Welcome to the Urban World! (Theme 1: Urban Settlements)

Hello Geographers! This chapter explores the fascinating world of cities and towns—places where more than half the world's population lives. We will look at how urban areas are structured, why they grow so fast, the massive challenges they face, and how we can make them better places to live.

Understanding settlements is crucial because they are the centers of economic activity, culture, and power. Let's dive into Topic 1.6 and 1.7!

Section 1: Land Use in Urban Areas (Topic 1.6)

Understanding Urban Morphology (The Shape of the City)

Urban settlements are not random; they are typically structured into different areas, or land use zones. This pattern is called urban morphology.

1. The Central Business District (CBD)

This is the "heart" of the city.

  • Characteristics: Highest land value (most expensive), highest concentration of shops, offices, and banks (high-order services).
  • Why? It is the most accessible point for the maximum number of people.
  • Land Use: Often dominated by vertical growth (tall buildings) due to high demand and limited space.
  • Activity: High number of pedestrians during the day, but often deserted at night (low residential population).
Quick Tip: Think of the CBD as a giant magnet, pulling in businesses that need to be central.
2. Residential Areas

These are areas mainly used for housing, which changes as you move away from the CBD.

  • Inner City: Often older, smaller, higher-density housing (e.g., terraced houses or apartment blocks). Historically close to old factories.
  • Suburbs (Outer Areas): Newer, larger, lower-density housing (e.g., detached or semi-detached homes). More open space and better perceived quality of life.
3. Industrial Areas

These are areas dedicated to manufacturing and industry.

  • Old Industrial Zones: Located near the inner city, often along canals or railways built historically. These areas may now be experiencing dereliction (abandoned buildings).
  • Modern Industrial Zones/Business Parks: Found further out, often near motorways or the rural-urban fringe. They require larger plots of land for modern, single-story factories and excellent road access.
4. The Rural-Urban Fringe (RUF)

This is the edge of the city where urban and rural land uses meet. This zone often experiences significant land-use conflict.

  • Urban Uses Expanding Here: Large housing estates, retail parks, airports, waste disposal sites, and new industrial parks.
  • Rural Uses Maintaining Here: Farms, woodlands, golf courses, and reservoirs.

Key Takeaway (1.6 Land Use): Cities are structured in layers. The CBD is the center of business, surrounded by older housing, industrial zones, and finally, the busy, conflicting rural-urban fringe.

Section 2: Differences and Changes in Urban Areas

LEDCs vs. MEDCs: Contrasting Urban Structures

While all cities have a CBD, land use patterns differ significantly based on a country's level of economic development (LEDC - Low-income country; MEDC - High-income country).

  • MEDC Land Use: Residential quality generally improves the further you move from the CBD (poor inner city, rich suburbs).
  • LEDC Land Use: The pattern is often reversed or highly mixed. Elite, high-quality housing is sometimes found near the CBD or in distinct, protected enclaves, while massive areas of squatter settlements (slums) dominate the immediate edge of the city.
Did You Know? In many LEDC cities, the poorest people live on the most dangerous land (like steep hillsides or floodplains) because it is the only land they can illegally occupy.

The Effect of Rapid Urban Growth: Urban Sprawl

Urban Sprawl refers to the unplanned, uncontrolled spread of urban areas into surrounding rural land.

  • Cause: Rapid population growth (often due to migration) and increased car ownership means people build houses further out.
  • Effects of Sprawl:
    1. Loss of valuable agricultural land and natural habitats.
    2. Increased commuting distances, leading to more traffic and air pollution.
    3. Higher costs for providing utilities (water, electricity, sewage) to widely scattered houses.

Key Takeaway (1.6 Changes): LEDC cities are often characterised by informal, unplanned growth (squatter settlements), while rapid expansion in all countries leads to urban sprawl, consuming the rural-urban fringe.

Section 3: Problems in Urban Areas and Solutions (Topic 1.6)

1. Pollution (A Major Urban Headache)

Cities are pollution hotspots. You must know the four main types of pollution.

A. Air Pollution:

  • Causes: Exhaust fumes from vehicles, industrial emissions, and burning of solid fuels for heating/cooking (especially in LEDCs).
  • Effects: Respiratory illnesses (asthma), acid rain, and global warming.

B. Water Pollution:

  • Causes: Untreated sewage dumped into rivers/oceans, chemical runoff from factories, and litter.
  • Effects: Spreads diseases like cholera, kills aquatic life.

C. Noise Pollution:

  • Causes: Heavy traffic, construction work, airplanes, and industrial machinery.
  • Effects: Stress, hearing damage, and disturbed sleep.

D. Visual Pollution:

  • Causes: Overhead power lines, excessive signage/billboards, derelict buildings, and large amounts of rubbish/waste left on the streets.
  • Effects: Makes the urban environment unattractive and lowers the quality of life.
Memory Aid: Remember the four Ps of Pollution: Air, Water, Noise, Visual.

2. Traffic Congestion

This is one of the most visible problems, especially during rush hour.

  • Causes: Too many vehicles (high car ownership) using limited road space, poor public transport options, and the design of the CBD (often historic, narrow streets).
  • Solutions:
    • Improve and subsidise Public Transport (trains, buses, underground networks) to encourage people to leave their cars at home.
    • Implement Congestion Charges (like in London) to make driving into the CBD expensive.
    • Create dedicated bus lanes and bicycle paths.

3. Housing Issues (Inequality)

Urban areas often highlight great inequality, with extreme wealth existing alongside extreme poverty.

  • In LEDCs: The primary issue is the lack of affordable, legal housing, leading to the growth of squatter settlements.
  • In MEDCs: The primary issue is high cost of housing (unaffordability) and inner-city decay.

Solutions to Housing Issues (especially in LEDCs):

  • Self-Help Schemes: Government provides basic materials (cement, tools) and services (water pipes, electricity) while residents build the houses themselves, upgrading the settlement over time.
  • Site and Service Schemes: Government prepares a piece of land (site), puts in essential infrastructure (services like roads and sewers), and then leases the plots to residents to build their homes.

4. Conflicts over Land Use Change

When a city grows or changes, different groups clash over how land should be used.

  • Example: A developer wants to build a new retail park (urban use) on green belt land (rural use).
  • Conflict: Farmers and environmentalists oppose the development (loss of farmland/habitat), while shoppers and business owners support it (more jobs/convenience).

Key Takeaway (1.6 Problems): Urban problems are interconnected. Traffic causes air pollution, and rapid, unequal growth leads to housing crises and land-use conflicts. Solutions focus on better planning and public involvement.

Section 4: Urbanisation and Growth (Topic 1.7)

Defining Urbanisation

Urbanisation is the increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas. It is happening rapidly, particularly in LEDCs.

Reasons for Rapid Urban Growth (Rural-Urban Migration)

Rapid urban growth is mainly driven by rural-urban migration—people moving from the countryside to the cities. This movement is caused by a mix of 'Push' factors (making them leave rural areas) and 'Pull' factors (attracting them to urban areas).

Push Factors (Physical, Economic, Social) in Rural Areas:
  • Physical: Drought, floods, or poor soil making farming difficult or unreliable.
  • Economic: Lack of jobs, low agricultural wages, and poor services. This causes rural depopulation.
  • Social: Limited access to healthcare and education.
Pull Factors (Economic and Social) in Urban Areas:
  • Economic: The perception of better paid and varied job opportunities ("city lights").
  • Social: Better access to schools, universities, hospitals, and entertainment.

Characteristics of Squatter Settlements

When cities in LEDCs grow too fast to provide homes, migrants often live in squatter settlements (also known as *favelas* in Brazil or *shanty towns*).

  • Land Tenure: Illegal or informal (residents do not own the land).
  • Construction: Housing is often built from scavenged or low-cost materials (wood, tin, plastic).
  • Infrastructure: Lack of basic services like clean water, sanitation, proper electricity, or roads.
  • Environment: High risk of fire, landslides (if built on steep slopes), and disease due to overcrowding and poor hygiene.

Don't worry if this seems tricky! Remember that squatter settlements are a result of poverty meeting rapid migration.

Impacts of Urban Growth (1.7)

Urbanisation has major effects on both the cities receiving migrants and the rural areas they leave behind.

Impacts on Urban Areas (The destination):
  • Overcrowding and Strain on Services: Public services (schools, hospitals, transport) become overwhelmed.
  • Increased Environmental Stress: Higher demand for water and energy, resulting in increased waste and pollution.
  • Rise in Unemployment: The city cannot create jobs fast enough for everyone who arrives, leading to unemployment and potential crime.
Impacts on Rural Areas (The origin):
  • Rural Depopulation: Loss of young, able-bodied workers, leaving behind an ageing, dependent population.
  • Agricultural Decline: Lack of labour makes farming difficult.
  • BUT: Money sent back home by migrants (remittances) can help support families and improve local services.

Strategies to Reduce Negative Impacts of Urbanisation

Strategies aim to manage growth in cities and reduce the need for people to move in the first place.

1. Improving Urban Areas:

  • Implementing the Self-Help and Site and Service schemes (discussed above) to upgrade squatter settlements legally and safely.
  • Building high-density, affordable public housing.
  • Decentralising (moving) industries and administrative functions away from the CBD to ease congestion.

2. Improving Rural Areas (Reducing the Push):

  • Investing in rural infrastructure (roads, electricity, water pipes) and services (schools, clinics).
  • Promoting rural development projects, such as small-scale manufacturing or improved farming techniques, to create jobs locally.

Key Takeaway (1.7 Urbanisation): Urban growth is driven by Push and Pull factors resulting in rural-urban migration. This creates pressure on cities (squatter settlements, pollution) and depopulates rural areas. Sustainable solutions require investment in both urban and rural regions.