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The Largest Cities

Over the last 50 years, more and more cities have reached sizes that are historically unprecedented. While there are examples in history of cities that had populations of one million or more inhabitants (including imperial Rome at the height of its powers and Edo, the precursor of Tokyo in the 13th century), the city with several million inhabitants is a relatively new phenomenon.
London was the first city to have several million inhabitants, reaching this size in the second half of the 19th century, reflecting its status as the economic and political centre of the British Empire. By 2005, there were 50 cities with more than 5 million people, including 20 'mega-cities' with more than 10 million people.

Many other cities have grown very considerably. In 1990, the average size of the world's 100 largest cities was around 5.1 million inhabitants, compared to 2.1 million in 1950, around 700,000 in 1900 and just under 200,000 in 1800. (See graph below).
During the 1980s, many had more people moving out than moving in (since their population growth rate was lower than their rate of natural increase). These included Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Calcutta, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. However, the graph above shows that very large cities with relatively modest population growth rates can still have large annual increments in their populations.

In 2003, there were 20 megacities with over 10 million inhabitants. It is projected that by 2015, 22 cities will be this large, all but five of them in the developing world. The population of these 22 cities in 2015 will be about 358 million - 75 million more than today, but still only about 5 per cent of the expected global population of over 7 billion.



Regional patterns
Historically Asia has always had a high proportion of the world's largest cities - and South and Central America and North Africa have also long had large cities. In 2005, 28 of the world's 50 cities with over 5 million inhabitants were in Asia and this proportion is likely to increase, reflecting its increasing weight within the world economy.

Among the world's regions, North America and sub-Saharan Africa stand out as having most 'new' large cities - settlements that had not been founded or did not exist as urban centres by 1800. In 1900, Europe had more than half the world's 100 largest cities. Today it only has 53 of the world's 414 cities with a population of over 1 million.



Fast-growing cities
Although cities such as Lagos, Karachi and Dhaka are often said to be among the world's fastest growing cities, there are hundreds of smaller cities with higher population growth rates. Indeed census data shows that some relatively small urban centres have been growing by 10 or more per cent per year - far above even the fastest growing city listed above.

The current population of most of the world's largest urban areas including Tokyo, London, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Beijing, Jakarta, Dhaka and Bombay/Mumbai can go up or down by many million inhabitants, depending on which boundaries are used. This is why any international list of 'the world's largest cities' risks considerable inaccuracy as some city populations are for large urbanized regions with thousands of square kilometres while others are for older 'city boundaries' with a few hundred square kilometres.

Although it is often assumed that the world's most rapidly growing cities are concentrated in Latin America, Asia and Africa, this is not so. The table below shows how several cities in the United States rank among the most rapidly growing cities in the world during this century. For instance, Nairobi is often held up as one of the world's most rapidly growing cities - but both Miami and Phoenix in the United States had larger populations than Nairobi in 1990, although all were small settlements in 1900.


FACTSHEETS

Use this LINK to access key data sheets for your NOTES on GLOBAL URBAN GROWTH


BACKGOUND

Use this LINK for useful comparisons of major cities around the world.
The URBAN GEOGRAPHY OF LEEDS is a document you need and should read

Latest Immigration News

Check out the latest news and data on immigration in the UK. You will find some interesting and very relevant data on this news page from the bbc.

Read through and add the relevant data an facts to your notes. This is excellent material to support your notes on Cost Benefits (see blog for March 15th).

Happy holidays!

EASTER HOLIDAY HOMEWORK

Over the Easter Vacation build a Case Study on:

REFUGEE MIGRATION IN SUDAN

Create a 4 page (max) A4 doc and email to: SD@gsal.org.uk (deadline 8/4/08)

You will need to include information on the following sections together with maps, data tables and images.

• Introduction and Background
• How did the conflict start?
• What is the Sudanese government doing?
• What has happened to the civillians?
• What is being done to help?
• What is the International Community doing?

The Costs and Benefits of Migration

Migration affects both the area of origin and the area of destination. The effects of migration can be:

Economic

Social
Environmental

Cultural





The Costs and Benefits of Economic Migration
IMPACT ON ORIGIN / SOURCE COUNTRY
ECONOMIC COSTS

• Loss of young adult labour force
• Loss of skills base and entrepreneurs - could slow economic development
• out - migration may cause spital of decline which is difficult to halt (see link on NE Deindustrialisation blog)
• Loss of labour may discourage inward investment, increasing dependence on government support.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

• Prospect of reduced under emloyment in the source country
• Returning migrants bring new skills to the country which may revitalise home country economy
• Money sent home by migrants may be invested in the home economy or businesses
• Les pressure on resources including basic supplies such as food and water and essentail services such as healthcare

SOCIAL COSTS

• Perceived benefits of migration continue to encourage following generations to migrate with a net detrimental effect on social structure
• Disproportionate number of females left behind
• Non return of migrants leaves imbalance in population structure with long term consequences
• Returning retired migrants may impose social cost on the community if there is an inadequate support mechanism to cater for them

SOCIAL BENEFITS

• Population density reduced and birth rate decreases (young fertile who migrate)
• Money sent home by migrants can finance improved education and healthcare facilities
• Returning retired migrants increase social expectations within the community, e.g., demand for better leisure facilities

IMPACT ON DESTINATION COUNTRY
ECONOMIC COSTS

• Cost of educating migrants' children
• Increasing over dependence on migrant labour to support some industries (e.g. vegetable picking in East Anglia)
• Leakage of money earned by migrants, including pension payments, goes back to country of origin
• Increased numbers of people puts pressure on existing resources such as health services and education.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

• Migrants take up less desirable jobs
• Host country gains skilled labour at reduced cost
• 'Skills gap' in host country may be filled by qualified migrant workers
• Retirement costs are transferred back to the source country

SOCIAL COSTS

• Discrimination against minorities leads to civil unrest and political extremism
• The dominance of males is reinforced, especially in countries where the status of women is low, e.g., Persian Gulf states
• Aspects of cultural identity are lost, particularly among second and third generation migrants
• Segregated areas of similar ethnic groups are created, and schools become dominated by migrant children

SOCIAL BENEFITS

• Creation of a multicultural society increases awareness, respect and understanding of other cultures
• Influx of new and revitalised community services and businesses, e.g. corner shops and Turkish baths
• Growth of ethnic retailing and areas associated with ethnic food and textile outlets, e.g. fabric shops in Manningham, Bradford

Check this link on the impact of Economic Migration
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2019385.stm
ACTIVITYThe Poles are Coming (BBC 2 11 March 2008) - Following the broadcast (Click to see clip) and the notes you made from the programme, together with reading through the links on the Case Studies blog, use the bullet points above to compile a list of the COSTS & BENEFITS of Polish migration to the UK and Poland.

Impact of Deindustrialisation in the North East

The north east of England witnessed huge deindustrialisation during the late 1970s and 1980s which resulted in many people leaving the traditional industrial core clusters around Tyneside, Wearside and Teeside to migrate south or abroad. Some areas have recovered due to foreign investment, Washington near Sunderland (Nissan) and others due to government initaitives, Newcastle (One North), however, many areas remain sparsley populated, lacking in any resources or opportunities for the future generations.

Follow the link to find out more. Click here.

There has been a small amount of international immigration such as Japanese managers for the Nissan factory at Washington and small pockets of Chinese, Pakistani and Indian people, often running their own small businesses or in professional and managerial roles.

Causes of Migration and Migration Case Studies

The table below highlights some major causes of migration. It classifies such movments in terms of their origin and destination and whether the movement is voluntary or forced.





The following website contains a series of MIGRATION Case Studies and questions which will provide excellent anecdotal evidence for your notes





The following links provide detailed information and data for our work on migration. You also need to refer to the February Blog on Brazil.


Advantages of UK immigration
Britain's east-west divide
Can you pass a British citizenship test?
Dutch set immigrants culture test
German 'Muslim test' stirs anger
Migrants speak of city life
Migrant World: BBC in-depth reports reports
People seek 'country life' values

Brits Move Abroad

Studies by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) indicate that approximately 10% of British citizens live overseas suggesting that the rate of departure has been so great that population falls are only masked by immigration. Over the 39 years between 1966 and 2005, the UK has experienced a total net loss of 2.7 million British nationals.

Download a summary of the IPPR report ‘Brits Abroad: Mapping the scale and nature of British emigration’ from:

http://www.ippr.org.uk/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=509
or visit the BBC website at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/brits_abroad/html/default.stm

Ageing Population

The population structure of the UK is changing. The following links will provide you with key information to augment your class notes.

Here is a starter for your entertainment



Click here to see an INTERACTIVE POPULATION PYRAMID from the ONS









Click the image to link to the BBC Ageing Population Page.




Click on here to link to the Optimum Population Trust document on ageing population and impact on employment.






Every new home built in the UK must be designed to suit an ageing population. Click here to see BBC News report.

Rural to Urban Migration

Task
Use the resources linked to from this page to produce the following:

1. A detailed annotated version of Lee's Model that summaries Rural to Urban population

movement in Brazil.

2. A written description of how Ravenstein's Law can be applied to Rural to Urban population

movement in Brazil.

RESOURCES


Use the Abstract and Introduction of Migration in Brazil in the 1990s, Norbert M. Fiess and Dorte Verner, The World Bank, 2002.

The two faces of Sao Paulo, Daniel Howden, 12 March 2007.

Brazil poor feel benefits of Lula's policies, Steve Kingstone, 18 September 2006.

Brazil's youth in poverty escape, Jo Wright, 30 July 2005.

Divorce Rises because of One Child Policy

A news article from the BBC today says that China's divorce rate has risen by over 20% in the last year. Some people suggest this is a result of the One Child Policy which has produced a generation of adults unable to sustain relationships. Click here to read the full article.

Adopt a Granny?

How will Italy cope with its ageing population?

Have a look at the three articles from the BBC below

Italians fear a poor old age

Adopt a granny

Italy's pensions timebomb

MIGRANT IMPACT ON UK

The latest NHS figures show that increased migration into the UK is having a major impact on both the population and the infrastructure. The article linked here provides you with the lastest details.
Click on the image to visit web link.


Consider the long term impact of continued population grwoth and maigration on the UK?

European Population Issues

As always, there is a wealth of interesting material available on the BBC website, much of which is relevant to your AS level studies. I have picked out a few which are closely linked to the Population unit.

First is an article about the implications of an ageing population in 8 EU countries. Click on the photo to access the article.

The second article is about the consequences of China's long-running population policy. It makes for interesting reading.

Another interesting read is entitled, 'Birth rate crisis hits central Europe'. It contains some excellent information relating to the reasons for and consequences of a declining birth rate in this part of Europe.

Use these questions to guide your reading:

1. Why is Slovakia enjoying a minor baby boom at present?

2. What pro-natalist measures are being proposed in Poland?

3. Why might these policies struggle to succeed?

4. How is a declining birth rate affecting old people in the former Communist states of central Europe?

The Demographic Transition Model - An Overview

Follow the link on the DTM to review your knowledge of the model.

1. Use the animation on the weblink site to make notes.

2. Open the link and complete the online worksheet (scroll page to locate). Save your document and put a copy into my INBOX by referencing Y12DTMyourname.

3. Make notes on the DTM from the following Wikipeadia link

4. Follow this link for excellent diagrams and examples from around the world investigating each stage of the DTM (Click here).

Population Archive

The Guardian newspaper online offers an excellent archive of articles and comments about various aspects of population and associated issues. Click on the image to access this fantastic resource and read some of the articles to extend the work you are doing in lessons.

UK POPULATION
The following Daily Telegraph articles and links provide background information on projections and issues affecting the UK.

HOMEWORK

1. What name is given to the study of population?

2. Describe population as a ‘system’.

3. Describe the relationship between poverty and population growth. What are the two ideas about their relationship? Which argument does the author of the Guardian article agree with?

4. What key economic change resulted in the first significant population change?

5. How do cultural traditions influence population change?

6. What 2 models have been devised to show the connection between industrialisation and population growth?

7. What are the problems with these models?

8. Draw 2 mind maps to show the factors which affect fertility and mortality.