P2: Urban Issues and Challenges Flashcards
What is Urbanisation and Where does it happen the Most?
Urbanisation is the growth in the proportion of people living in urban areas
In LIC’s the rate of urbanisation is 6%
In NEE’s the rate of urbanisation is 2%
In HIC’s the rate of urbanisation is 1%
Rural-to-Urban Migration and Natural Increase
Rural-to-Urban Migration is the movement of people from countryside to cities.
Natural increase - less deaths, more births
Push Factors :
-Less access to raw materials
-Less jobs
-Desertification
Pull Factors:
-More jobs
-Better healthcare and education
-Family may have already moved
-Improved quality of life
Lagos Background
- Largest city in Nigeria
- NEE and Highest GDP of a country in Africa
- 14 million people, fastest growing with 3.2% growth
Regional importance - Large migrant population increase cultural diversity
National importance - Home to 80% of Nigeria’s industry
International importance - Largest financial center of West Africa and 5th Largest economy in the Continent. Port and Airport important for international trade/
Factors causing Lagos to grow rapidly
British ‘Colonised’ Lagos in 1860s making a center trade.
Many ex-slave returned from Brazil when slavery was abolished.
Lagos’ independence in 1960s improved economy
Lagos Social and Economic opportunities
Social :
- Better healthcare and more range of medicine
- Almost 20,000 schools
- Better access to electricity
- Safe water from water treatment plants
Economic :
- Lots of jobs in construction
- Home to many banks, government organisations, and manufacturing industries.
- Thriving film industry ‘Nollywood’
Problems of Rapid Growth
Slums and Squatter settlements - House construction cannot keep up with urbanisation rates. They are illegal and can be demolished by the government.
Access to clean water, energy, sanitation - People pay hugely inflated prices for clean water due to its scarcity. Toilet waste goes straight into water facilities. Not enough electricity.
Health and Education - not enough and unaffordable.
Unemployment and Crime - not enough formal jobs. 60% in informal sector. Area boys commit lots of crimes.
Environmental issues - 9000 tonnes of waste. waste disposal not controlled. Limited public transport and 2 hour traffic jams.
Urban Planning schemes to improve quality of life
Social - free education for 100 students. Jobs for local workers. Used for local community meetings.
Economic - Education improved local students prospects. Jobs for teachers.
Environmental - Built from locally sourced products. protects from floods. run on solar power. collected rainwater for its water supply
Theatre in Birmingham
The university of Birmingham established the Shakespeare Institute in 1951, providing post graduate students with an opportunity to study Shakespeare’s work
Birmingham annually holds a 10 day literature festival.
Music in Birmingham
Diverse music scene ranging from classic melodies to bangra beets inspired by the Asian community
Birmingham was known for its heavy metal in 1970s
Annual Sandwell and Birmingham Mela, Europe’s biggest south Asian music festival is staged in Smethwill.
Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham
Home to more than 700 jewellers
produces more than 40% of the UKs Jewels
Goldsmiths and Silversmiths have been working in the jewelery quarter for more than 2 centuries.
Pre industry in Birmingham
12th century - 1500 residents
17th century - increase 7300 population
1766 - Soho manufacturing opened - 1000 workers
Canal Network in Birmingham
35 miles of canal with birmingham
key for industrial revolution
James Brundley oversaw the development of the canal and allowed for transport of resources such as coal
Car industry in Birmingham
UK was the second largest manufacteurer - west midlands mainly
Longridge factory - 25000 workers
14 million cars made
Malwern morgan motor company opened 111 years ago and still hand makes 850 cars a year.
Demographics of Birmingham
The proportion of ethnic minorities has increased in comparison to white people
in 1951 there was 1% ethinic minority and now it is 58% ethnic.
Impacts of international migration on Birmingham
In central Birmingham 30-40% of people are migrants
The more people born outside the Uk the more deprived the area is. Aston 30-40% outside the UK and bottom 5% deprivation.
Many immigrants are young and of working age, bringing a high birth rate and leading to a youthful population.
Higher levels of population growth
Less available housing
The culture is more diverse.
Opportunity in Birmingham - Bull Ring
Leading shopping centre.
200 unique shops
busiest in UK - 40 million visitors/year
rebuilt in 2003
Opportunity in Birmingham - Hippodrome
600,000 visitors/year
found in Chinese quarter
it hosts opera, comedy shows.
Opportunity in Birmingham - Balti Triangles
curry houses from 1970s
highlights multicultralism
20,000 visitor/week
rents increase
four balti houses left
Opportunity in Birmingham - Mailbox
Six-floors largest companies
opened in 2003
value - £250 million
Opportunity in Birmingham - National exhibition centre
20 halls - 190,000 metres squared
motor show,dog show
opened 1976 six expansions
near Birmingham airports
Opportunities in Birmingham - Gentrification
Converting old houses into appealing neighbourhoods
Mosely 3 miles from city centre and 2 miles from University
Opportunities in Birmingham - Studentification
social displacement of older residents
The concentration of young individuals leads to change in shops
housing prices inflate
increase in minor anti social behaviour
Opportunities in Birmingham - Urban Greening
400 new green spaces in next 25 years
600 new parks
2 hectares of green space per 1000
1st 5 years on Bordesley and Highgate,
funding of £500,000 for 5 years.
Birmingham needs 21st century green and blue city
Opportunities in Birmingham - City Structure
Central business district in the cities heart
cheaper to build upwards than outwards
a lot of terraced hosing
some redevelopment in the inner city
industrial zones in the east and north east
scarcity of shops and factories, a few churches and minimal green spaces.
