Urbanisation Flashcards
(12 cards)
Define urbanization
Is an increase in the country’s population of people living in urban areas(towns and cities)
Describe the causes and characteristics of urbanization in the industrialized countries and in the developing countries
Its causes:
~Developing countries
• Most people are still in rural areas
• More people continuously move from rural areas in search of work
• high rate of natural increase in population because of high birth rate and low death rate
~Developed countries
• most people already live in urban areas
• some people are moving out of urban areas to live in the country sides
• lower rate of natural increase due to low birth rate and death rate
Characteristics:
~ Developing countries
• lower level of urban growth
• higher rate of urbanization
~ Developed countries
• higher level of urban growth
• lower rate of urbanization
Reasons for rural-urban migration
Pull factors
• many employment opportunities
• better education and health services
• more business opportunities
• is it better infrastructure or sport facilities
• access to modern housing
Push factors
• unemployment
• poor healthcare and education services
• poverty, drought
• shortages of Sport facilities
• little or no access to clean water and electricity
Describe the problems of rapid urbanization in the developing world ( effects of urbanization)
On rural areas:
• families become separated or families break up
• agricultural production decreases as young and productive people leave the area
• most rural areas become a step backward in development
• shops in rural areas lose customers and sometimes close down
On urban areas:
• cities become overcrowded and services become insufficient for people living there
• housing in cities become overcrowded and people have to live far away from the center
• increase criminal activities as many people don’t get jobs in formal sectors
• overcrowding leads to fast spread of diseases
• increase crime and prostitution as many people don’t get jobs in formal sectors
• transport system become congested with traffic
Why some people choose to live in squatter settlements or shanty town
• they pay little rent or cannot afford houses in formal settlement
• there is little electricity and water bills to pay
• they use cheap building materials such as cardboard
• they can set up informal businesses
Problems experienced in informal settlements
• let’s access to clean water supplies and electricity
• pollution such as water, land, and leading to diseases
• poor sanitation
• no proper housing that are safe to live in
• overcrowding condition leading to fast spread of diseases like malaria and TB
• increase crime and prostitution
How to improve the condition in informal settlement
• installing water supplies, electricity and sewage services
• build health clinics and schools
• hello people the right to land to build permanent houses
• encourage low interest loans for people to start up businesses
• encourage self-help schemes such as building together to improve housing
Why governments spend more money in urban than rural areas
• more people live in urban areas (towns and cities)
• to keep the Urban population happy as they are politically active
• to attract foreign investors
• to build houses for workers
• the supply services to increasing Industries
Suggest solutions to problems caused by urban growth
• provide birthday services like clean water, electricity for people not to migrate to towns for these services
• local counselors to encourage self-help schemes for people to have small projects to sustain their lives
• develop rural areas by improving infrastructures, construct secondary schools and hostels, hospitals for people not to find it necessary to migrate to towns
• take some services to rural areas (decentralized) like ministry of home Affairs, post office, telecommunications and supermarkets
• develop new towns for many people not to be concentrated in one town only
Differentiate between unemployment and underemployment
Unemployment is an economic situation when an individual who is seeking employment or a job can not find work
While
Underemployment is a situation in which a worker is employed in a low paying job or is doing work that does not require his or her fullest skill level
Differentiate between the formal sector and the informal sector using examples
The formal sector is a sector that deals with economic activities that are registered by the government where taxes must be paid.
This includes modern activities such as Industries, businesses, commercial activities and government agencies
E.g. teaching, nursing, secretary banking
While
Informal sector is a part of an economy that is not registered, taxed or monitored by any form of government
This consists of small locally owned workshops, home factories, fruits and vegetable markets
E.g. shoe shining, hairdressing, craft production
How informal employments help a country to develop
• provide training for some jobs such as carpentry and car repairing
• provide cheap food and market goods for everybody
• some informal businesses can grow into large-scale businesses
