7.2 & 7.3 – Changing Towns and Cities

More than half of all people on Earth now live in towns and cities. This shift from rural (countryside) to urban (city) living is called urbanisation, and it is happening at very different speeds in different parts of the world. In this topic, you will learn why urban areas are growing, what opportunities city life brings, and what challenges come with rapid urban growth.

7.1 — Where People Live #

7.1.1 — Reasons for Variations in Global Urban Growth Rates #

The urban growth rate is how fast the population of towns and cities is growing. This rate is not the same everywhere — some cities are growing very quickly while others are barely growing at all.

The main reasons why urban growth rates vary around the world:

Factor	Slower Urban Growth (typically HICs)	Faster Urban Growth (typically LICs/MICs)
Level of development	Already highly urbanised — most people already live in cities, so there is little room left to grow	Still mostly rural — large numbers of people are yet to move to cities
Birth rate	Low birth rates mean city populations grow slowly from natural increase	High birth rates lead to rapid natural increase in urban areas
Rural–urban migration	Little migration from rural areas as rural living standards are already reasonable	Large numbers of people move from the countryside to cities in search of better opportunities
Economic activity	Cities in HICs are well-established; growth is slower and more controlled	Rapid economic growth in LIC cities attracts workers and investment

7.1.2 — Causes of Rapid Urban Growth in LICs #

Cities in Low Income Countries (LICs) are growing at some of the fastest rates in the world. There are two main causes: rural–urban migration and natural increase.

Rural–Urban Migration #

This is when people move from the countryside to towns and cities. People are pushed away from rural areas and pulled towards cities by a range of factors:

Type of Factor	Push Factors (reasons to leave the countryside)	Pull Factors (reasons to move to the city)
Social	Poor access to schools and healthcare in rural villages	Better schools, universities, hospitals, and social services in cities
Economic	Few jobs available; farming income is low and unreliable	More job opportunities, higher wages, greater chance to improve income
Environmental	Drought, flooding, or land degradation makes farming impossible or very difficult	Cities are less dependent on weather and natural conditions for income
Political	Conflict or war in rural areas forces people to flee for safety	Governments often invest more in cities, making them safer and better-resourced

Natural Increase #

Natural increase is when more people are born than die in a given area. In LIC cities, natural increase is high because:

• Many migrants who move to cities are young adults who then have children, so birth rates in cities are high
• Better access to healthcare in cities reduces death rates, especially among babies and young children
• The result is a large and fast-growing young urban population

7.2 — Opportunities and Challenges of Urbanisation #

7.2.1 — Opportunities of Urban Living #

Living in a city brings many advantages that are not as easily available in the countryside. These opportunities are one of the main reasons people choose to move to urban areas.

Opportunity	What This Means
Culture	Cities offer a rich and diverse cultural life — museums, theatres, art, music, festivals, and a mix of traditions from different communities
Housing	A wider variety of housing types is available in cities, from apartments to larger homes, compared to limited options in rural areas
Services	Cities have better hospitals, schools, universities, and public transport systems, giving residents greater access to essential services
Leisure	Parks, sports facilities, cinemas, restaurants, and other leisure activities are concentrated in urban areas
Consumption	Cities offer access to a much wider range of goods and products through shops, markets, and online delivery systems
Economic development	Cities are centres of business and industry, offering more jobs, higher wages, and greater opportunities to start businesses and build wealth

7.2.2 — Opportunities and Challenges of Rapid Urban Growth #

When cities grow very quickly, they bring both new opportunities and serious challenges. Below are the key areas the syllabus requires you to understand.

Inequality #

Service Provision #

Housing #

Employment #

Transport #

Waste Management #

Unplanned Settlements #

7.2.3 — The Impact of Urban Sprawl on the Rural–Urban Fringe #

As cities expand outwards, the rural–urban fringe is the area most directly affected by urban sprawl. The impacts are significant and wide-ranging:

Impact	Explanation
Loss of farmland	Agricultural land is built over to create new housing estates, roads, and retail areas, permanently reducing the land available for food production
Loss of green space and habitats	Natural areas such as fields, woodland, and wetlands are destroyed as the city expands, reducing biodiversity and removing areas that residents previously used for recreation
Increased traffic	New residential areas on the fringe rely heavily on cars, leading to more congestion and air pollution on rural roads and in nearby villages
Pressure on local services	An influx of new residents increases demand for schools, doctors, and roads in areas that were not designed to handle large urban populations
Changes to the character of rural settlements	Villages near the city edge can lose their rural character as they become absorbed into the growing urban area, with house prices rising beyond the reach of local rural communities
New economic activity	Out-of-town shopping centres, business parks, and industrial estates are built on the fringe where land is cheaper and there is room to expand