Section A Case Study

Question 1

Rio de Janeiro - Importance

Answer 1

A case study of a major city in an LIC or NEE

Rio de Janeiro,
Guanabara Bay,
Atlantic coast, S-E
Brazil

Pop: 12.5m in urban area

REGIONAL:

-Schools, hospitals, universities,
-Opportunities for employment, recreation, leisure
-Arts and culture scene
-Transport hub - international airport and docks

NATIONAL:
-Location of company HQs e.g. mining, oil, telecommunications
-Industrial centre specialising in clothing, processed food, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals
-Port exports iron ore, sugar, coffee
-5% country’s GDP produced here

INTERNATIONAL:
-2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games
-2014 World Cup
-Tourism - Christ the Redeemer, Copacabana Beach, Sugarloaf
Mountain, Carnivals

Question 2

Rio de Janeiro - Cause of Growth

Answer 2

Natural Increase – High 2010 Census showed high
number of residents in 20s-30s. DR and IMR have
gone down.

Rural-Urban Migration due to:

PUSH FACTORS:
-Lack of government investment in rural areas
-Farmers escaping droughts in N-E Brazil
-Closure of mines in Minas Gerais
-Indigenous people driven from rainforest due to
-deforestation
-Poor healthcare, education etc

PULL FACTORS:
-Better QofL
-Job opportunities in formal and informal jobs
-Higher literacy rate and better education
-opportunities
-Healthcare, water, sanitation

Question 3

Rio de Janeiro - Opportunities of Urban Growth

Answer 3

SOCIAL

-Access to healthcare - 3 public, 6 private hospitals
-Access to healthcare in favelas up from 4-70%
-97% literacy rate -1000 primary, 400 secondary, 6 universities
-NGOs e.g. ‘Schools for tomorrow’ increase education access in favelas,
-Estácio de Sá University opened campus in Rocinha
-Access to water increased following major sports events - 96% access to
-mains water (88% in favelas - problems with distribution)
-99% has reliable electricity supply (in poorer areas some residents tap
-in illegally, leading to fires)

ECONOMIC:
-Highest income per capita increasing demand for services and retail.
-Established industries encourage new growth (multiplier effect)
-Offshore oil discovery has led to growth of oil-related industries
-Jobs in tourism
-Informal economy in favelas e.g. street vending, driving, labouring,
housekeeping.

Question 4

Rio de Janeiro - Challenges of Urban Growth

Answer 4

CHALLENGES

-Growth faster than housing provision so many forced to live in
squatter settlements (favelas) located on main roads, waste land,
steep hillsides
-High population density so disease spreads quickly, limited waste
collection, in poorest areas 50% lack proper sanitation,
unemployment high, low wages, high crime rate.
-Over third of water supply lost through leaky pipes, illegal
connections. Out of date infrastructure has led to water
shortages, water collected at central points in the favelas.
-35% sewage dumped in Guanabara Bay, 150 metric tonnes of
industrial waste discharged daily into the bay.
-Health inequalities - life expectancy in favela is 13 years less.
-Only half of children age 14 attend school in favelas
-Social issues - teen pregnancy, violence, drug crime
-3.5 million in informal jobs - lacking security, tax
-Traffic and industrial pollution related illnesses lead to 5000
deaths/year

Question 5

Leeds

Why Leeds is an important city in the UK

Answer 5

A case study of a major city in the UK

Location
Leeds is a major city, located in the centre of the county of West Yorkshire, in the north of England, in western Europe. It has over 750,000 inhabitants. The River Aire runs through Leeds.

-Why Leeds is an important city in the UK
1. ​Education - It has 4 universities and the fourth largest student population in the UK.

2. Finance - After London, Leeds is the largest legal and financial centre in the UK. There are over 30 national and international banks located in the city.
3. Employment - Leeds has the third largest jobs total by local authority area with 480,000 in employment in 2015.

4.Culture and entertainment - Leeds is one of the UK’s hotspots for nightlife. There are a large number of pubs, bars, nightclubs and restaurants, as well as a multitude of venues for live music.

5.Industry - Leeds is the UK’s third largest manufacturing centre with around 1,800 firms and 39,000 employees. The largest sub-sectors are engineering, printing, publishing, food and drinks, chemicals and medical technology.

6. Tourism - tourism supports an estimated 20,000 jobs in Leeds and, on average, attracts around 1.5 million people annually who stay overnight, plus a further 10 million who visit on day trips.