Urbanization

Question 1

What is urbanisation

Answer 1

Urbanisation is the growth in the percentage of population that live in urban spaces

Question 2

How do urban towns and cities differ from rural hamlets and villages? (4)

Answer 2

Economies- Living is made off manufacturing and services rather than agriculture
Size- larger in population and extent
Densities- Very high
Way of life- range of services, pace of life and activities that people engage in are different

Question 3

High rates of urbanisation are occurring in developing countries as… (3)

Answer 3

Most new economic development are concentrated on big cities
Push and pull factors leading to rural-urban migration
Cities are experiencing high rates of natural increase in population due to lowered death rates and increased birth rates

Question 4

What are push and pull factors (definition) and eg:

Answer 4

Push- negatives in area of departure
Pull- positives of the destination
Push- poverty, poor sanitary conditions, less access to proper healthcare
Pull- more job opportunities, better security, better education, better access to healthcare, better life quality, better stand of living, more available resources
pull and push factors can be opposites

Question 5

Why is the rate of urbanisation much slower in developed economies? (2)

Answer 5

A large population already lives in towns and cities
Because of modern transport and communication, the urban way of life is gradually spreading into rural areas. The countryside and its settlements are experiencing rural dilution. Rural dilution is the process of rural areas losing its traditional characteristics as more and more people move into them

Question 6

Name the processes of urbanisation

Answer 6

Agglomeration
Suburbanisation
Dormitory settlements
Urban re-imaging
Counter-urbanisation
Urbanisation of suburbs

Question 7

Define agglomeration

Answer 7

Concentration of people and economic activities at favourable locations

Question 8

Define Suburbanisation

Answer 8

Outward spread of urban area creating suburbs, often at lower densities compared to the city

Question 9

What is suburbanisation encouraged by?

Answer 9

Improvements in transport that allow people to move from suburbs and town centre
Overcrowding, congestion and rising land prices in the older parts of town
Declining quality of life of residential environment
Arrival of new people and businesses

Question 10

What is conurbation?

Answer 10

When some towns and cities join together into one vast continuous built-up area

Question 11

What is urban re-imaging

Answer 11

Changing the look of an area to attract people and businesses

Question 12

What is urban re-generation

Answer 12

Re-using areas in old parts of town where businesses and people have moved out

Question 13

What is Counter-urbanisation

Answer 13

Movement of people and businesses from major cities to smaller towns or rural areas

Question 14

When does urbanisation of suburbs happen?

Answer 14

When cities develop there is a demand on rural land for development
Reluctant governments opt for the development of suburbs instead
Suburban areas become more dense
Vacant building plots and open spaces are developed, large detached houses replaced by flats

Question 15

What is a megacity

Answer 15

A city with a population greater than 10 million

Question 16

What are reasons for growth in megacities? (4)

Answer 16

Economic development- as countries develop it attracts more people
Population growth- natural increase plays an important part in their growth. Rural to urban migration due to push and pull factors
Economies of scale- Advantages gained from cramming as much as possible into one area, such as shorter transport distances and better communication
Multiplier effect- As one large city is prospering, it will lead to more prosperity and growth. There are more jobs so more people come which means more people need goods and services, which creates more jobs etc

Question 17

What is global city, eg:

Answer 17

They can be of any size, but are places of prestige, status, power and influence. They are critical hubs in the growing world economy
31 global cities, top ones including New York, London, Tokyo

Question 18

Most built up areas have recurring features (4)

Answer 18

CBD- point of a city. It is the commercial, office, retail, and cultural center of the city and usually is the center point for transportation networks as well as the oldest part of the city
Industrial areas
Variety of residential districts
Small shopping centres

Question 19

What causes this segregation of land uses and concentration of similar land uses
(explanation)

Answer 19

Urban land market as businesses with who can afford similar land values are concentrated in the same places.
Land values decrease from the centre due to its decreasing accessibility, and Businesses avoid the outskirts of the city and pay the highest they can afford to get the best accessible areas as this allows them to get more customers and happier employees.

Question 20

What are reasons for segregation of people within cities? (3)

Answer 20

People become segregated on their social class, type, ethnicity
People prefer to live close to those who think are of same social status as them
Wealth differences- The richest buy homes in the best locations, at low densities. The poorest have no choice to buy or rent houses in worst residential areas, as they forced to occupy a small amount of space, and live in very high densities

Question 21

Name the problems of rapid urbanisation with detail (5)

Answer 21

Insufficient transport: Provision of public transport and roads is normally lags behind population growth and people have to navigate over-loaded and overcrowded traffic system

Congestion: Large number of vehicles cause high levels of atmospheric pollution and smog
Employment: Many people are unable to find proper paid work and become unemployed, underemployed or part of the informal sector

Social Problems: Due to lack of jobs and desperation there is a rise in street crime and behaviour (vandalism and theft for etc.).

Environmental quality: Deforestation occurs. Unplanned nature of urbanisation results in poorly built structures that are unsafe
Buildings growing at a rapid pace leave no open space or greenery.
Poor water and sanitation facilities result in pollution of water bodies and local area
There is more rubbish and a lack of public funding to maintain public areas
Smoke and smog from increase in vehicles

Question 22

What are issues in developing countries
(7)

Answer 22

Squatter settlements: Houses are temporary.
There is lack of access to basic services such as water, electricity, individual toilets and proper roads
Poor sanitary conditions leading to diseases

Informal economy: 66% of total employment in Sri Lanka belongs to informal employment

Air pollution: vehicle emissions

Education
Health
Contamination
Crime

Question 23

What are issues in developed countries (8)

Answer 23

Food: increase in the number of individuals who are unable to afford/ access healthy food
Energy:
Transport: worst traffic jams
Waste disposal
Air pollution
Alcohol
Obesity
Education
Segregation

Question 24

What are reasons for movement of people and businesses to the rural-urban fringe (6)

Answer 24

Cheap land
Room for expansion
Attractive environment with less pollution
Good accessibility
Workers and work close by
Plenty of car parking space

Question 25

What ends up in the rural urban fringe

Answer 25

Superstores and retail parks
Industrial estates: Modern light and service industries with a planned layout and purpose built road network.
Business parks: For firms needing office space and retail accommodation. Often include leisure activities such as bowling alleys, ice rinks and cinemas
Science parks: usually located close to a university or research centre with the aim of encouraging and developing high-tech industries and quaternary activities
Housing estates: high-rise, high-density social housing in the RUF.

Question 26

What is a brownfield site

Answer 26

A piece of land that has already been used for urbanisation, but is currently not in use

Question 27

What is a greenfield site

Answer 27

A site located in a rural area that has not been previously used

Question 28

What are the benefits of brownfield sites

Answer 28

Reduces loss of countryside and land that might be used for agricultural or recreational use
Helps revive old and disused urban areas
Services such water, electricity, gas and sewerage already in place
Located nearer to main areas of employment, so commuting is reduced

Question 29

What are the disadvantages of brownfield sites

Answer 29

More expensive as building have to be cleared and land free of pollution
Surrounded by rundown areas so it doesn’t appeal to the wealthy as residential locations
Higher levels of pollutions, less healthy
Might not have good roads to access

Question 30

What are the benefits of greenfield sites

Answer 30

Cheap and house building is done faster
Layout is not hampered by previous development so can be planned to be efficient and pleasant
Healthier environments

Question 31

What are the disadvantages of greenfield sites

Answer 31

Valuable farmland or recreational space lost
Attractive scenery lost
Wildlife and their habitats lost
development causes noise and light pollution
Encourages suburban sprawl