Urban Landscape

Notes to Handouts (08-09 version)

I. What is a settlement?I. What is a settlement?

I. The ‘what’ and ‘where’ of settlements- site, location (situation), size, form, structure,

morphology, function, quality of environment, households, people and interaction

II. Types of settlementsII. Types of settlements

What is an urban settlement? How is it different from a rural settlement?

a. Functional definition of urban settlementb. Statistical definition of urban settlement- Why is it difficult to set a universal minimum size

of an urban settlement?- Refer to ‘Urban Data 2008’- Refer to T.B. p.388-389, 392-397, 516-517

Comparing north & south in the USA

Comparing north & south in the USA

Not all types of society will develop an urban structure. There was, for a long period, a marked contrast between the economies of the northern & southern regions of the young USA.

II. Types of settlementsII. Types of settlements

- Settlement patterns: Causes of dispersion and nucleation: T.B. p.397

Nearest neighbour analysis: T.B. p.402-404 Interaction / gravity models: T.B. p.410-411

III. Urban ProcessesIII. Urban Processes

Urban growth - trends and distribution (refer to fact notes ‘Urban Data 2008’, T.B. p.418-419) Urbanization - it is not simply a matter of an increasing % of people liv

ing in towns and cities - it is a multi-dimenstional process involving: physical, economic, social and demographic changes

(refer to notes p. 3)

III. Urban ProcessesIII. Urban Processes

Urbanization

- On demographic level, urbanization involves two processes:

(1) natural increase

(2) migration (with push and pull factors)

The average size of the world’s 100 largest cities,

1800-2000

The average size of the world’s 100 largest cities,

1800-2000

The growth of large urban areas (cities) has been especially notable over the last 50 years.

World mega-citiesWorld mega-cities

The recent feature of urbanization: the emergence of mega-cities with populations of over 5 million.

III. Urban ProcessesIII. Urban Processes

Urbanization

- The rate of natural increase in cities are often significantly higher than those in more rural areas. Why?

(1) Higher fertility rate in urban areas due to a low age profile

(2) Which is often the result of migration, esp. rural-urban migration (highly selective) – do ex.

III. Urban ProcessesIII. Urban Processes

What are the processes and features of urbanization? (notes p.3)

How did the % of the worlds’ urban population change with time? (notes p.3 & ‘Urban Data 2008)

III. Urban ProcessesIII. Urban Processes

The proportion of world population living in urban areas (notes p.4)

Proportion by different continents

No. of cities with > 1 million people, 1800-2000

No. of cities with > 1 million people, 1800-2000

Region 1800 1900 1950 2000

Africa 0 0 0 34

Asia 1 3 26 136

Europe 1 9 30 61

Latin America 0 0 7 39

North America 0 4 14 36

Oceania 0 0 2 5

Total 2 16 81 311

Source: Advanced Geography Edexcel (A), 2005, p. 461

Distribution of the world’s100 largest cities, 1800-2000

Distribution of the world’s100 largest cities, 1800-2000

Region 1800 1900 1950 2000

Africa 4 2 3 6

Asia 64 23 32 44

Europe 29 51 37 19

Latin America 3 5 8 16

North America 0 16 18 13

Oceania 0 2 2 2

Total 100 99 100 100

Source: Advanced Geography Edexcel (A), 2005, p. 461

Urbanization in the developed countriesUrbanization in the

developed countries1. The invention of agricultural machinery2. Improvement in transport3. Development of new manufacturing industries4. Attractiveness of urban life

Counter-urbanizationCounter-urbanization

It is a trend that involves the movement of people and enterprises out of urban areas to more rural areas.

The trend experienced by UK after 1950s:- 1. improved transport

- 2. a decline in the heavy industries which had

been concentrated in a few areas

- 3. a greater development of services which

favoured edge-of-city environments

Reurbanization since 1980sReurbanization since 1980sthe return of people to the cities is directional in naturewith majority of movement happens in the inner citieswhich formerly suffer from dereliction and unemploymentthe scale of return is large and impose an obvious effect

within the city, both positive and negativethe return is particularly significant in large cities, especi

ally global cities in MEDCswhere population has grown rapidly

Reurbanization in most MEDC cities in the 1990s

Reurbanization in most MEDC cities in the 1990s

the recognition of an urgent need to revive & redevelop

flagging city / central city areasa response to the changing world economy:

globalizationeffect of switching employment structure, from

manufacturing industry to service industrythe derelict part of the cities, mainly the inner part, usu.

captures the awareness of the government

Reurbanization in most MEDC cities in the 1990s

Reurbanization in most MEDC cities in the 1990s

major aims: to stop the loss of population & employment,

improve housing stock and upgrade the city image

ultimate goal: to attract the mobile, global investment

case study in UK (1) - Birmingham

case study in UK (1) - Birmingham the principal area of development:

- the derelict areas in the NE part of the city Heartlands initiative:

- developing office space within the city other city projects:

- building an international convention centre, national indoor arena, etc. aiming at the creation of a safe, profitable and pleasure environment through ‘growth coalition’, several flagship schemes have been promoted.

case study in UK (2) - Nottingham

case study in UK (2) - Nottingham revival of the past textile centre into an important centr

e for financial & business pulling down small workshops to create more office spa

ce and space for houses renovation of the historic Lace Market redevelopment of the Borad Marsh and Trinity Square s

hopping areas, crating a further 77 000 sq. metre for retail space

further investment on key city centre sitesdev’t of national & international sports facilities – the N

ational Ice Centre, the National Water Sports Centre & the Nottingham International Tennis Centre

Urbanization in the less developed countries

Urbanization in the less developed countries

in the stage of concurrent urban growth & urbanization

impacts under the withdrawal of the colonial administration

‘over-urbanization’‘pseudo-urbanization’other factors for the rapid process (notes p.6)a case study of China (notes p.6)

Urban and rural population, 1950-2030

Urban and rural population, 1950-2030

With projected values to 2030

Think about itThink about it

What about the recent trend and prediction of China’s urbanization?

What are the driving force of rural-urban migration in China?

Urbanization in ChinaUrbanization in ChinaTotal population at the end of 2006: 1.3 billion, with 737 million (56%) and 577 million (44%) residing in the rural a

nd urban areas respectively. About 94% of population lives on approximately 46% of land.Recent trend: the decreasing rural population and increasing urba

n population; moving industry and economic activities from the rural to urban areas as the main focus

The UN forecast: By 2015, China's rural and urban population will be about 50% vs 50%]

In the long term, China faces increasing urbanization: by 2035 – the level of urbanization will reach 70%

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

3 driving forces for China’s rural-urban migration

3 driving forces for China’s rural-urban migration

1. the widening income gap between rural & urban areas2. the increasing labour demand in centain economic se

ctors of the big cities e.g. construction, electronics & textiles, services3. the further agricultural modernization & therefore the

agricultural labour surplus

Source: http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Research/LUC/ChinaFood/argu/trends/trend_30.htm

Recommended Reference:Recommended Reference:

Rural-urban Migration in China: Recent Trend and Future Challenges