Urbanisation and urban growth
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Question
What is urbanisation?
Answer
The process by which an increasing proportion of a population lives in urban areas (cities and towns).
💡 Hint
More people live in cities
Question
Define urbanisation in one sentence.
Answer
An increasing proportion of people living in urban areas over time.
💡 Hint
Proportion in cities increases
Question
Give three challenges of rapid urbanisation.
Answer
Housing shortages (slums), infrastructure strain (water/sanitation/transport), and increased pollution (air/water/solid waste).
💡 Hint
Housing + infrastructure + pollution
Question
Give three opportunities of urbanisation.
Answer
Greater efficiency in services, better access to healthcare/education, and hubs for innovation and economic growth.
💡 Hint
Efficiency + services + jobs
Question
Give two causes of urbanisation.
Answer
Rural-to-urban migration and natural increase in urban populations (also reclassification and economic development).
💡 Hint
Migration + natural increase
Question
List two push factors and two pull factors for urbanisation.
Answer
Push: lack of jobs, poor services. Pull: employment, better healthcare/education.
💡 Hint
Push away, pull in
Question
Why can well-managed cities be more sustainable than sprawl?
Answer
Dense populations can share infrastructure, reduce per-capita travel, and lower resource use per person if planning and services are effective.
💡 Hint
Density can reduce per-capita impact
Question
What is a push factor for rural-to-urban migration?
Answer
A factor that drives people to leave rural areas (e.g., lack of jobs, poor services, land degradation).
💡 Hint
Reasons to leave
Question
Name three common challenges of rapid urban growth.
Answer
Housing shortages, pollution, and infrastructure overload (water/sanitation/transport).
💡 Hint
Housing + pollution + services
Question
What is a pull factor for urbanisation?
Answer
A factor that attracts people to cities (e.g., jobs, higher wages, better services).
💡 Hint
Reasons to move in
Question
Name three opportunities created by urbanisation.
Answer
More efficient service delivery, economic growth/innovation, and improved access to healthcare and education.
💡 Hint
Efficiency + growth + services
Question
What is an informal settlement (slum)?
Answer
Housing built without legal land tenure and often lacking basic services such as clean water, sanitation, and electricity.
💡 Hint
Unplanned + low services
Question
Essay tip: What’s the best approach for urbanisation answers?
Answer
Show balance: explain both challenges and opportunities, then evaluate solutions and trade-offs.
💡 Hint
Balanced evaluation
Question
Why does reclassification increase “urban” population without people moving?
Answer
Because growing settlements can be redefined from rural to urban, changing the statistics.
💡 Hint
Change the label
Question
Paper 1 tip: How do you interpret a trend graph for urbanisation?
Answer
State the trend, quantify change with numbers, and compare regions/countries if shown.
💡 Hint
Trend + numbers + comparison
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Topic 8.2 hub
Urban systems and urban planning
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