Urban Issues And Challenges Flashcards
What is urbanisation?
a growth in the population of a country’s population living in urban areas (% of population)
% of world’s population living in urban areas
55%
Rural to Urban Migration
when large numbers of people migrate from villages in the countryside (rural) to the main cities (urban) in search of a better life.
examples of push factors
not enough jobs, high crime rate, pollution, poor medical care, poverty, lack of freedom, few job opportunities
examples of pull factors
better education, more fertile land, more wealth, better medical care, peaceful living conditions, better housing
Megacity -
A metropolitan area with a total population in excess of ten million people
Why do megacities grow so quickly?
- Coasts allow global trade in port cities e.g Shenzhen
- TNCs have focused production in urban areas > wealth for governments.
- Access to imported medical care + technology are examples of changes in natural increase
Why is Lagos a good location for a city?
It is on the Atlantic Ocean coast so there is increased trade with other nations, increasing the wealth of Lagos as a lot of trade (imports + exports) happens on the Harbour.
Jobs are also provided to run the Harbour.
Tourism in beacches brings money to Lagos and offers jobs.
Lagos - Statistics on Rural to Urban Migration
7 million migrants between 1990 and 2004.
Population - 300,000 to 20,000,000 from 1950 to today
Push Factors for LAGOS
- Boko Haram are a terrorist group in N/E Nigeria.
- Large scale pollution in areas such as the Niger Delta by oil production.
- Severe drought in the North makes small scale farmers to bad harvests > food can be scarce.
Pull Factors for LAGOS
- Lagos is well connected by air and has a sea port.
- Lagos is home to Nigeria’s movie industry named ‘Nollywood’
- Lagos has more schools, better healthcare facilities and more entertainment
Natural increase in LAGOS
- Fertility rate of 5.65 births per women.
- Better healthcare leads to a lower infant mortality rate.
- More children reach adulthood so the population booms.
Definition - social opportunities:
Access to basic services and how these can improve your quality of live.
Examples of social opportunites in LAGOS
- Education
- Healthcare
- Clean Water
- Energy
inc statistics
Education as a social opportunity in LAGOS
- 11,226 primary schools
- 2,565 secondary schools
- 98% of Lagos’ children in education
- 61% national average (37% lower)
- 10 universities and 5 technical and vocational schools.
inc statistics
Healthcare as a social opportunity in LAGOS
- closer to healthcare than in rural areas
- Life Expectancy rose from 37 in 1960 to 52.5 in 2014 = a 41.2% increase.
- Neonatal mortality rate = 29/1000 compared to 39/1000
- Post-neonatal mortality rate = 16/1000 compared to 31/1000
- Under-five mortality rate = 50/1000 compared to 120/1000
- Number of doctors per patient = 1 per 5,014 compared to 1 per 10,000
inc statistics
Clean Water as a social opportunity in Lagos:
- clean water supply is 81%.
- only wealthiest 10% have a reliable piped water supply.
- others have to rely on stand pipes in the street or water from vendors.
inc statistics
Energy as a social opportunity in Lagos:
- Not very good
- Only wealthy people have access to it
- You can buy a generator though
statistics.
Lagos as a transport hub - ecomomic opportunity:
- Lagos Lagoon provides a sheltered harbour for ships making it accessible.
- Murtala Muhammed International Airport is the main arrival point for 80% of flights to West Africa.
- In 2015, over 7 million passed through the airport.
- Main base for Arik Air, Nigeria’s largest airline.
stats
How important is Lagos to Nigeria’s economy?
- 30% of Nigeria’s GDP
- 10% of population
- New city called Eco Atlantic.
- Will employ 150,000 people and be home to 250,000 people
stats
How does employment differ between Nigeria and Lagos?
- 78% of workforce work in Tertiary industries (jobs providing a service).
- In Nigeria as a whole, this figure rose from 20% in 2000 to 50% in 2016.
Formal economy definition:
Employees pay tax to the local or national government and are entitled to some worker’s rights.
Informal economy definition:
No tax paid, workers do jobs such as street vending (40% do this and it accounts for 90% of Lagos’ new jobs).
Statistics and Facts
Olososun - Nigeria’s biggest landfill site
- 100 acre dump in the centre of Lagos.
- 10,000 tonnes of rubbish every day.
- Waste from 500 container ships is also delivered.
- 1,000 homes are found here.
- Residents sort 3,000 tonnes of waste by hand, picking out valuable items to sell.
- Harvesting methane for energy produces 25MW of electricity, enough to power a town.
stats/facts
Lagos Island - formal economy
- Bank (tertiary)
- Market (food, jobs)
- Technology (tertiary, business, disposable income)
stats
Challenges of growth in Lagos
- 65% live in slums/settlements
- 12 hospitals (understaffed, underequipped, underfunded)
- 1% of households connected to sewers
- Air pollution caused around 11,200 premature deaths.
- 3 hours of traffic per day
- 40% of Nigeria are connected to energy grid and power supply difficulties are experienced 75% of the time.
- 10% have a treated, piped water supply
- 25% unemployment rate
Location and Population of Makoko
- S/E Lagos
- On the lagoon
- N/W of the CBD
- 6 miles S/E of Airport
- 250,000 population
What is Makoko?
An example of an informal settlement in Nigeria.
Problems facing residents in Makoko -
- High rates of HIV/AIDS
- Dirty water not suitable for fishing or drinking
- illegal to live there
- Houses are built from hardwood
- Life Expectancy below 50
- 6-10 per house
Problems with vendors
- not many, so can charge high prices
- Vendors can be part of an organised crime group
- Dirty water causes disease such as cholera or dysentry
- Girls have to carry the 8 gallons of water many miles, bending your back
Issues with Makoko’s old school
- Not enough space
- Flooding
- Structural failures
How was Makoko’s floating school designed?
- using pre-existing materials
- compost toilets
- collects rainwater
- air conditioned
- Built on stilts to adapt to rising sea levels
How does the floating school solve the challenges?
- Low-cost
- Recyclable
- Uses solar panels which is cheap and solves air pollution
- Sloped roofs to harvest rainwater
Population density -
Number of people per square km
Why are the UK’s cities located where they are?
- London is close to the M25, easy access. It has multiple airports. Thamesport increases container trade.
- B’ham close to M6, easy access. Near a coalfield, historically used for power. Has an airport.
B’ham’s population over time
Risen by 4% since 1981
Birmingham’s location
- West Midlands
- Lots of motorways e.g M6 (goes north), M42 (goes east)
- M40 can take you to London