Introduction to Geography
People, Places, and Environment, 4e
Edward F. Bergman
William H. Renwick
Chapter 10:
Cities and Urbanization
Victoria Alapo, Instructor
Geog 1010
Defining Concepts

Urbanization

Concentrating population in cities

Megacity – population of at least 10 million

Currently, the largest city in the world is Tokyo (i.e. if you
include the metro area)

Primate cities

Large city with a large amt of national population, usually 2ce as
large as the next largest city e.g. Mexico City, Lagos (Nigeria),
Bangkok (Thailand), Paris (France), London (England), New
York, etc.

Urbanization Today

Occurring rapidly, esp. in developing countries

Inadequate infrastructure in many countries

Caused by deteriorating rural conditions (push-pull factors); and
this leads to “rural-urban migration”.
The 50 largest cities in the world.
Beware of percentages; they can be skewed.
Africa has more cities than you see, as you will see on next slide.
Early Urban Societies
(Including Culture Hearths)

Africa


Asia


China, India, Middle East, esp. Mesopotamia –
Sumeria, Persia and Babylon (Iran & Iraq)
S/America


Egypt, the Great Zimbabwe, Timbuktu, etc
Incas/Mayas/Aztecs
Europe was urbanized much later on in human
history. Europe was never a culture hearth (in
the beginning).

Greece, Rome
There were many Pre-Colonial Cities in Africa, many of which STILL do exist as the
modern cities of today. This photo shows the ruins of the Great Zimbabwe, which
existed prior to the colonial period. Some pre-colonial cities that still exist today
include Ibadan, Kano, etc (Nigeria); Timbuktu (Mali); Kumasi (Ghana), and so on.
Lagos Island (Eko), Nigeria
The problems of urbanization – urban primacy, housing, sanitation, traffic,
unemployment, inadequate services, etc. Problems in this city (Lagos) are similar to
those you will find everywhere in South America or Asia. See Video.
Urban Planning

Eminent Domain: when the govt. acquires private

Charter of the International Congress of Modern
Architecture (CIAM)
property for the “greater good”. E.g. for highway
construction, or other public projects.

Codified the functions of the modern city (conference
in Athens, 1933). That’s why many cities and esp.
their skyscrapers, look the same.
Models of Urban Form

Four models of internal patterns of cities
(1945)

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Concentric zone
Sector
Multiple-nuclei
Peripheral (1995)
Reasons for the Forms:



Social factors
Government
Environmental concerns
CBD means Central Business District – i.e., Downtown.
The “Dual City” Phenomenon

Most African cities tend to be “dual cities”. This
is mainly as a result of the presence of a
traditional city center and colonial/modern city
(Western) city center in existence within the
same city.

So, most large cities in Africa tend to have “two
downtowns” – the traditional and Modern.

This phenomenon was first recognized by
Professor Mabogunje (1968), at the University
of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Modern Cairo, Egypt (Africa)
Culture in Urban Models

Contrasts to North American / Western
models


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Traditional Islamic, e.g. Morocco
Traditional African e.g. Western Nigeria
Latin America
Growth of Suburbs

U.S. phenomenon due to prosperity

Early suburbs developed because of:



Cultural preference for rural living
Henry Ford – cars, ability to commute
Later on due to Government policies:



FHA loan program
Tax incentives
Returning veterans
Consequences of Suburban
Infrastructure
Suburban Sprawl causes problems e.g.
 Environmental




Leapfrogging of development
Job movement and creation e.g. strip malls
High costs



Using up “prime farmland”
Energy, infrastructure expense, etc
Commuting patterns / transportation/ rush hour
Residential segregation/ restrictive
covenants
Central Cities Decline


1970-1995: Economic decline & loss of jobs
Due to “White flight”-- population loss to suburbs,
leading to deteriorating housing and neighborhoods
Solutions/New Patterns:

Reclaiming “brownfields” – i.e. old abandoned factories

Gentrification


Rediscovering of urban living by Yuppies / empty nesters
New Urbanism (“Smart Growth”)


Recreate “small-town America” e.g. Celebration, FL; Seaside,
FL; Bowling Green, KY, etc.
Encourages less dependence on cars