Urbanisation

• In the UK, over half of the population lives in cities or towns.
• Population shift


  Rural locations to urban areas
• Urban growth


  Increase of population in urban environments
• Urban growth occurred in HICs such as the UK due to and during the industrial revolution
• Urban growth is currently occurring in LICs and NEEs such as India due to people being in search for a better quality of life due to TNCs such as Coca Cola dictating industrialisation
• There has been a shift from primary to secondary industries
• In HICs there is deindustrialisation due to economic regulations causing production
• Megacities


  Very large cities with a population of over 10 million
• Urbanisation has caused an increase in megacities
• In the 1960s, the most populated cities were NYC and London at over 10 million
• In the 1960s, most megacities occurred in the northern latitude, in high income countries such as England
• Now Tokyo is the most populated city at over 38 million in 2018, its population has tripled
• There has been a growth in megacities in NEEs such as India such as Delhi and Mumbai
• Delhi has a population of 28 million which has boomed due to increased employment in the secondary sector due to TNCs and the higher wages and more consistent wages
• By 2030 it's predicted 5 new megacities will be produced including Chicago
• Cities such as Tokyo are expected to see a population decline due to an aging population with Jakarta overtaking it as largest megacity
• Dhaka is going to have the most GDP growth
• It is predicted that half of humanity will live in megacities by 2030, with 40 megacities, such as London is predicted to achieve megacity status
• Kenya, a low-income country, has low rates of urbanisation with only 27% of the population living in urban settlements
• In comparison, in the UK 83% of the population live in urban locations
• However, in NEEs and some LICs the rate of urban growth is higher than in HICs. NEEs average rate is 2% while HICs is lower than 1%
• Economic production and organisation


  High concentration of tertiary and quaternary industry such as financial offices, solicitors or even business headquarters in the central business district
• Social and cultural centres

  Museums, theatres, resisting against homogenisation and allowing a better quality of life
• Exchange of ideas and creative thinking

  Urban environments have universities which allow for research and innovation, enabling socio-economic and environmental development
• Centres for political power

  Allow decision making and development
• Urbanisation in HICs occurred due to natural economic growth
• The process of urbanisation began in LICs in the late 18th century and early 19th century due to the industrial revolution, industrialisation led to the creation of factories offering employment
• In England and Wales, the percentage of population living in urban areas jumped from 17% in 1801 to 72% in 1891
• In the late 20th century, England began to experience industrial decline and deindustrialisation, and a secondary shift to the service industry and then the tertiary and quintenary industry
• The shift to service and higher industries is common in HICs due to high levels of education and economy, e.g. in America, Silicon Valley
• Similarities between urbanisation in HICs and LICs

  • Both caused by rural to urban migration due to push and pull factors
  • Both also as a consequence of natural increase due to the young demographic
• Differences between urbanisation in HICs and LICs

  • HICs urbanisation was caused by natural economic progression such as the industrial revolution, this change occurred earlier such as 1800
  • In LICs/NEEs, the processes are now dictated by TNCs who may exploit workers due to lack of regulations but there's cheaper prices overseas
  • HICs had quicker natural industrialisation
• Urbanisation in LICs has occurred since 1950 due to increase in globalisation leading to industrialisation
• Push factors for rural to urban migration in LICs

  • Overcrowding
  • Agricultural problems
  • Higher incidence of disease and poor health
  • Natural disaster
  • Civil unrest
• Pull factors for rural to urban migration in LICs

  • Formal employment
  • Informal employment
  • Better social provision
  • Perceived better quality of life
  • Better educational opportunities
• Problems with housing, traffic, waste disposal, pollution and crime are found in cities globally irrespective of their economic status
• Consequences of urbanisation and urban growth

  • Unemployment and underemployment
  • Transport issues
  • Shortage of houses in LICs
  • Shortage of affordable housing in HICs
  • Lack of urban services and shortage of waste disposal
  • Urban sprawl
• Informal settlements


  Areas of informal and inadequate housing on the urban fringes, often with high levels of inequality and disparity
• Attitudes towards slum occupants are improving in some locations, with increasing humanisation and recognition of their socio-economic opportunities
• In some slums, such as Makoko, outsiders still possess negative prejudice and perceptions of the residents, limiting equality