UK

• Overview of the distribution of population

  The population is very unequally distributed over the four parts of the UK:

  • england - approx. 84%
  • wales - 5%
  • scotland - 8.5%
  • northern ireland - <3%
• Overview of major cities in the UK

  • The upland areas in the UK have low population densities.
  • Highest population densities in the south east, in the area around London. Housing shortages are the worst here.
  • Highest population densities in low-land areas because favourable climates and terrain that is easier to build on
• Location of London

  • located in the South East of England,
  • located on the River Thames.
  • Most densely populated area of the UK.
  • It hosts the UK parliament.
• Importance of London in the UK

  • UK's capital, largest, wealthiest city
  • Transport hub
  • Generates 22% UK's GDP
  • Londoners earn 23% > UK's average
• Importance of London internationally

  • London is one of the two most important financial centres in the world.
  • London is home to 15 of the head offices of the 250 largest companies in the world
  • has 40 higher education institutions, including some of the World’s top universities
• London's population and growth

  • Not a megacity, 8.6 million inhabitants
• Impacts of internal / national migration in the UK 


  Internal migration has been negative

  • Number of UK residents leaving London > than the number of UK residents moving into London.
  • Internal migrants in London tend to be 20-30, UK residents leaving London tend to be 30 >, with families.
• Impacts of international migration into London 


  International migration into London has been positive:

  • More foreign people moving into London, than leaving London
• How has natural increase impacted London's population?


  • More births than deaths due to improved healthcare, so higher life expectancy + lower death rates.
  • This has boosted the population size.
• London's multicultural nature


  • It is genuinely one of the most multicultural places on the planet with many different races, cultures and languages in evidence throughout the city.
  • Has changed the character of London.
• Social and economic opportunities in London 


  1. Cultural mix
  2. Recreation + entertainment
  3. Employment
  4. Integrated transport systems
• What is cultural mix in London, and its impact?


  Refers to a country/place that has more than one culture living together in close proximity.

  Impact :

  • Enriches London's cultural life : food, life, music e.g Notting Hill Carnival
  • Borough of Newham - white people are in minority
  • Highlights how broadly tolerant + liberal London citizens are.
• What is recreation + entertainment, and its impact in London? 


  London - hub for recreation + entertainment

  • Cultural attractions - British Museum, the National Gallery
  • Tourist attractions - Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament
  • Sporting events - Wimbledon
  • China Town
• Employment opportunities 


  • London houses a major world financial centre and a range of business specialisms which attract a highly skilled workforce.
  • Largest contributor to UK's economy
  • London residents are more likely to be employed in tertiary + quaternary sector - IT, providing services + information, managerial + professional roles - earn more money
  • Earn 23 % more than the UK's average
• Integrated transport systems opportunities

  • Also London is surrounded by the major motorway the M25, and have four airports within 1 hour from it e.g Heathrow.
  • Eurostar connecting London to Europe by train.
  • Public transport accounts for 25% of all journeys
• What does integrated transport mean?

  • all of the different forms of transport can link to one another (boat, bus, tube, rail)
• environmental: urban greening opportunities

  • Creating ROOFTOP green spaces, a huge range of green spaces open to the public within its urban areas.
  • The new Olympic Park (Queen Elizabeth Park), has many parks for leisure activities and walking.
  • Public parks + garden spaces
• Positive impacts of urban greening

  These green spaces are essential for people’s

  • quality of life - cleaner air
  • environment : reduce flooding, wildlife,
  • making cities more liveable and reducing stress levels of residents
  • Trees absorb CO2 and act as carbon sinks helping to reduce carbon emissions
• Social + economic challenge : Urban deprivation

  
  

  
  

  Social deprivation is the degree to which an individual/area is deprived of services, decent housing, adequate income + local employment.

  • Poorest inhabitants; hard for them to have decent standard of living due to the expenses of things being high, especially rents, which account for a large proportion of their income .
  • Aras like Newham have the lowest life expectancies, lowest household incomes, lowest number of students attaining GCSE
• Inequalities in housing, education, health and employment:

  • Billionaires live in close proximity to people who survive on less than the living wage (Grenfell Tower). Tensions between the rich and the poor
  • Over 2 million people live in poverty
• Inequalities in housing 


  • House prices + rents are higher in London than any other part in the UK.
  • More people rent than own a house.
  • Simultaneously, there are people living in very expensive, high-quality housing.
• Inequalities in education in London


  • Children across London do not get equal exam grades.
  • Schools in the poorest areas attain lowest number of GCSE points per pupil.
  • Schools in the poorest areas are amongst the fastest improving schools in the country.
• Inequalities in health


  • Richer people tend to live longer than the poorer people in London, and acquire better health
• Inequalities in employment 


  • London unemployment remains a major issue.
  • The unemployment rate was 10.0 per cent > 8.4 per cent for the UK
• Inequalities in cultural mix

  • Many people can't speak english so have limited access to the plethora of advantages of being in the UK
  • Ghettos, where economically poorer cultural groups live, leading to crime + formation of gangs.
  • Public services e.g schools + hospitals have to offer translation services which is costly
• Environmental challenge : Dereliction

  • There is a sizable supply of brownfield land in London, which to date.
  • Derelict land has the opportunity to be brought back into use.
  • Abandoned, demolished areas of land.
• Why Building on brownfield and greenfield sites is needed?

  • Meeting the demand of housing is a problem for the UK
  • There is a huge housing shortage in the South East, which is causing high property prices and rental costs
• Benefits of building on Brownfield sites

  • Well connected to Central Business District
  • Connected to road + power networks
  • Cleans up dirty, abandoned land
• Negatives of building on Brownfield sites

  • Expensive to redevelop + maintain
  • Contribute to noise + air pollution to people who live nearby
• Statistics of building on brownfield sites

  • Built up to 50,000 new homes on 20 brownfield sites
• Why does London suffer from Waste disposal and air pollution?

  • due it s size and the dense road network
• Problems of waste


  • with a population as high as it is it produces huge amounts of waste.
  • 34% waste ending up in landfills
  • landfill sites expected to run out in 8 years, so more rural land will have to be used to dispose of waste
• Define rural-urban fringe

  • The edges of cities
• Growth of commuter settlements and the impact of urban sprawl on the rural–urban fringe:

  What is happening on the rural urban fringe?

  • Increasing building in these areas due to housing pressure
  • Despite Greenbelt laws that prevent building there
  • Loses the character as many identical buildings built there
• Urban sprawl definition

  • the growth of towns and cities spreading and taking over areas of the countryside/greenfield lands
• Problems with urban sprawl

  • Increased traffic
  • Health issues due to stress
  • Extra cost to tax payer (paying for new infrastructure : roads)
  • Loss of rural land, habitat, wildlife
  • More congestion + pollution as those living in commuter settlements have to commute into work
• China town : Changing London character


  People from other countries bring shops

  The clustering of many migrants from China in one place in London has led to the development of Chinatown (1) where many buildings are in Chinese style and there are a number of Chinese supermarkets
• Urban greening definition

  • The process of increasing and preserving open space such as public parks and gardens in urban areas