(5) urban futures

• urban trends:

  • globally 50% of population live in urban areas
  • in LIDCs - 10% of population live in urban areas
  • now there is 75% of ACs live in urban areas
• urbanisation = the growth of the proportion of a countries population that's living in an urban area
• megacities = cities with over 10 million people
• world city = a city that has international influence
• 2014: 2/3rds of megacities were in EDCs and LIDCs - mainly Asia (Jakarta)
• urbanisation in LIDCs is caused by:

  1. rural to urban migration
  2. international growth
• rural to urban migration:

  pull =

  • more jobs
  • healthcare access
  • better quality of life

  push =

  • natural disasters
  • mechanisation
  • drought
  • conflict
• international growth:

  higher birth rate than death rate

  • birth rate higher in cities - young people move to cities
  • better healthcare = lower death rate - higher life expectancy
• rapid urbanisation problems:

  positives:

  • more opportunities - eg. healthcare, education
  • higher wealth and economic development

  negatives:

  economic:

  • not enough jobs
  • informal jobs - long hours with poor pay
  • limited access to education

  social:

  • no enough housing - bad quality squatter settlements
  • high crime rate
  • less infrastructure

  environmental:

  • no environmental regulations
  • no rubbish collection
  • toxic chemicals in rivers
  • congestion
• suburbanisation = the movement of people from city centres to the outskirts
• suburbanisation:

  push:

  • overcrowded
  • high crime rates
  • low quality of life
  • deindustrialisation
  • low employment
  • less services

  pull:

  • low pollution
  • more green areas
  • newer housing
  • cheaper
  • improved public transport
• consequences of suburbanisation:

  economic:

  • fewer houses
  • businesses leave

  social:

  • abandoned run down buildings
  • vandalism
  • wealth leaves

  environmental:

  • new housing on land - effect habitats
  • concrete ground
  • increased air pollution