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Understanding the global trend of people moving from rural countrysides to urban centers.
Did you know that every single week, over 1.3 million people move into cities? That is like building a city the size of San Francisco every few days!
Urbanization is the process where an increasing percentage of a total population moves from rural areas (the countryside) to urban areas (towns and cities). It isn't just about cities getting bigger; it's about the proportion of people living there. To measure how fast a city is expanding, geographers use the Urban Growth Rate. This is calculated as the percentage increase in the urban population over a specific time period. Currently, more than of the world's population lives in cities, and this number is expected to reach by the year 2050. This shift changes everything from how we eat to how we use energy.
Let's calculate the growth rate of 'Geotown' over one year. 1. **Initial Population ():** people. 2. **New Population ():** people. 3. Formula: 4. Calculation: Geotown grew by in one year.
Quick Check
If a country's total population stays the same, but more people move from farms to cities, is the urbanization level increasing or decreasing?
Answer
Increasing, because a higher percentage of the total population now resides in urban areas.
Why do people leave their homes? Geographers divide the reasons into Push Factors and Pull Factors.
* Push Factors are negative things that 'push' people away from the countryside, such as crop failure, lack of jobs, or natural disasters. * Pull Factors are positive attractions that 'pull' people toward the city, like better-paying jobs, advanced healthcare, and educational opportunities.
In developing nations, the 'pull' of the city is often the hope for a better life, even if the city is crowded. This rapid movement often leads to the creation of Megacities, which are urban areas with more than million inhabitants.
Consider Maria, a farmer in a developing nation. 1. Her crops failed due to a drought (Push Factor). 2. She heard that a new factory in the city is hiring workers for double her farm income (Pull Factor). 3. She moves to the city. This is a classic example of rural-to-urban migration driven by economic necessity.
Quick Check
Is 'better access to high-speed internet' a push factor or a pull factor?
Answer
It is a pull factor because it is an attractive feature of the city that draws people in.
Urbanization looks different depending on where you are on the map.
1. Developed Nations (like the US or UK): These areas are already highly urbanized (often over ). Growth is slow because most people are already in cities. 2. Developing Nations (like many in Africa and Asia): These areas have lower urbanization levels (around ) but are urbanizing at a much faster rate.
This rapid growth in developing nations can lead to challenges, such as the rise of informal settlements (slums) where housing and sanitation cannot keep up with the exploding population.
Compare City A (Developed) and City B (Developing): - City A: Population , grows by people. - City B: Population , grows by people.
If a city's population grows from to , what is the growth rate?
Which of the following is a 'Push Factor'?
Developing nations generally have a higher rate of urban growth than developed nations.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to explain the difference between a 'Push' and 'Pull' factor to a friend, and recall the population threshold for a 'Megacity'.
Practice Activity
Look up the population of your own city or town from 10 years ago and today. Use the formula from this lesson to calculate your local Urban Growth Rate!