Urbanization: A Global Phenomenon PDF

# Urbanization is a global phenomenon ## 6.1 Urbanization is a global phenomenon - The image is a satellite photo of earth at night, showing lights indicating the largest cities on Earth. ## 6.2 What is urbanization? - The population of Earth is nearing 8 billion, and a large part of this populat...

# Urbanization is a global phenomenon ## 6.1 Urbanization is a global phenomenon - The image is a satellite photo of earth at night, showing lights indicating the largest cities on Earth. ## 6.2 What is urbanization? - The population of Earth is nearing 8 billion, and a large part of this population is concentrated in cities. - One modern estimate suggests that approximately 4 billion people, half of Earth's total population, lives in cities. - Urbanization is fast especially in many Asian and African nations, as people move from the countryside to the city for jobs and to gain a higher quality of living. - However, a great majority of these people end up in the slum regions on the outskirts of large cities. - Cities with over a million inhabitants are called metropolises. - As a result of urbanization, nearby metropolises can connect with each other and form large megalopolises. - The BosWash region of the United States (from Boston to Washington), is an example of such a chain of metropolises. - Nowadays, there are over 400 metropolises in the world. - The number of metropolises is steadily growing as a result of population flow from the countryside to the cities, especially in developing nations. - Megacities are cities or metropolitan areas with a population of over 10 million. - There are over 20 such megacities on the planet. - The number of megacities is estimated to double by the end of the 2020s. - Almost one tenth of Earth's total population is concentrated in these large metropolitan areas. - The image is of a city at night, many people can be seen walking and driving, demonstrating the lifestyle of an urban population. ## 6.3 Urban growth in developing nations - The growth of modern cities began in the latter half of the 18th century, when jobs created by industry lured people from the countryside to settle in large European cities. - The growing urban population also required services, which in turn attracted other people to move from rural to urban areas. - Cities began to grow. - At the beginning of this process, the quality of living in European cities was quite low. - However, this began to ameliorate as urban construction became more tightly regulated and healthcare systems improved. - Urbanization has taken place at a different rate in various parts of the world. - It became a global phenomenon only in the latter half of the 20th century. - In developing countries, the process of urbanization began considerably later than it did in industrial nations. - Whereas industrial nations experienced the beginnings of their urbanization already in the 18th century, in some developing nations, the process only began during the 1950s. - The rate of urbanization has also been significantly more rapid in developing nations than it has been in industrial nations. - The image is a chart comparing the historical development of the planet's rural, and urban population between 1950 and 2030. - From 1950 to 2030, Earth's total population increases significantly and urban population increases more rapidly, overtaking rural population. ## 6.4 Side effects of rapid urbanization - The late beginning and rapid rate of urbanization in developing countries has resulted in unmanageable city growth. - The developing nations are home to a large number of metropolises. - The rapid process of urbanization has had many negative side effects. - These include high rates of: - urban decay, - crime, - unemployment, - disordered traffic, - as well as pollution and waste problems. ## 6.5 Slums - Urban decay is one of the negative side effects of rapid urbanization in developing nations. - As people move to the cities in large numbers, not everyone is able to obtain a proper home or employment. - Often these people will end up in the poor, badly managed areas with thousands of others who are in the same situation as them. - These slums on the outskirts of large cities often have exceptionally cramped living conditions and no access to electricity or running water. - These conditions are ideal for the spread of diseases and criminal activity. - The image is of densely packed slums on the outskirts of a city. ## 6.6 Urbanization has its benefits - The urbanization of developing countries is caused by the lack of employment in rural areas. - This is often combined with a high birth rate, which further increases the demand for jobs. - Livelihoods in rural areas are also threatened by droughts and famines, which lead to people searching for a better quality of living from the cities. - Natural disasters and wars have also contributed to the poor living conditions in the rural areas of developing nations. - Cities also attract people from the rural areas around them. - Cities provide better opportunities for employment and education in rural areas. - Urbanization also has its benefits. - As cities grow, their structure becomes more dense and rigid. - When distances between jobs, housing, and services become shorter, they become more accessible. - In addition, the various forms of public transportation help to make movement in cities more frictionless. - For example, the subways or metros of large cities take care of a large chunk of their commuter traffic. - The image is a photo of London's underground, demonstrating the transportation system of densely populated urban areas. - Cities also provide a large variety of services and recreational activities. - Many modern cities have specialized areas, such as parks, for recreational use. - The shopping centers of large cities provide many necessary services. - Places of education, such as different universities and institutes, attract people from rural areas and smaller cities into metropolises. - All in all, the services provided by large cities are more comprehensive than those of the surrounding rural areas. - Cities are also the centers of business. - Large cities have concentrated workforces of highly educated people, which provide new thoughts and innovations for commercial use. ## 6.7 Summary - The growth of modern cities began in Europe in the latter half of the 18th century. - The urbanization of developing countries began properly only during the 1950s. - Approximately 4 billion people live in cities around the world. - Cities grow into metropolises, megacities, and megalopolises. - Uncontrolled urbanization has had various negative side effects, such as urban decay, unemployment, crime, and increased pollution. - Urbanization also has it benefits. - Cities provide a large number of jobs and services. - Key words: urbanization, metropolis, megalopolis, economic structure, slum, services. - The image is a photo of a city with a skyline, representing the urban landscape and the benefits of urbanization.