Urban growth
The process of urbanisation and its causes and consequences in
countries at different stages of development
Global city =/= megacity
Urbanisation:
●
the increase in the proportion of a country's population that live in towns and cities
● main cause is rural-urban migration
● strongly linked to economic devmt and industrialisation
● can lead to severe economic, social and environmental problems
HIC, MIC, LIC: high/middle/low income country
Urbanisation took place in North Am and in the richer countries of Europe earlier (1850-1950,
began during and because of the Ind Rev° but has slowed or stopped). 90%+ of pop° live in
towns and cities.
At the time, overcrowding and pollution like cities in LICS-MICS today
African and SEAsian countries have lower levels of urbanisation took place later. In South Am
levels of urban° are higher with some countries having 75%+ living in towns or cities, rural
exodus since 1950s.
The process of urbanisation remains a very importnat process in LICs and MICs in Afr and Asia.
Some of the fastest growing cities today innclude Dhaka, Karachi, Delhi and Bangkok. The pop°
of all these cities doubled between 1985 and 2000.
Megacities:
●
A megacity has a pop° of over 10million. This can include conurbations (towns
that merge)
In 1900, only Paris and London had a pop° of over 1million, today there are over 400.
Tokyo-Yokohama is the largest urban area with a pop° of over 35million.
, Figures can be confusing bc:
●
number hab doesn't indicate density
● the area included can be different, how much of the periphery is counted?
● Movement of people
● doesn't indicate caracteristics of pop°
● many ppl might be living there unofficially (refugees, immigrants, slum dwellers)
Causes of urban°:
●
natural pop° growth (youthful couples are in cities, lack of contraception)
● rural-urban migration: push factors (environmental problems lead to food
shortages, mecanisation, lack of devmt and healthcare and infrastructure)
● rural-urban migration: pull factors (available jobs in industry)
see ppt for more examples
Consequences of urbanisation:
●
difficulties coping with rapid pop° growth
● boost to economy but pressure on social provisions (doctors, schools...)
● decline in the urban environment (traffic jams, destruction of natural areas like parks)
● overcrowding, homelessness, orphans
● shanty towns (favelas in Brazil, barrios S Am, Zodadpattis in Mumbai, Bustees in
Calcutta), land can often be steep, polluted or marshy; first to be affected by
sanitary problems and epidemics as well as natural disasters
● not enough work for everyone
● unskilled labourers depress wage rates
● women and children work in dangerous and dirty conditions
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