Urban Growth
Urbanisation in developed countries
Urban areas grew in the nineteenth century during the Industrial Revolution. There was an Agricultural Revolution at the same time so new machines meant less jobs on farms. So people moved to urban areas for jobs.
Towns grew at 10% per year.
90% of the UK population lives in urban areas.
Some people are now leaving cities to live in villages as they think the quality of life is better. This is counter-urbanisation.
Some large cities are growing again (re-urbanisation) as younger people choose to live close to city centres.
Urbanisation in developing countries
On a world scale, urban growth is mainly in developing countries.
By 2010 there were 25 megacities (urban areas with over 10million people). Over half are in developing countries.
The rate of urbanisation is faster than ever before.
Natural increase due to high fertility rates is a major reason for the growth. It means cities are dominated by young children.
Migration from the countryside is another major reason. People leave because of a lack of jobs and harsh lifestyles and the thought of higher wages, better health care, access to water and the belief of jobs being available.
Main characteristics of world cities
• They have the world’s main stock exchanges and major stock markets.
• They are centres of political power.
• They have the headquarters of major TNC’s and financial services.
• They are the main centres for world media e.g. BBC, Thomson, Reuters, Al Jazeera.
• They are centres of tourism, have world class cultural institutions (theatre, ballet, opera and major sports teams).
• They have mass transit transport (light rail, metro), one or more major airports and are usually where the rich and powerful live.
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Main characteristics of megacities
• Major centres of economic activity including manufacturing, finance and services.
• Don’t have the same global importance as world cities as they are not the centre of governments.
• They have major TNC’s present, but not the headquarters.
• They have major cultural outlets, but fewer than world cities.
