changing cities

• what is urbanisation?


  an increase in the number of people living in the city in more built up areas
• what type of process is urbanisation?

  a global process
• what is a developing country?

  a country with low human development
• what is an emerging country?

  a country with both high and medium development
• what is a developed country?

  a country with very high human development
• what is the main cause of urbanisation in developed countries? (and give an example where)

  industrialisation; for example, in the 18th and 19th centuries in the UK, the mechanisation of farming and rise of factory jobs meant people moved in from rural areas
• what are the two causes of urbanisation in developing countries?

  1. rural to urban migration

  2. natural increase

  >> this has started within the last 50 years
• why are cities in developing/emerging countries growing so quickly? (6)

  1. harsh conditions in rural areas

  2. better jobs

  3. more access to healthcare

  4. more access to education

  5. lack of access to family planning/ natural increase

  6. young people migration into cities
• why are harsh conditions in rural areas causing urbanisation?

  the harsh conditions lead to more people migrating to the city in order to escape conditions, often bringing large families, increasing the population in the city.
• why are better jobs in the city causing urbanisation?

  this leads to more people migrating to the city in order to obtain these better jobs and make a living
• why is more access to healthcare in the city causing urbanisation?

  more people are able to be treated and therefore less die from illnesses and so survive
• why is more access to education in the city causing urbanisation?

  if there is more access to education facilities, more people become well-educated and can obtain jobs
• how is a lack of family planning causing urbanisation?

  a lack of knowledge about contraception leads to a a natural increase where birth rates are higher than death rates, increasing the population
• how is the migration of young people into cities causing urbanisation?

  the youth are attracted to facilities in the city as well as education and so cities become dominated by youngsters who have a longer life span,
• what are the effects of urbanisation?

  - in developing countries, illegal, unplanned shanty towns may develop

  - air, noise and water pollution all increase

  - gap between the rich and poor widens

  - investment increases, leading to greater economic opportunities
• what are the global trends in urbanisation?

  in low income countriess, rapid urbanisation occurs as an increase in health care, education and jobs.

  rates of urbanisation have slowed down in high income countries since the 1960s
• what are the most populated areas in the uk?

  1. london (5000 people/km2)

  2. birmingham

  3. leeds

  4. glasglow

  5. sheffield
• describe the overall population distribution of the UK

  overall uneven but is generally lower in the north and higher in the south. population density average is266 people/km2
• state 4 factors to why UK cities have grown

  1. physical factors

  2. historical factors

  3. economic factors

  4. political factors
• explain how physical factors have influenced the way UK cities grow

  the uk is divided into 2 halves of land:

  - in the north and west the land is higher, slopes are steeper and soil is thin so it is harder to build settlements or for farming to occur.

  - in the south and the east, there is flatter, lower land and richer soils so there is more farming and more settlements as it is easier for it to be built on
• explain how historical factors have influenced the way the UK cities grow

  the industrial revolution has led to rapid growth of factory towns
• explain how recent economic factors have influenced the way UK cities grow

  an increase in transport, health care and education require space and brings job opportunities and people to the city
• explain how political factors have influenced the way UK cities grow

  london is the centre of the uk government and is also a world class financial centre which buys and sells goods
• why does population density vary in the north and the south?

  - fewer major cities and the high relief of the land in the north makes it more difficult to build settlements

  - climate: in scotland, the cooler climate makes living in the area more difficult due to more extreme weather conditions

  - higher rates of urbanisation are found where there are good transport links, for example along theM4 corridor

  - higher rate of urbanisation in southern england because of the proximity to london