Megacities Flashcards
What is a Megacity?
A city with a population of over 10 million
What are the reasons for the growth in megacities? (5 reasons)
1) Levels of development- strong economy/jobs/FDI
2) Types of migrants= young,skilled entrepreneurial
3) Planning= government strategies eg on infrastructure
4) Rate of population growth= high BR
5) Urban processes= reurbanisation and urban sprawl
What is a world city?
A city with major economic and political power
What things influence a world city?
1) Political influence eg New York is home of the UN
2) Transport and communication eg international passengers at Heathrow
3) Economic power eg stock exchanged and TNC headquarters
What is the case study for a megacity/world city in a MEDC?
Los Angeles, USA
Why did LA grow?
1) Arrival of railway in 1876 stimulated growth
2) Discovery of oil
3) Development of film industry in Hollywood 1920’s onwards
What is the case study for a megacity in a LEDC?
Mumbai, India
How had Mumbai tried to be sustainable?
Transport: 25km bridge over the Bay of Mumbai, first metro line (2008), 160 energy efficient train.
Housing: 45,000 shanty town demolished, Dharavi development project.
Environment: 325 new open parks built.
Employment: 200,000 new jobs in service sector
Why are some megacities in LEDC unsustainable?
1) Lack of adequate housing eg slum settlements
2) Poor health lack of sanitation/medical facilities
3) Weak urban governance eg corruption
4) Low environmental quality eg pollution,poor infrastructure
5) Poverty eg low wages+ unemploymeny
Name 3 ways you can improve slum housing
1) Site and service: make roads,sewers and water connections before slums develop.
2) Social housing: new homes are built for slum dwellers and slums are demolished
3) Eviction: People forcibly removed from the slums which are then demolished
Give 3 advantages and disadvantages of ‘site and service’
+ Prevents urban sprawl
+ Health benefits of having water and sanitation
+ Local people not government construct the homes
- Its expensive
- Requires careful planning and site management
- Difficult to persuade residents to move in
Give 3 advantages and disadvantages of ‘social housing’
+ It creates good quality housing
+Quick way to remove slum housing
+ Improves peoples quality of life
- Its expensive
- New housing could be to expensive for residents
- May lead to evictions
Give 3 advantages and disadvantages of ‘Evictions’
+ A rapid solution
+ New housing is provided for those evicted
+ Allows infrastructure projects to be completed
- Brings international condemnation
- Breaks trust between people and authorities
- The process is often violent and chaotic
