs due to lower economic development
• Urbanisation:

  • Growth in proportion of a country's population living in urban areas
• Megacity:

  • Urban area with over 10 million people
  • Most megacities are in EDCs in Asia
  • Predicted to rise to 41 by 2030
• World City:

  • City that has influence over the whole world
  • Centres for trade, business, culture, and science
  • Number of World Cities has increased over time
• Rural-urban migration:

  • Movement of people from countryside to cities
  • Rate in LIDCs affected by push factors and pull factors
• Push Factors for rural-urban migration:

  • Natural disasters damaging property and farmland
  • Mechanisation of agricultural equipment leading to fewer jobs
  • Drought making land unproductive
  • Conflict or war causing people to flee their homes
• Pull Factors for rural-urban migration:

  • More jobs in urban areas
  • Access to better healthcare and education
  • To join family members who have already moved
  • Better perceived quality of life in cities
• Urbanisation in LIDCs caused by:

  • Rural to Urban Migration
  • Internal Growth (higher birth rate than death rate)
• Rapid Urbanisation problems in LIDCs:

  • Social consequences: Squatter settlements, poor health, high crime levels
  • Economic consequences: High unemployment, informal sector exploitation, lack of education access
  • Environmental consequences: Traffic congestion, air pollution, river habitat harm, inefficient waste disposal
• Slum:

  • Crowded urban area with inadequate housing and poor living conditions
  • Lack of clean water supply, sanitation, electricity, waste collection, roads, and street lighting
• São Paulo Slum Rural to Urban Migration:

  • People pulled into the city for better employment opportunities
  • Pushed out of rural areas due to famine, drought, and desire for better services and life
• Urbanisation in ACs:

  • Suburbanisation: Movement to suburbs from city centre
  • Counter-Urbanisation: Movement from urban areas back to rural areas
  • Re-urbanisation: Redevelopment of inner urban areas
• Push Factors for Suburbanisation, Counter-Urbanisation, and Re-Urbanisation:

  • Governments removing slums, de-industrialisation, crime, air pollution, high housing costs, lack of work or entertainment
• Pull Factors for Suburbanisation, Counter-Urbanisation, and Re-Urbanisation:

  • Value for money housing, greenbelt land, easier construction, remote working, better quality of life, access to services
• Consequences of Suburbanisation, Counter-Urbanisation, and Re-Urbanisation:

  • Unemployment, economic and ethnic segregation, congestion, air pollution, impact on wildlife habitats, tourism, job creation
• Lagos:

  • City on the coast of Nigeria, one of the fastest growing urban areas
  • Population growth due to rural-urban migration and international migration
  • Overcrowded, congested, and polluted with limited space for expansion
• Lagos - LIDC case study:

  • Mix of traditional and 'western' influence as development increases
  • Big film industry, music scene, ethnic diversity, ethnic tensions, slum population
• Lagos:

  • About two-thirds of the population live in slums
  • For those who can afford proper housing, it's a mix of old and new buildings
  • The very rich live in gated communities, e.g. on Banana Island
  • Popular leisure activities in Lagos include street parties, pool parties, nightclubbing, and festivals celebrating music, food, and local culture
  • Shopping is popular in Lagos with street vendors, markets, and small shops
  • Consumption of all resources is rising in Lagos as people get wealthier
• Sustainable Solutions in Lagos:

  • Lagos State Integrated Waste Management Project aims to reduce waste going to landfill sites and air pollution
  • Strategies include collecting waste from food markets to turn into compost and generating electricity from waste at rubbish dumps
• London:

  • London is the UK's capital city and a major part of the UK's economy
  • London influences its surrounding area attracting companies, increasing jobs and wealth
  • London is a world city and one of the two most important financial centres in the world
  • London's population is over 8.5 million and growing due to international migration, national migration, and internal population growth
  • London is the most ethnically diverse city in the UK with high migration influencing its character
• London's Characteristics:

  • London has many theatres, museums, art galleries, and is a centre for fashion
  • London has high ethnic diversity with areas like Chinatown having a high proportion of people from one ethnic background
  • London hosts big festivals celebrating different cultures and ethnic backgrounds
  • Housing in London varies from modern apartments in richer areas to higher housing density in poorer areas
• London's Leisure and Tourism:

  • London offers cinemas, concert venues, clubs, pubs, restaurants, shopping areas, and large parks
  • London has world-class sports facilities and hosts popular mass participation sporting events
  • London is one of the most visited cities in the world with high tourist spend
  • London has a significant amount of green space with many parks and water bodies
• London's Challenges:

  • Housing availability is a challenge due to rapid population growth and insufficient homes
  • Transport provision in London is stressed due to rising population and commuters
  • Access to services like healthcare and education can be difficult for poorer people
  • Inequality in London is evident with disparities in income, housing, education, health, and employment
• Sustainable Solutions in London's Transport:

  • Mayor's Transport Strategy aims to improve London's transport network and make it more sustainable
  • Initiatives include building the Elizabeth line, extending the Bakerloo Line, increasing rail and underground capacity, creating more dedicated bus lanes, and introducing congestion charges to decrease congestion and air pollution
• 16% of londoners are the poorest tenth nationally
• generally schools in poor areas get the lowestr number of GCSE points per pupil
• london's empolyment rate is 75%
• average rent in London is double the average rent in the UK
• number of household have risen 31% in the UK since 1971
• average income in Kensington and Chelsea is more than £130,000 but less than £35,000 in Newham
• 25% of London's population are living in poverty]
• the. best state schools in london are oversubscribed and often bery hard to get into
• London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education istitutes in Europe
• Where is Lagos?


  The largest city in Nigeria, located in the SW, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea
• What is the population of Lagos?

  21 million
• How has Lagos' population changed since 1960?


  1) The population was less than 1 million in 1960

  2) Over 250,000 migrants arrive annually causing an outward urban sprawl - since 1960, Lagos has expanded 15km North and 10km West
• How is Lagos important to Nigeria and Africa?

  1) Main financial centre for the whole of West Africa

  2) 80% of Nigeria's industry is based in and around Lagos

  3) Largest airport and seaport in Nigeria
• Give 4 push factors from rural Nigeria

  1) Subsistence farming pays very low wages

  2) Very few opportunities (mainly agriculture)

  3) Northern Nigeria experiences heavy drought leading to malnutrition

  4) NE Nigeria is home to terrorist group 'Boko Haram', which generates political unrest and insecurity in the area