Changing Cities: Mexico city

Question 1

What is the site of Mexico City?

Answer 1

In the valley of Mexico. Altitude of 2,240 metres. Area once contained several large lakes. Covers large area of 1,485 sqkm.

Question 2

What is the situation of Mexico City?

Answer 2

Surrounded by volcanoes that reach elevations of 5000m. Relatively flat area but surrounded by mountains.

Question 3

What is the connectivity of Mexico City?

Answer 3

movement of people and goods. Busiest airport in Latin America. 17th biggest airport in the world.

Question 4

Facts about Mexico City

Answer 4

World largest city elevation (over 2000m)
Without direct access to fresh water
21 million population (megacity)
development inequality
12 line metro system
5 million cars
Most cramped city in the world.

Question 5

What is the CBD like of Mexico City?

Answer 5

Contains central square with governmental buildings and a cathedral at centre. e.g. volkswagen or Mcdonalds. Global businesses. Old buildings

Question 6

What is the Inner City of Mexico City?

Answer 6

Contains best housing. Residents have money to buy from shops and most culture is here.

Question 7

What is the Zone of in situ accretion like in Mexico City?

Answer 7

Modest housing located outside zone of maturity. Mixed housing from well kept, modest dwelling to those in despair, highly densely populated.

Question 8

What is the spine like in Mexico City?

Answer 8

It extends from the CBD along a major transportation corridor, like a long road.

Question 9

What is the Elite Residential Sector like in Mexico City?

Answer 9

It surrounds the commercial spine. Residents are capable of taking advantage of the opportunities offered by spine including high quality housing.

Question 10

What is the disamenity like in Mexico City?

Answer 10

Poorest, outermost ring of the city. Makeshift housing of scrap material. Area where rural-urban migrants first encounter and stay until they find better jobs.

Question 11

Describe Mexico Cities CBD

Answer 11

Large buildings, lots of homes, lots of transport routes, looks well kept. Quite gridded, government mainly focuses on these areas. Lots of job opportunites.

Question 12

Describe Mexico Cities older slums

Answer 12

Old and poor houses built like survival shelters. Poorly kept, not focused on by government. no sewage or transport cities likely to be there. Most migrants start off here.

Question 13

What are three reasons for variable population growth of the city?

Answer 13

Rural-urban migration - people leaving countryside in search of jobs, housing, schooling and healthcare.
Rates of natural increase
Economic investment and growth - growth in job opportunities in factories and offices as economic investment was channelled into the city.

Question 14

What are pull factors encouraging people to move to cities?

Answer 14

Better quality education, better healthcare, more job opportunities and more stability.

Question 15

What is the informal economy?

Answer 15

The part of the economy that is not taxed or monitored by the government.

Question 16

What is spatial inequality?

Answer 16

Uneven amount of qualities or resources in a specific area

Question 17

What is the OECD?

Answer 17

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development. Aims to improve the social and economic wellbeing of people around the world.

Question 18

Main reasons for inequality in Mexico city?

Answer 18

Urban sprawl, overpopulation –> less jobs, access to education —> less likely to get good education, not getting tertiary sector jobs, stuck in rural poorer areas in primary sector jobs, access to jobs, access to healthcare.

Question 19

What are Aquifers?

Answer 19

Underground store of water formed when permeable rock lies on top of impermeable rock.

Question 20

What is under-employment?

Answer 20

Highly skilled workers working in low skilled jobs and part-time workers who would prefer to be full-time.

Question 21

What are the main housing problems in Mexico City?

Answer 21

over 7,000,000 homes are built with walls or roofs made of sheet metal. 1,000,000 homes built with walls of recycled material such as cardboard or plastic. Immigrants are entering the city to find a job. Have to start in slums making homes out of scraps and recycled material. Have to live in these conditions until they find a job, and start making money.

Question 22

Main Water problems in mexico city?

Answer 22

57% of the population don’t have access to a reliable water source. 60% of Mexico city’s water supply comes from a depleting source. 22 million people all trying to get water from reliable source, causes massive strain on the government.

Question 23

What percentage of jobs are in the informal sector?

Answer 23

60%

Question 24

Why are jobs known as ‘informal’

Answer 24

Their income is not monitored by the government, not guaranteed money and they are not working on a contract.

Question 25

Why is under-employment a challenge for the workers and government?

Answer 25

Workers - Lack of job opportunities, not able to get a job that matches their degree. Government - Risk losing all their well educated work force, reducing future TNC investments, cycle continues.

Question 26

What causes air pollution in Mexico City?

Answer 26

People smoking 20 cigarettes a day, city trapped by mountains trapping air, sunshine reacts with poorly burnt car exhaust.

Question 27

What are the main effects of rapid urbanisation on the quality of life in Mexico City?

Answer 27

1. Housing crisis - migrants and immigrants living in slums, unlikely to have running water, risk of disease, cannot afford houses in city centre. 2. Overpopulation - lack of jobs, leads to unemployment. 3. Under-employment can reduce TNC'S , individuals leaving the country, city losing their most skilled individuals, less attractive for TNC's

Question 28

What is a top-down approach?

Answer 28

Development schemes run by the government, expensive.

Question 29

What is a bottom-up approach?

Answer 29

Local-scale projects that aim to help a community or small area to develop.

Question 30

What is the Neza Project?

Answer 30

A bottom up strategy in the local town of Neza. Built school improving the education system, improved healthcare system. Built more homes that are bigger and better quality. Led by local community, individual households investing their own money into the project.

Question 31

How has the Neza Project impacted QOL?

Answer 31

Improved education system so younger generation get better and well paid jobs.

Question 32

What is the Farmers Market?

Answer 32

Sell your rubbish for exchange for a green point voucher where they can buy food and drink from the market, encourages people to recycle instead of adding to problem of rubbish dumping. Happens once a month. Top down project. Not frequent, doesn't supply that much food for a whole month.

Question 33

What is Plan Verde?

Answer 33

Top down scheme. Aims to improve interaction between citizens and their environment to create a more thoughtful use of resources. Fights environmental and urban problems with green solutions. 15 year strategy with 1 billion dollars per year investment to develop new transport, water, waste, land conservation and alternative energy programs for the city. 5.4 billion dollar Climate Action Program aims to reduce cities carbon dioxide emissions by 7 million tonnes. 300km bike routes being created. Encourages citizens to use eco-bikes instead of car, reducing air pollution and carbon emissions.