Topic 5 - UK's Human Environment Flashcards
(172 cards)
What is population density?
How many people live in an area: High density = lots of people in a small area Low density (sparsity) = dew people in an area
Describe the distribution of people in the UK
The area in the UK with the highest population density is south east England. As you travel further north the population density becomes sparser with the lowest population density being north Scotland with a population density of < 50 people per 5km². The highest population density is London, with central London having a population density of > 5,000 - 13,000 people per 5km². Anomalies include cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow which are situated in Scotland yet have a population density of > 2,000 - 5,000 people per 5km²
What is a core region?
A core region is an urbanised area of a country that produces large amounts of the annual GDP and drives the economy. An example of this is London which contains 13% of the population but produces 22% of the UK’s annual GDP
What % of the UK is urbanised?
7%
What is the population density like in the Urban core?
High and staying high
What is the population density like in rural areas?
Low but increasing
What is the age structure like in the urban core?
Many young adults, many single people
What is the age structure like in rural areas?
Many older people, Some single people
What is the economic activity like in the Urban core?
Retailing, large shops, offices and corporate headquarters, cultural centre
What is the economic activity like in Rural areas?
Farming, Fishing, Forestry, Mining, working from home (IT), tourism
What are settlements like in the Urban core?
Metropolis, cities, large town
Mix of low and high rise buildings
Property often more expensive
What are settlements like in rural areas?
Market towns, villages and isolated farms
Low rise buildings
Property generally cheaper
Why is population density higher in the urban core?
The population density is higher in the urban core than in rural areas. This is due to age structure, settlements, and economic activity. In the urban core there are many jobs available opening up many job opportunities for people and attracting them to live there. There is also lots of housing in the form of high-rise buildings.
Why do some rural areas have higher levels of poverty?
Rural areas on the periphery of the UK may be isolated and inaccessible, there are few employment opportunities and therefore young people leave to find jobs elsewhere - depopulation leads to loss of services as they can no longer be supported. Rural areas also often provide lower paying jobs due to lower living costs, this means that there are lower taxes paid. Therefore, there is less money that is able to go back into the community, causing neglect of things such as schools or hospitals
How have government policies attempted to reduce the difference between the urban and rural areas?
* Creating Enterprise Zones
* Transport Infrastructure,
* Regional Development
How does creating enterprise zones help reduce the difference between urban core and rural areas?
The UK government has created 55 enterprise zones across England, Scotland, and Wales. These offer companies a range of benefits for locating in enterprise zones, including: reduced taxes, simpler planning rules, and improves infrastructure. These measures can be used to encourage companies to locate in areas of high unemployment, bringing in jobs and income which could help poorer rural areas to develop. For example, the new Dorset Green enterprise zone already has 2 high tech engineering companies and hopes to attract 55 more businesses, creating 2000 new jobs in the region.
How does transport Infrastructure help reduce the difference between urban core and rural areas?
The UK government plans to link London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester with a new high speed railway line, “HS2”. This will increase capacity and allow faster journeys into major cities - promoting industry and jobs in poorer rural areas in the north of England. On a local scale, Lancashire county council has built a new road to link the port of Heysham in Lancashire to the M6. This will encourage businesses to invest by reducing travel times and easing congestion, creating more job opportunities for people in the surrounding rural areas.
How does Regional Development help reduce the difference between urban core and rural areas?
The EU has used the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to promote growth in poorer rural areas by investing in small high-tech businesses, providing training to improve local people’s skills, and funding infrastructure, e.g. high speed broadband to attract businesses. For example, the EU funded superfast broadband in Cornwall. This attracts digital businesses and links regeneration projects and new research and development centres in the region. This is creating skilled jobs in the area, attracting young graduates and boosting the local economy. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is an EU initiative to make sure EU farmers can earn a living from farming. It includes training for farmers and assistance for young farmers starting up, as well as subsidies for rural diversification and projects. In 2016, the UK voted to leave the EU, which means future regional development plans are uncertain
How many Enterprise zones are there in the UK?
55
What are the benefits of an enterprise zone?
* Reduced taxes
* Simpler planning rules
* Improved Infrastructure
What sort of jobs does the Primary Sector contain?
Forestry, Fishing, Farming, Mining
(Extract)
What sort of jobs does the secondary sector contain?
Manufacturing, Construction
What sort of jobs does the teritary secotr contain?
Services Distribution
What sort of jobs does the quaternary sector contain?
information, research