Urbanisation
| 1.7 Urbanisation | |
| Candidates should be able to:Identify and suggest reasons for rapid urban growth Describe the impacts of urban growth on both rural and urban areas, along with possible solutions to reduce the negative impacts | Further GuidanceReference should be made to physical, economic and social factors which result in rural depopulation and the movement of people to major cities The effects of urbanisation on the people and the natural environment The characteristics of squatter settlements Strategies to reduce the negative impacts of urbanisation |
| Case Study required for 1.7A rapidly growing urban area in a developing country and migration to it | |
Key definitions
Urbanization: When a lot of people live in urban areas such as cities rather than rural areas (the countryside). This could be a result of natural increase or migration
Rural depopulation: (also known as rural-urban migration) is when there is a fall in population in rural areas because of migration or by a fall in birth rate because young people move away
Counter-urbanisation: When a lot of people begin to live in rural areas, or the countryside as opposed to urban areas such as cities. This could be as a result of natural increase or migration
Squatter settlements: where there is makeshift housing in unfavourable sites around an LEDC city. They are normally illegal and are also known as shanty towns.
Why do people move to urban areas???
Factors of Urbanisation
Economic
- Money
Need to make a living
Social and Political
- School, Health care etc.
- Safety provided (less wars, better laws and policies)
Environmental
E.g.
- Drought
- Natural disasters
Effects of Urbanisation
| Origin (place where people moved from)RURAL | Destination (where people moved to)URBAN |
| Rural depopulation. There are less young working people and all that remains the elderly | More young people move to cities to find a job.However, due to increasing demands in infrastructure (water supplies and etc), the city is unable to provide the population with adequate lifestyles.Squatter settlements are a result of this. |
Improving living conditions in urban areas. Solutions.
- Offering low interest loans so people can build their own homes
- Self-help schemes: governments gives people training, materials needed so that people can build homes themselves.
- Site and service schemes: Government provides land so that people can rent or buy it. This piece of land has essential services needed for habitation (e.g. water, electricity, sewage pipes)
- Giving people legal ownership of the land on which squatter settlement is built
- Investing and creating greater opportunities in rural areas which may prevent people from migrating to urban areas.
Case study: Cairo
| Causes | Consequences | Solutions |
| Cairo’s population has risen from 2.5 million in 1950 to 21 million in 2020 (estimate). One reason is natural growth due to high birth rates and low death rates. 3 million migrants from Sudan have migrated to Cairo. They are fleeing war & look for a better life. Some use Cairo as a stopping point before trying to get to Europe.In the City of the Dead, 2-3 million people have set up homes among the tombs of Old Cairo.Self built houses are build illegally on farmlands by the river Nile. these ‘informal’ houses cover 80% of Cairo.Rural areas have a lack of highly paid jobs | Waste disposal is a huge problem in Cairo. In the past the ‘Zabbaleen’ collected the waste and recycled it but now there is too much waste for them to manage.Infrastructure can’t copeIncrease in traffic thus slow travel and also increase in pollution levelsRural depopulation, mostly young people leave for work leaving an ageing populationToo many people and therefore lack of jobs for unskilled workersSquatter settlementsGap between rich and poorWater pollution of the river Nile23% of Cairo’s population do not have access to fresh water and 25% are not connect to sewers.Economic growth | Construction of a metro systemEgypt’s government are currently building a new Capital city outside Cairo. It will house up to 5 million people and will house government offices and embassies. Money has been invested to improve the sewers. The ‘Greater Cairo Waste Water Project’ helped but as the population keeps growing it isn’t enough. A new ring road has been built around the city to ease some of the traffic problems. |
Recap Questions Define…
Self-help schemes
Site and service schemes
Rural depopulation
Counter-urbanisation
Squatter settlements
Recap Question Answers
Self-help schemes: governments gives people training, materials needed so that people can build homes themselves.
Site and service schemes: Government provides land so that people can rent or buy it. This piece of land has essential services needed for habitation (e.g. water, electricity, sewage pipes)
Rural depopulation: (also known as rural-urban migration) is when there is a fall in population in rural areas because of migration or by a fall in birth rate because young people move away
Counter-urbanisation: When a lot of people begin to live in rural areas, or the countryside as opposed to urban areas such as cities. This could be as a result of natural increase or migration
Squatter settlements: where there is makeshift housing in unfavourable sites around an LEDC city. They are normally illegal and are also known as shanty towns.
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