3. Challenges of an urbanising world

• Urbanisation

  The process by which an increasing percentage of a country's population come to live in towns and cities
• Urbanisation varies across the globe
• Developed countries show the highest levels of urbanisation, with the lowest levels being in Africa and SE Asia
• More people now live in towns and cities than in rural areas
• Reasons for increase in urban population

  1. Decline of industry in developed countries, as the industry moved overseas to emerging countries and developing countries to take advantage of a cheaper workforce, government incentives, tax breaks, etc.

  2. Industrial growth in emerging countries and 'pulled' people from rural regions to urban areas, with the hope of a better life and employment
• Urbanisation in developing countries

  • Most new economic development is concentrated in the big cities
  • Push-pull factors lead to high rates of rural-to-urban migration
  • Cities are experiencing higher levels of natural increase in population
• Urbanisation growth rate differ not only between countries across the globe but also within countries
• Global Urban Trends

  • Developed: Slow or declining rate of urban growth, Examples: UK, Germany, Japan, and America
  • Emerging: Rapid rate of urban growth, Examples: India, Russia, Brazil and China
  • Developing: The fastest rates of urbanisation, Examples: Sub-Saharan countries such as Rwanda and Ethiopia and Asia such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and the Philippines
• Because the industrial revolution 'pulled' the population into developing urban areas at that time


  Nowadays, many people in HICs are being 'pushed' away from overcrowded cities to rural settlements
• HICs tend to have good transport and communication networks therefore, people can live in rural areas and commute to cities or work from home
• Key trade hub cities are seeing greater growth than others due to investment from the government and TNCs
• Trade such as finance, electronics and manufactured goods
• Asia is expected to contribute towards 60% of global growth by 2030
• Most new economic development is concentrated in the big cities through investment in low-cost manufacturing of textiles, garments and shoes
• Developed countries have lower rates of urbanisation as towns and cities already exist
• In 1900, there were just 2 'millionaire'' cities (London and Paris), by 2018 this had grown to 512
• Due to modern transport and communication, urban areas are sprawling into rural regions to create conurbations, further adding to the growth of urban areas
• Megacities

  Cities with more than 10 million people
• In 1970 there were only 4 megacities, By 2000 there were 15, 2007 saw more people living in an urban environment than a rural one, In 2018 that rose to 33
• Largest growth of megacities is seen in Asia - Tokyo has close to 37.3 million people
• By 2050 it is thought that more than two-thirds (7 billion) of the world population will live in urban areas
• This scaling up of the urban environment is the fastest in human history
• Reasons for growth of megacities

  • Economic development
  • Population growth
  • Economies of scale
  • Multiplier effect
• World cities

  Megacities have a powerful attraction for people and businesses, They are influential cores with large peripheries, World or global cities can be any size but exert particular influences around the globe, They are considered prestigious, with status and power, They are critical hubs in the global economy
• The three top (alpha) world cities are London, New York, and Tokyo
• There are only four world cities in the southern hemisphere: Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires
• Urban primacy

  Some countries have what is called urban primacy and they exert dominance over the rest of the country, They are usually cities with the largest concentration of urban population, e.g. London is larger than Greater Manchester, Mexico City is larger than Guadalajara, Lagos is larger than Kano
• Primate cities are a bigger draw for migrants, Small cities miss out on new business and investments, Rapid primate growth concentrates urban problems such as pollution, poverty, crime and traffic congestion
• Factors affecting the rate of urbanisation

  • Speed of economic development
  • Rate of population growth
• How economic growth drives urbanisation

  1. Growth of secondary and tertiary employment sectors

  2. Demand for labour
• Natural increase

  Slow way of meeting labour demand, accounts for roughly 60% of urban population growth due to decreased death rates and higher birth rates
• Rural-urban migration

  More important source of labour, attracts a wider pool of people into the urban region
• Counter urbanisation

  Where people move from an urban area into the surrounding rural region
• Rates of urbanisation are lower in developed countries as a higher percentage of the population already live in towns and cities
• In 1900 there were just 2 'millionaire' cities, by 2018 this had grown to 512
• Mega city

  Cities with more than 10 million people
• Due to modern transport and communication, urban areas are sprawling into rural regions to create conurbations, further adding to the growth of urban areas
• Push factor

  The reality of the current situation for the migrant, what makes the person consider moving from the place of origin
• Pull factor

  The perceived outcome, what the migrant imagines the move will bring to the place of destination
• Types of push-pull factors

  • Social
  • Economic
  • Political
  • Environmental