Geoghraphy

• Urbanisation, the proportion of a population living in urban areas, is also increasing
• Today, more than 55% of the world's population live in urban areas, by 2050 it is estimated this figure will rise to 68%
• Reasons for urbanisation growth

  • Natural increase
  • Migration
• Urbanisation has not occurred at an even rate across the world
• HICs (e.g. Europe and North America)


  • Were the first to urbanise due to the process of industrialisation in the 19th and first half of the 20th century
• Urbanisation in the UK

  1. Industrial revolution in the early 19th century saw a huge increase in factories opening

  2. Workers migrated to cities to work, often living in housing next to their place of work

  3. By 1851, over half of the UK's population lived in urban areas

  4. By the 1890s, 80% did
• Since 1950 the highest increases in urbanisation has been occurring in NEE and LIC countries, particularly in south east Asia
• Levels of urbanisation vary across the world

  • In most HICs over 75% of the population live in urban areas
  • In LICs, less than half of people live towns or cities
  • Some LICs, such as Niger and Rwanda, have urbanisation levels of less than 20%
• Over 50% of the world's population now live in urban areas, and this number continues to grow
• Rural-urban migration


  The movement of people from rural areas (countryside) to urban areas (towns and cities)
• Reasons for rural-urban migration


  • Push factors (reasons to leave rural areas)
  • Pull factors (reasons to move to urban areas)
• Push factors - reasons to leave rural areas

  • Farming is difficult, and pay is low
  • Climatic factors such as drought or flooding can make farming even more difficult
  • Healthcare is poor as there are few doctors or hospitals
  • Education is very basic as there are few schools
  • There are few opportunities for a person to improve their quality of life
• Pull factors - reasons to move to urban areas

  • There are better paid jobs
  • The chance to have a higher standard of living
  • Healthcare is more readily available
  • There's more opportunity for education
  • Public transport is more frequent and accessible
  • There are a range of entertainment activities in cities
• Natural increase


  The growth of the population which occurs when the birth rate is higher than the death rate
• Natural increase is likely to be high in cities as there is a high proportion of young adults between 18-35 and this group of people are the most likely to have children
• Infrastructure


  Inadequate or outdated infrastructure in megacities, making it difficult to provide essential services like housing, sanitation, and transportation.
• Social and Economic Inequality

  Wealth disparities, poverty, and lack of opportunities in megacities, leading to social unrest and crime.
• Environmental Concerns


  Air and water pollution, waste management, and environmental degradation due to the rapid growth and urbanization of megacities.
• Strategies for sustainably managing the tropical rainforest

  • Selective logging
  • International agreements
  • Debt reduction
  • Ecotourism
  • Hardwood agreements
  • Conservation and education
• Selective logging


  • Only some trees (e.g. old ones) are relied to encourage the growth of the remaining trees
  • Helicopter logging used in Malaysia
• International agreements


  • Carbon targets and reducing rates of deforestation e.g. Paris Agreement
• Debt reduction


  • Countries are relieved of some of their debt in return for protecting their rainforest e.g. in 2011, the USA reduced Indonesia's debt by $29 million in exchange for conserving their rainforest
• Ecotourism


  Responsible travel that minimises damage to the environment and benefits local people
• Ecotourism


  • Ecotourism is the largest source of income for Costa Rica
• Hardwood agreements


  • International companies buy tropical hardwood exported from sustainable foresters e.g. not using valuable woods like teak (FSC)
• Conservation and education


  • Promoting the value and benefits of biodiversity associated with tropical rainforests e.g. Permanent Forest Estates in Malaysia
• Short term environmental damage


  Will lead to long term economic decline
• Economic development


  Is essential to increase living standards, especially in LIC or NEES
• Deforestation can lead to the decline in resources from the rainforest that provide economic benefit e.g. medicine
• Infrastructure, hospitals and education can be improved from the money gained from selling natural resources. Taxes paid by large companies helps to fund essential services to improve development in LIC and NEES
• Hot desert location


  15-30° north and south of Equator
• Desertification


  The process by which land becomes drier and degraded (on desert fringes)
• Causes of desertification


  • Climate change
  • Removal of fuel wood
  • Overgrazing and over-cultivation
  • Population growth
  • Soil erosion
• Appropriate technology


  Technology suited to the needs, skills, knowledge and wealth of local people
• 20% of the world's population, in over 60 countries, have to cope with the threat of desertification
• The Sahara has advanced over 250 km southwards in the past 100 years
• The enhanced greenhouse effect, partially caused by human activity globally, may contribute to increased risks of drought, higher temperatures etc in areas on the fringe of hot deserts
• Trees are cut down for fuel and building. The loss of roots to hold the soil down makes the soils more fragile
• Too many goats, sheep, cattle can destroy the vegetation
• More people need more food which puts pressure on the land