8. Urbanization

8/7/2019 8. Urbanization

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Urbanization


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Background : What is a City

Commonly, a city is an urban area with alarge population and a particularadministrative, legal, or historical status.

A city is a differentiated communitywith a population and resource base largeenough to allow residents to specialize inarts, crafts, services and professionsrather than natural resource-basedoccupations.


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What is a City cont.

Large industrialized citiesgenerally have advancedsystems for sanitation,utilities, land usage,housing, transportation andmore.

A city offers morefreedom to experiment, to

be upwardly mobile, and tobreak from restrictivetraditions. But it can beharsh and impersonal.

Dhaka at night


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Megacity

A megacity or megapolisis usually defined as ametropolitan area with atotal population in excessof 10 million people.

A megacity can be asingle metropolitan areaor two or more

metropolitan areas thatconverge upon oneanother.

Tokyo, the largest metropolis


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Urbanization

The vast majority of humanity has always livedin rural areas where farming, fishing, hunting,timber harvesting, animal herding, mining, or

other natural resource-based occupationsprovided support.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolutionsome three hundred years ago, cities have

grown rapidly in both size and power. In every developing country, the transition

from an agrarian society to an industrial onehas been accompanied by urbanization.


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What is Urbanization?

In simple words, urbanization is an influxof people from rural areas to cities.

Urbanization can also be defined as thephysical growth of rural or natural landinto urban areas as a result of population

in-migration to an existing urban area.


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Urbanization cont.

The UN projected that half the worldpopulation will live in urban areas at theend of 2008.

Industrialization and urbanization bringmany benefits; especially to the topmembers of society.

But they also cause many problems. Theeffects include change in density andadministration services.


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Urbanization cont.

This map shows the world's 20 most populous

urban areas in 2004.


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Causes of Urban Growth

Urban population grows in 2 ways :

1. By natural increase(more births than deaths)

2. By immigration


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Natural Increase

Natural increase is fueled by improvedfood supplies, better sanitation, andadvances in medical care that reduce

death rates and cause populations togrow both within the cities and in therural areas around them.

In Latin America and East Asia, naturalincrease is responsible for two-thirdsof urban population growth.


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Immigration

In Africa and WestAsia, immigration isthe largest source ofurban growth.

Immigration to citiescan be caused both by:

1. Push factors, and

2. Pull factors


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Immigration Push Factors

Push factors force people out of thecountry.

People migrate to cities for many reasons.

In some areas, the countryside isoverpopulated and simply cant supportmore people.

The surplus population is forced tomigrate to cities in search of jobs, food,and housing.


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Push Factors cont.

Not all rural-to-urban shifts are causedby overcrowding in the country.

In some places, economic forces orpolitical, racial, or religious conflicts drivepeople out of their homes.

Land tenure patterns and changes inagriculture also play a role in pushingpeople into cities.


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Immigration Pull Factors

Even in the largest and most hectic cities,many people are there by choice.

They are attracted by the excitement andopportunity to meet others likethemselves.

Also, cities offer jobs, housing,entertainment, and freedom from theconstraints of village traditions.


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Pull Factors cont.

In addition, possibilities exist in the city forupward social mobility, prestige, and powernot ordinarily available in the country.

Cities support specialization in arts, crafts,and professions for which markets do notexist elsewhere.

Modern communications also draw people tocities by broadcasting images of luxury andopportunity.


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Pull Factors cont.

Beggars and homeless people are seen on thestreets of teeming third world cities andgenerally assume they have no other choice.

But many of these people want to be in thecity.

In spite of what appears to be dismal

conditions, living in the city may bepreferable to what the country had to offer.


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Current Urban Problems

90% of the human population growth in the 21stcentury is expected to occur in the developingworld, mainly in Africa, Asia, and South America.

Almost all of that growth will occur in cities,especially the largest cities, which already havetrouble supplying food, water, housing, jobs, andbasic services for their residents.

The unplanned and uncontrollable growth ofthese cities causes many urban problems.


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Major Urban Problems

of Developing World

Traffic & Congestion

Housing

Air pollution

Sewer systems & Water pollution


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Major Problems of Dhaka City

Smog in Dhaka city

An aerial view of aslum in Dhaka city

Traffic Congestion


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Major Urban Problems

of Developed World

NoiseAir pollution

Traffic congestionCrime

Unemployment

New immigrantsConcentration of racial minorities


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City Planning

The 20th century has seen numerousexperiments in building new towns for

society at large that try to combine thebest features of the rural village andthe modern city.


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Building New Towns

The idea to build new towns sprung up in the1990s.

Such towns cluster houses to save open spaceand create a sense of community.

Commercial centers are located within a fewminutes walk of most houses, and streets are

designed to encourage pedestrians and toprovide places to gather and visit.


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Garden Cities

Garden cities are separated from the centralcity by a greenbelt separated from thecentral city by a greenbelt of forests andfields.

The idea of the garden city was influential inthe United States, Canada and in Argentina.

The Scandinavian countries have beenespecially successful in building garden cities.


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Urban Renewal

Developed world spent billions of dollars torevitalize blighted sections of inner cities.

Old neighborhoods and decaying industrialareas were cleared or renovated.

This is done often to create luxury housing,high-rise office towers, freeways, sportareas, concert halls, or other projects thatbenefit the upper classes but do little forthe people who once lived there.


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Cities of the Future

The idea is an alternative to spreading thepopulation across a wide area of the countrysideis to build upward.

This model, which depends strongly on technology,has been called the technopolis, or vertical city,or city of the future.

Most megacities are dominated by skyscrapers

and a highly technological environment. The emerging supercities of the third world are

also moving toward this style, in part because ofits association with wealth, power, and progress.


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Urban Redesign

Cities may be redesigned to makethem more diverse, flexible, and

energy efficient. The following proposals might give

better aspects of both the rural

village and the big city.


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Urban Redesign cont.

1) Limit city size or organize them in modulesof 30,000 to 50,000 people.

A greenbelt of agricultural and recreationland around the city limits growth whilepromoting efficient land use.

2) Determine in advance where developmentwill take place.

This protects property values and preventschaotic development. It also recognizes

historical and cultural values, agriculturalresources etc.


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3) Turn shopping malls into real city centersthat invite people to stroll, meet friends, orlisten to a debate or a street musician.

Design city space with sidewalk cafes,pocket parks, courtyards, balconies, andporticoes that shelter pedestrians, bring

people together, and add life and securityto the street.

Another test of a city is a vital nightlife.


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4) Locate everyday shopping and servicesso that people can meet daily needs withgreater convenience, less stress, lessautomobile dependency, and less use oftime and energy.

This might be accomplished by

encouraging small-scale commercialdevelopment in or close to residentialareas.


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5) Increase jobs in the community bylocating offices, light industry, andcommercial centers in or near suburbs.

These alternatives save commutingtime and energy and provide local jobs.


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6) Encourage walking or the use of small,low-speed, energy-efficient vehiclesfor many local trips now performed byfull-size automobiles.

Creating special traffic lanes, reducingthe number or size of parking spaces,or closing shopping streets to big carsmight encourage such alternatives.


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7) Promote more diverse, flexible housingas alternatives to conventional,detached single-family houses.

Housing superblocks can also becreated.

This would use space more efficiently

and foster a sense of security andcommunity.


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8) Make cities more self-sustainable by :

Growing food locally

Reducing water use & waste generation Recycling wastes and water

Using renewable energy sources

Reducing noise and pollution, and

Creating a cleaner, safer environment


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9) Invite public participation in decisionmaking.

Emphasize local history, culture, andenvironment to create a sense ofcommunity and identity.

Documents

8. Urbanization