Contemporary urban environments Flashcards Preview

A Level Human Geography > Contemporary urban environments > Flashcards

Flashcards in Contemporary urban environments Deck (29)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

Define Primary industry

A

Producing raw materials

Eg farming, fishing, logging

2
Q

Define Secondary industry

A

Manufacturing raw materials into products

Eg factories

3
Q

Define Tertiary industry

A

Services

Eg salesman, fireman

4
Q

Define Quaternary industry

A

Highly skilled, knowledge based jobs

Eg biochemical engineering, IT

5
Q

What are the characteristics of an urban area?

A

Economy :
Quaternary jobs
Tertiary jobs
High cost of living

Environment :
Industrial - high rise buildings, factories
Pollution
Transport
Brownfield sites

People :
Densely populated
Diversity - rich poor divide
Young employed people

6
Q

Which characteristics do we consider to determine if an area is urban?

A
Minimum population threshold
Population density
Proportion of non agricultural employment
Infrastructure
Education / health services
7
Q

What percentage of the world population lives in an urban area
1950 / now / 2050

A

30% in 1950
54% now
66% by 2050

8
Q

What percentage of global GDP is generated in cities?

A

80%

9
Q

What are the reasons for urbanisation?

A

Natural increase

Rural-urban migration

10
Q

Define and name the push factors

A
Factors that push people out of rural areas.
Population growth
Agricultural problems
Disease and lack of medical provision
Global agriculture (cash crops)
Natural disasters
War
11
Q

Define and name the pull factors

A

Factors that encourage people into urban areas
Employment in factories / service industry are better paid
Earning money from informal sector e.g. Selling goods on street
Better healthcare
Better quality of life

12
Q

Name some issues caused by urbanisation

A
Overcrowding -> lack of resources -> poverty -> spread of disease
Pollution -> light, air, sound
Cycle of decline in rural areas
Unemployment
Pressure on housing
13
Q

Give the consequences of urbanisation

A
Urban sprawl
Shortage of housing in LICs
Shortage of housing in HICs
Unemployment / under employment
Transport issues
Lack of urban services / waste disposal
Pollution
14
Q

A consequence of urbanisation is urban sprawl, expand on this

A

Requires more roads/infrastructure -> pipes, cables, wires
Loss of habitat / farmland -> loss of local food sources
Impact water quality / quantity -> impermeable surfaces
Decentralisation
More commuting from suburbs
More traffic -> air pollution -> higher temps

15
Q

A consequence of urbanisation is shortage of housing in LICs, expand on this

A

High population density -> lack of housing -> informal housing (slums)
E.g. Slum upgrading programs aim to improve life for slum dwellers

16
Q

Give some characteristics of slums

A
On the edge of cities / low land value
Hazard prone e.g. Landslide
Next to transport networks
Lack of basic infrastructure / services
High air / noise / water pollution
17
Q

A consequence of urbanisation is shortage of housing in HICs, expand on this

A

Rising demand for housing -> higher cost -> 50% more expensive in London 2010-2015
In migration
Gentrification

18
Q

A consequence of urbanisation is unemployment and underemployment, expand on this

A

Young city dwellers -> pressure for enough jobs
Typically high unemployment
Migrants find informal work

19
Q

A consequence of urbanisation is lack of urban services and waste disposal, expand on this

A

Lack of money in LICs -> lack of basic services
E.g. Sewers, roads, drainage, traffic jams, disease - polluted water
Lack of water / electricity
5% of water reached slums in 42 Indian cities/ towns 2015
Recycling is important for economy in Nairobi
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia government only deals with 2/3 of waste
1/3 dumped in streets/rivers -> health risk

20
Q

A consequence of urbanisation is traffic issues, expand on this

A

Rush hours
More City traffic
Congestion
More pollution -> damage to health

21
Q

What are the reasons for the rapid rise of megacities?

A

Globalisation

Economic activity / competition between countries

22
Q

At what rate are megacities growing in LICs and HICs?

A

LICs- rapidly growing

HICs- slowly growing

23
Q

Why are megacities rapidly growing in LICs?

A

Due to industrialisation
Industries attracted to lower tax rates
Little income tax means governments can’t provide essential services
Many people live in overcrowded, unplanned slums/shanti towns
Many work in ‘informal economy’ / manufacturing

24
Q

Why are megacities slowly growing in HICs?

A

Due to merging with other nearby cities -> conurbations
Due to sprawling -> low population density
Most people work in ‘formal economy’

25
Q

Is large population a characteristic of world cities?

A

Not necessarily although most do have large populations

26
Q

Why is there large scale population growth in megacities?

A

Rural-urban migration by people in search of better economic prospects
(Government policies can encourage greater financial investment, e.g. Establishment of Special Enterpride Zones, china)

27
Q

What are some problems in megacities?

A

Growing populations -> strain on resources / infrastructure
LIC megacities sprawl in haphazard fashion
-> lack of employment, housing, basic services
-> concerns on how city authorities can effectively govern megacities

28
Q

What are some benefits of megacities?

A

Produce 2/3 more GDP than other cities
Chance to expand access to services e.g. Healthcare, education
Less damage to environment to provide public transport, housing, electricity, water, sanitation in densely populated areas
Larger/ more diversified employment markets
Better education / healthcare -> equality
Centres of innovation -> solve global problems

29
Q

What are the characteristics of a world city?

A

Centres of media / communications for global networks
HQs of multinational corporations
Major manufacturing centres with port / container facilities
Domination of the trade / economy of a large surrounding area
Dominance of the national region with great international significance
Financial HQs, stock exchange, major financial institutions
Centres of new ideas -> innovation in business, economics, culture, politics
Global decision making power
High proportion of employment in services information sectors
High quality education, renowned uni’s, international students
Multi functional infrastructure, best legal, medical, entertainment