Mega Cities
The following points are to be found on Overhead Notes presented in class and posted
on the web site, Your text pages 130-135, and other references posted on the web site.
1. What is a mega City? (OH1,7)
(Clues: 10 million, Agglomeration, focus of financial flows, focus of transport, and
information flows, rapid population growth, unsustainability, challenges and
responses to city growth,)
2. Distinguish between developed and developing countries
3. When one studies a mega city one should examine the relative success in
responding to challenges to sustainable living in a large urban agglomeration. (e.g.
New York City is largely sustainable, Mexico City has so many challenges that life is
incredibly difficult for most people in the city.)
4. How do TNC’s, World Banks, NGO’s, and community groups address challenges
in mega cities?
5. Describe world population growth over the past 200 years. (OH7)
6. Describe changes in the spatial patterns of urban networks, particularly in
developing countries. (OH 3,8)
7. Note some problems of urban growth and change (OH4)
8. What is over ruralisation? Text 132-134)
Note causes for over ruralisation and causes.
9. What is over urbanisation? Text 132-134)
Note causes for over urbanisation and causes.
10. How do economies of Mega Cities differ from Global Cities? (page 134)
 (Clues: Dominance vs Dependence,
 Major focus for national and international commercial and financial functions,
 High order services-Government, Finance, Insurance, Finance
 High order Commerce, Professions and Trade functions
 Huge supply and service sector (underemployment. Informal employment,
over employment)
 Low Tech. manufacturing with re investment rapidly growing manufacturing
sector with imported sophisticated processes)
11. How has the “new international division of labour” affected rural areas in the
developed world and developing world, rural networks in the developed world and
developing world, “rust belt” cities, Global cities, and mega cities. (Page 134)
12. List 4 Global Cities in the largest 40 cities in the world.
 Why has the growth of global Cities slowed?

Why have mega cities exploded? OH9,10)
13. List the main features of Mega Cities (OH11)
14. List reasons for rapid growth of Mega Cities (Push Factors ) ( OH13,14)
15. List Pull Factors that promote rapid growth of Mega Cities (OH15-16)
16. List problems of living in cities in the developing World. (OH 16-19)
17. List some challenges of living in mega Cities (OH20)
18. List some responses to challenges of living in mega cities.