URBAN PLACES
Urban Places – Outcomes
These are the outcomes you need to address for the Urban Places topic. You should
ensure that you can adequately address all the the outcomes below.
Can you:
• explain the changing nature, spatial patterns and interaction of urban places?
• analyse contemporary urban dynamics and applies them in specific contexts?
• evaluate environmental management strategies in terms of ecological sustainability?
• evaluate the impacts of, and responses of people to, environmental change?
• justify geographical methods applicable and useful in the workplace and relevant to a
changing world?
• plan geographical inquiries to analyse and synthesise information from a variety of
sources?
• evaluate geographical information and sources for usefulness, validity and reliability?
• apply maps, graphs and statistics, photographs and fieldwork to analyse and integrate
data in geographical contexts?
• apply mathematical ideas and techniques to analyse geographical data?
• explain geographical patterns, processes and future trends through appropriate case
studies and illustrative examples?
• communicate complex geographical information, ideas and issues effectively, using
appropriate written and/or oral, cartographic and graphic forms?
Urban Places – Content
You have learnt about:
World cities
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the nature, character and spatial distribution of world cities
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the role of world cities as powerful centres of economic and cultural authority
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the operation of global networks
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the relationships of dominance and dependence between world cities and other urban centres and the changing role
of regional centres and the demise of the small town.
Mega cities
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the nature, character and spatial distribution of mega cities in the developing world
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the challenges of living in mega cities such as housing, traffic infrastructure, water and power supplies, sanitation
services, employment, and other social and health issues
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the responses to these challenges such as self-help projects, community self-government, cooperation from NGOs,
urban protest and the operations of informal economies.
Urban dynamics
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the urban dynamics of change: suburbanisation, exurbanisation, counterurbanisation, decentralisation, consolidation,
urban decay, urban renewal, urban village, spatial exclusion
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a case study of the results of the urban dynamics in a large city selected from the developed world including its
– social structure and spatial patterns of advantage and disadvantage, wealth and poverty, ethnicity
– changing economic character, nature and location of residential land, commercial and industrial development
– culture of place as expressed in the architecture, streetscape, heritage architecture, noise, colour, street life,
energy, vitality and lifestyles
– growth, development, future trends and ecological sustainability
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a case study showing one of the urban dynamics listed above, operating in a country town or suburb.
Urban Places - overview
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World cities - London case study
Regional centres
Decline of small towns – various case studies
Mega-cities – challenges of living in megacities, responses to challenges, Mexico case
study
• Urban dynamics – Sydney case study
• An urban dynamic operating in a country
town or suburb – Bathurst case study
Rates of Urbanisation
• More and more people are attracted
to city centres globally.
• Two centuries ago less than 5% of
the world’s population lived in cities
and towns. Today that figure
approaches 50%.
• The number of cities with a
population over 1 million has
increased from 2 in 1850, to 109 in
1970, and is expected to be 380 in
2010.
Key terms
World City: a city that has global and national
significance
Mega city: a very large agglomeration of at least 8
million people
Urbanisation: an increase in the proportion of a
country’s population living in urban areas.
WORLD CITIES
Nature, Character and Spatial
distribution
The emergence of the global (or world) city reflects
the internationalisation of economic activity and a
spatially dispersed but globally integrated
organization of production and consumption. Only
a few major cities are able to exercise global
control, e.g. London, New York, and Tokyo
(predominantly in developed countries)
Spatial Distribution of World Cities
There are three dominant world cities that are
the leaders in the global financial market as well
as having other important global functions. They
are New York, London and Tokyo. Two cities that
have a major importance for the regions in which
they are located are Los Angeles (Pacific Rim)
and Frankfurt (western Europe). The other world
cities on the map shown here are important
hubs serving their localities
Spatial Distribution of world cities
The Operation of Global Networks
The networking of large cities at the global-national
level results from corporate organization within the
global economy. There are a range of sub-systems:
• An Asian sub-system
• A North American sub-system
• A West European sub-system
• Southern Hemisphere sub-system
How are global networks linked
together?
World cities are supported by and connected to
one another by:
a very comprehensive transportation
system
an extensive information network
Telecommunication networks
The Role of World Cities
World cities are intrinsically linked to globalisation.
Globalisation is the development of stronger links
between countries and the breaking down of any
existing barriers as a result of technological
communication. World Cities are:
 centres of production
 centres of consumption
 centres of exchange
 centres of corporate and political decisionmaking
 Centres of culture
Cultural Centres
Culturally, world cities have many historical,
cultural and scenic activities for tourists and
residents. World cities usually have fine
theatres, opera houses, and museums which
host large cultural events such as art exhibitions
and sporting venues hosting major sporting
tournaments.
Political Centres
• Parliament buildings are located in world cities,
and as such political decisions are made in
these cities.
• World cities contain the headquarters of many
non-government organisations such as United
Nations and Greenpeace.
Centres of Finance
World cities are centres for banking and other financial
services. The largest banks in the world have their
headquarters located in world cities. For example:
New York, Citigroup and Chase Manhattan; London,
HSBC Holdings and Barclays PLC; and Tokyo, Bank
of Tokyo, Mitsubishi and Dai-Ichi Bank. All of the major
stock exchanges are located in world cities, for
example 'Wall Street' in New York.
Headquarters of TNCs
World cities are often the basis of transnational and
national corporations that greatly influence the global
economy, and particularly dominate world trade. They
decide where, when and how much production of a
particular product takes place.
Dominance and Dependence
• A few multi-functional cities dominate nationally
and globally
• Dominance has emerged as a result of increasing
concentration of finance, insurance and banking
companies in cities, along with the centralisation
of political and administrative decisions.
• World centres are dependent on small centres for
primary production.
Case Study: London
World Cities Case study: London
London is one of the world’s most important financial
and cultural centres. London is noted for its museums,
performing arts, exchange and commodity markets, and
insurance and banking functions, as well as a host of
specialised services.
Population
• About 78% of London’s population are Anglo-Saxon.
Major ethnic groups include Indians, Pakistanis, and
Bangladeshis. Since the 1950s the population of
London has declined as many have moved to the
suburbs on the outskirts of London.
A centre for the economy
• Service industries account for 60% of total
employment (banking, insurance, civil service,
transportation, education, food and drink,
publishing, retailing, tourism, etc).
• Greater London possesses the country’s
greatest concentration of professional, technical,
and administrative occupations, as well as the
highest average income in Britain.
Centres of production
The Port of London, the major docks of which are
located just downstream from London Bridge,
provides access to raw materials and markets.
London is one of Europe’s largest sea ports and
handles virtually every type of commodity and
cargo.
Centres of exchange
centres of consumption
Corporate and political decisionmaking
Sites of political
significance include:
• Houses of
Parliament
• Westminster
Abbey
Centres of culture
Write a paragraph describing the impact
of globalisation on large urban centres.
Explain the nature, character and spatial
distribution of world cities.
Analyse the role of world cities as
powerful centres of economic and
cultural authority
Select a city of at least 2 million people.
Outline the role of the city and its changing
relationships with its hinterland and other
centres.
Explain the operation of global networks
of large cities.
REGIONAL CENTRES AND
THE DECLINE OF SMALL
TOWNS
Regional Centres
Increasingly regional centres are acting like sponges, sucking populations,
employment, and populations from small towns.
Dubbo
Dubbo in central-western NSW is one of Australia’s fastest growing inland
provincial cities. Dubbo lies at the junction of road transport routes which link
Sydney to Perth and Melbourne to Brisbane. It is central to a large part of inland
NSW and is best likened to a sponge, soaking up population and services from
surrounding areas, including towns such as Gilgandra to the north. The town now
has grown to be a hinterland centre, providing services such as banking, stock
selling as well as government offices. Unlike many NSW towns which have lost a
manufacturing industry, Dubbo now sustains small manufacturing activities such as
a winery, and local wool scour and breweries. The growth of Dubbo is reasonably
typical of the larger regional centres and is an exception to the rule of rural decline
in NSW.
The demise of the small town
Why have small towns declined?
• People are attracted to city areas by the prospect of
better health care, schools, jobs, and quality of life.
• The involvement of large corporations in farming and
agriculture has forced many small, family owned farms
to cease operation.
Impacts of decline of small towns and rural areas:
• Decline in population leads to reduced educational and
health services.
• Increasingly aged population (with reliance on private
motor vehicles)
• Formation of regional groups to tackle issues such as
resource management, marketing, tourism,
infrastructure.
• State Governments have restructured local
governments and merged smaller councils into
regional councils.
• Many towns have changed from being around industry
to being tourism -based.
Examples of small towns in decline
Gilgandra - a small farming town, with limited resources, is
feeling the effect of the growth of regional centres such as
Dubbo.
Kiandra - 1860-1861 had a population of about 15 000, due
to gold discoveries and the subsequent Gold Rush. As gold
findings diminished so did the population.
Berry - previously a town based around Kangaroo Valley
butter and cheeses (farming, labourers, transporting, etc). The
opening of the Wollongong steelworks and the mechanisation
of agricultural labour led to its demise. The town is now an
important heritage site.
Broken Hill - was the most important mining town in NSW.
Due to the decline in importance in mining, many of the
mines are no longer functioning.
Explain the changing role of
regional centres and the demise of
the small town
MEGACITIES
Mega Cities
Nature, Character and distribution
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at least 8 million inhabitants
Examples: Lima, Buenos Aires, Rio De Janeiro,
Dhaka, Bangkok, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Bangalore,
Istanbul, Beijing, Dehli, Seoul.
Mega cities occur as a result of rapid urbanisation.
Factors contributing to rapid urbanisation include
drought, better medicines and health care in cities,
more schools and better educational facilities in
cities, famine, unemployment in rural areas,
Most mega cities are in Asia and South America,
followed by Africa.
The growth of mega cities in the developing world
is linked to the growth of manufacturing
The informal employment sector supports many
who live in mega cities. The informal sector
includes those forms of employment which are
outside the usual. They do not pay tax on earnings.
Examples include street vendors, prostitutes,
hawkers, rubbish pickers.
Mega Cities
Challenges of living in Mega
Cities
 unemployment/
underemployment
 power for cooking
 nourishing and affordable
food
 toilets and sewerage
 garbage collection
 clean water
 transport
 medical care
Mega Cities
Response to challenges of living in Mega
Cities
 Self-help projects
 Protest groups
 NGOs
 Neighbourhood cooperatives
 Community self government
 Informal economies
Mega Cities Case study - Mexico City
Physical setting:
• lies in a 7500km2 bowl-shaped basin
• Surrounded by snow-capped mountains
• City occupies and now-dry lake.
Mega Cities Case study - Mexico City
Population growth:
• Population exceeds 17.5 million
• Rapid rate of urbanisation/rural-urban
migration
• Rural-urban migration continues at about
1000 migrants a day.
• Has a young population, and as a result a
high rate of natural increase
• Birth control campaigns are hindered by
religious beliefs (anti-birth control) and
machismo.
• Reasons for rural-urban migration include:
• Seeking work
• Displacement
• Chance for a better/longer life
• Public utilities, education and health
services
Mega Cities case study: Mexico City
Social and spatial inequalities
• A dichotomy exists between the affluent
section of the population and the
poorest section of the population
• Rich:
– Live in palatial mansions
– Enjoy entertainment such as
operas, orchestras, bullfights, etc.
• Poor:
– Thousands of beggars
– Rubbish pickers - go through and
sell rubbish
– 28% of families live in single
roomed homes (generally 5per
family)
– 47% of families lack the necessary
income to purchase or rent a
dwelling
– Urban poor have been forced to
construct their own dwellings in selfhelp settlements
Mega Cities case study: Mexico City
With a population of 18 million, the Mexico
City Metropolitan Area ranks as one of the
world's largest "megacities." Rapid and
haphazard urbanization, however, has led to
myriad problems: informal housing
settlements and slums, a chaotic pattern of
land use, severe traffic congestion, and
chronic air pollution. The city cannot meet
the growing transport needs and health
requirements of its citizens.
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Challenges of living in Mexico City
Unemployment
Poverty
Lack of housing
Traffic congestion
Air pollution
Earthquakes
Subsidence
Inadequate urban infrastructure
Mega Cities case study: Mexico City
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All citizens, wealthy and poor, are
exposed to air pollution from
industrial emissions and vehicle
exhaust. Mexico City exceeds air
quality limits the vast majority of
days, every year. Smog hovers
over the city for days at a time
until rain washes it away or a
strong wind can blow it out.
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Few main traffic routes bring
commuters from outlying areas
into the city. Cars, trucks, taxis,
"colectivos," and buses clog
these main highways from
morning until evening. "Rush
hour" has become a permanent
condition in Mexico City.
Mega Cities case study: Mexico City
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Haphazard development and a lack of
affordable housing compound the city's
transport problems, pushing poorer
citizens into lesser quality housing on the
fringes of the metropolitan region. The
public transit system does not serve many
of these disadvantaged areas. And, many
households cannot afford to own or
operate a car. Isolated from jobs, schools,
clinics, and entrepreneurial opportunity,
these citizens are trapped in a cycle of
poverty and environmental degradation.
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Mexico City's subway, called the Metro,
opened in the early 1970s. It is the world's
fourth busiest subway system, carrying
approximately 1.3 billion passengers each
year. Travelers can cross the city's core in
20 minutes. Unfortunately, the Metro
doesn't go everywhere. Some lines are
underutilized. Others are very crowded.
Give reasons for the rapid growth of
cities in the developing world. What
social and environmental problems have
resulted from this rapid growth?
Outline THREE challenges of living in
Megacities. Explain how people have
responded to these challenges.
Urban dynamics
Urban dynamic include:
 Suburbanisation
 Exurbanisation
 Urban renewal/Gentrification
 Urban decay
 Consolidation
 Counterurbanisation
 Decentralisation
 Urban village
 Spatial exclusion
Urban dynamics in Sydney
Choose a city of at least 2 million people.
Describe the morphology of that city. Discuss
the relationship between urban processes and
social well-being in the city
An urban dynamic operating in a country town
or suburb – Bathurst case study
Urban Places – Practice Essays
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Describe and account for the changing patterns of world urbanisation
Give reasons for the rapid growth of cities in the developing world. What social and environmental
problems have resulted from this rapid growth?
Name and locate one large city of at least 2 million people. Identify the management issues that have
occurred as a result of the growth or decline of the city. Explain the role of government in planning for
the future of this city.
Discuss the economic, social, cultural, political and environmental forces affecting the nature and
rates of urbanisation at different times and in different places.
Answer:
a)
Outline the extent of rapid urbanisation in the developing world
b)
Discuss the growth and role of large cities in Africa, Asia, Central America and south America
c)
Suggest economic, social, cultural, political and environmental forces affecting this rapid rate of
urbanisation
Select a large city of at least 2 million. Outline the role of the large city and its changing relationships
with its hinterland and other centres.
With reference to examples, write an essay that outlines and discusses the differences in levels and
rates of urbanisation between less developed and more developed regions of the world.
With reference to a large city of at least 2 million people, write an extended response that examines
the impacts of urban process on the nature of the city’s urban structure.
Outline and discuss the changing relationship of a large city of at least 2 million people with its
hinterland and other centres.