Welcome to Contemporary Urban Environments!
Hi there! Welcome to your study notes for Urbanisation. This is one of the most exciting parts of Geography because it’s happening all around us. Right now, for the first time in human history, more people live in cities than in the countryside. In this chapter, we are going to explore how cities grow, why people move, and how urban areas change over time. Don’t worry if some of the terms seem big at first—we’ll break them down together using simple steps and real-world examples.
1. What is Urbanisation?
At its simplest, urbanisation is the increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities compared to the countryside.
Important Distinction: There is a difference between urban growth and urbanisation.
• Urban Growth is just the physical spread of a city or an increase in the number of people living there.
• Urbanisation is a shift in the balance—it means a higher percentage of the total population is becoming "urban."
Why is it happening?
Urbanisation is driven by two main things:
1. Rural-to-Urban Migration: People moving from the countryside to the city (often looking for work).
2. Natural Increase: When the birth rate is higher than the death rate. Since city populations are often young, they tend to have more children.
Quick Review:
- HICs (High-Income Countries): Urbanisation happened a long time ago (during the Industrial Revolution). Growth is now very slow.
- LICs and NEEs (Low-Income Countries and Newly Emerging Economies): Urbanisation is happening right now and very fast!
Key Takeaway: Urbanisation isn't just cities getting bigger; it’s about a higher percentage of the world’s population choosing city life over rural life.
2. The Four Stages of Urban Change
Cities don't just grow and stop. They go through a cycle. You can think of this like the "Life Cycle of a City."
Stage 1: Urbanisation
The initial move of people from rural areas to central urban areas.
Analogy: Imagine a magnet in the center of a room pulling everyone toward it. That magnet represents jobs and better healthcare.
Stage 2: Suburbanisation
As cities get crowded and polluted, people who can afford it move to the outskirts (the suburbs).
Why? Better transport (trains/cars) allows people to live in a house with a garden but still commute to the city for work.
Stage 3: Counter-urbanisation
People move even further away, past the suburbs and into rural villages.
Why? They want a "quiet life" but might work from home thanks to high-speed internet. This can lead to "commuter villages."
Stage 4: Urban Resurgence
The movement of people back into the city center after it has been improved.
Why? Former industrial areas (like old docks) are turned into luxury flats or trendy offices. This is often linked to gentrification.
Memory Aid: Remember the order using U-S-C-R (Urban Spaces Can Revive).
Key Takeaway: Cities are dynamic! They lose people to the suburbs, then the countryside, but can eventually "bounce back" through resurgence.
3. Megacities and World Cities
Not all cities are equal. Some are massive, and some are powerful.
Megacities
A Megacity is simply a city with a population of over 10 million people.
Example: Mumbai, Lagos, or Tokyo.
Did you know? In 1950, there were only 2 megacities (New York and Tokyo). Today, there are over 30!
World Cities
A World City (or Global City) isn't defined by how many people live there, but by its influence. These cities are the "command centers" of the global economy.
Example: London and New York. They host major stock exchanges, the headquarters of multinational corporations, and world-class universities.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't assume every Megacity is a World City. For example, Dhaka is a Megacity because of its huge population, but it doesn't have the global financial power that a World City like London has.
Key Takeaway: Megacities are about size; World Cities are about power and influence.
4. Processes Driving Urbanisation
Why do cities change the way they do? Geographers look at five specific processes:
1. Economic: Cities are hubs for trade and business. As countries develop, they move from farming (primary sector) to manufacturing (secondary) and services (tertiary).
2. Social: Cities offer "pull factors" like better schools, hospitals, and entertainment (the "bright lights" syndrome).
3. Technological: The rise of Smart Cities and the ability to work remotely influences where people live. Also, improved transport allows cities to spread out.
4. Political: Governments often focus investment on cities to show off national progress, which attracts even more people.
5. Demographic: Cities attract young migrants. This leads to high birth rates, which keeps the city growing through natural increase.
Key Takeaway: Urbanisation isn't just about moving houses; it’s driven by a mix of money, technology, and people's desires for a better life.
5. Urban Change: Deindustrialisation and the Service Economy
In the UK and other HICs, cities have gone through a big transformation called Urban Change. Don't worry if this seems tricky—it's basically just a story of how cities changed what they "do" for a living.
Deindustrialisation
This happened when big factories and mines closed down in the late 20th century.
Why? It became cheaper to make things abroad (globalisation) and machines started doing the work of humans (automation).
Decentralisation
Shops and offices moved out of the city center to "out-of-town" locations (like Meadowhall or Trafford Centre). This left some city centers looking empty and "derelict."
Rise of the Service Economy
To survive, cities had to reinvent themselves. Instead of making "things" (steel, ships), they started providing "services" (banking, tourism, IT). This is known as the Tertiary and Quaternary sectors.
Key Takeaway: Modern western cities have shifted from "making things" to "providing services" and "selling experiences."
6. Urban Policy and Regeneration in Britain (Since 1979)
The UK government has tried many ways to fix "broken" city areas. You need to know the general "vibe" of each era:
1980s: Property-Led Initiatives
The focus was on big private investment.
Example: Urban Development Corporations (UDCs). They transformed the London Docklands into Canary Wharf. It created jobs but was criticized for not helping the original local poor residents.
1990s: Partnership Schemes
The focus shifted to City Challenge. Local authorities had to "bid" for money and work with the community. It was more "bottom-up" than the 1980s approach.
2000s onwards: Sustainable Communities
The focus is now on making areas green, safe, and social. It includes Area Based Initiatives that try to tackle poverty and education alongside physical building repairs.
Quick Review Box:
- 80s: Big money, big buildings (UDCs).
- 90s: Bidding for cash, community focus (City Challenge).
- 00s+: Greener, social, long-term (Sustainable Communities).
Key Takeaway: Urban policy has moved from just "fixing buildings" to "helping the people" who live in them.
Final Summary Checklist
Before you finish, make sure you can answer these:
- Can I explain the difference between urbanisation and urban growth?
- Do I know the four stages (U-S-C-R)?
- Can I name a Megacity and a World City?
- Do I understand why factories closed (deindustrialisation) and what replaced them?
- Can I name one type of UK urban policy?
Great job! You’ve just mastered the core concepts of Urbanisation for AQA Geography. Keep going!