6.2 Urban Trends + Issues

Question 1

Counter-urbanisation

Answer 1

• The movement of people from larger urban areas into smaller urban areas or rural areas, thereby leap-frogging the rural-urban fringe

Question 2

Re-urbanisation

Answer 2

• the movement of people and economic activities back into city centres

Question 3

Suburbanisation

Answer 3

• The movement of people from living in the inner parts of the city to living on the outer edges of
• it has been facilitated by the development of railways/transport networks and increase in car ownership - allowing people to travel to work

Question 4

Urban growth

Answer 4

Increase in city’s total population and increase in physical size

Question 5

Urbanisation

Answer 5

• An increase in proportion of the country’s population living in cities and towns
• causes are increased population growth and migration from rural areas

Question 6

Mega city

Answer 6

A city with a population of more than 10 million

Question 7

World cities

Answer 7

• those that have great influence on a global scale, because of their financial status and world wide connective power
• they often house the headquarters of many TNCs
• centre of business finance and provide international consumer services

Question 8

Urban revolution

Answer 8

A major change in the form and growth of settlements due to significant technological change

Question 9

Urban redevelopment

Answer 9

the complete clearance of existing buildings and site infrastructure, and construction of new buildings, often for a different purpose, from scratch

Question 10

Urban renewal

Answer 10

Involves keeping the best elements of the existing urban environment (often because they are safeguarded by planning regulations) and adapting them to new uses

Question 11

Urban regeneration

Answer 11

An attempt to reverse the decline of an urban area through significant investment in the economy and physical infrastructure of the area

Question 12

Infrastructure

Answer 12

• The built facilities, generally publicly funded, that are required in order to serve a community’s developmental and operational needs
• infrastructure includes things such as roads, water and sanitation systems

Question 13

Causes of urban decline?

Answer 13

• political decisions - the government might favour certain areas, cities or regions so increase funding and investment in these areas. Within a city, local councils might fund projects in only some areas due to cost, leading to other areas receiving less investment
• out-migration - wealthier or skilled people might move out (suburbanisation) leaving poorer groups = employment might be an issue
• poor quality housing stock - outdated services provided, poor maintenance of properties, people can’t afford to make home improvements
• loss of industry (deindustrialisation) due to the changing market/conditions might lead to a lack/withdrawal of investment - unemployment
• concentration of low income groups —> urban decay because of poverty + could lead to higher crime levels
• poor environmental conditions - run down + derelict buildings, poor air quality, pollution, lack of open space, empty factories - vandalism

Question 14

Why do people move back - reubranisation?

Answer 14

• an area that was once a low-income area can become fashionable through gentrification due to certain features which draw higher social groups towards it
• e.g. attractive park, larger than average housing, close proximity to a railway station/city centre, attractive history and heritage of an area

Question 15

Positive impacts of gentrification?

Answer 15

• derelict houses are renovated
• trendier shops/ restaurants
• more job opportunities

Question 16

Negative impacts of gentrification

Answer 16

• house prices increase
• social housing replaced by owner occupied housing
• lower socio-economic groups feel pushed out
• community changes - friction between long-standing residents
• often ethnic minorities in lower income groups are dispersed from the area

Question 17

Urbanisation in LICs

Answer 17

• cities in LICs have grown at an alarming rate + are unable to cope with its population
• this leads to many living in slums
• most migrants in LICs lack education + skills —> end up working in the informal sector

Question 18

Issues of the rapid development of urban areas?

Answer 18

• people can’t afford to rent/buy apartments -> end up in slums
• some don’t have the literacy skills to join urban jobs -> have informal jobs -> irregular wages
• urban areas can’t cope with growing population -> standards of living lower as people are forced to live in slums

Question 19

What caused urbanisation in HICs?

Answer 19

Industrial Revolution - the agricultural revolution took place in the 17th century + this freed labour from the land providing the necessary work force for the Industrial Revolution

Question 20

What caused urbanisation in LICs and MICs?

Answer 20

• they are growing due to rural to urban migration for job opportunities
• many migrants live in informal settlements

Question 21

How will global urbanisation develop in the future?

Answer 21

• urbanisation will occur faster in LICs because TNCs are investing in them
• e.g. China investing in Sub-Saharan Africa

Question 22

Problems with slums

Answer 22

• overcrowded
• limited or no access to basic services - water, electricity
• unstable homes - poor infrastructure
• majority of people work in informal sector - don’t pay taxes - reduced government spending on health care, public services and infrastructure
• government can’t provide health and safety policies - leading to many people working in appalling conditions + child labour being present
• however - if slums were removed there would be a loss of cheap labour

Question 23

Cycle of urbanisation (UK)

Answer 23

• increase in proportion of people living in towns and cities (Industrial Revolution 1800)
• suburbanisation (1860-1960) - urban areas spread outwards as railway lines allowed people to live further away from work causing a rapid period of house building - e.g. stoneliegh
• counterurbanisation - from 1960 onwards people have left urban areas to move to smaller settlements outside the city - e.g. metropolitan village - Bayston Hill
• re-urbanisation - beginning in 1990s people have begun to return to urban areas due to redevelopment, reduction in crime and new housing

Question 24

Factors causing deindustrialisation?

Answer 24

External factors: competition from abroad, new technologies, factories moved abroad as it is cheaper- e.g. London Docklands with containerisation

Internal factors: resource depletion, mechanisation, environmental degradation, civil unrest

Question 25

Cycle of urban decline following deindustrialisation

Answer 25

• industries and businesses start to reduce workforce + relocate
• industry buildings left empty -> derelict buildings, more vandalism and burglary
• more people unemployed - outmigration of skilled workforce in search for jobs
• people have less money to spend - low shops + services get less income, some may turn to crime
• schools and shops start to close -> low investor confidence in area
• urban decline