The document discusses urbanization, defining it as a process where an increasing proportion of the population lives in towns and cities. There are two main causes of urbanization: rural-urban migration and natural increase. Rural-urban migration occurs as people move from rural areas to cities due to push factors like lack of land and poverty in rural areas, and pull factors like employment opportunities and quality of life improvements in urban areas. Natural increase also contributes to urbanization as a high birth rate combined with improved healthcare in cities leads to urban populations growing independently of migration. The document concludes by showing which parts of the world have the highest and lowest levels of urbanization.

1. Urbanisation
Causes and Characteristics

2. 7 September, 2015
L.O
• To be able to describe what urbanisation is
•To be able to explain the causes of urbanisation
•To be able to evaluate the distribution of
urbanisation and recognise the pace at which
urbanisation is happening
Characteristics and Causes of Urbanisation

3. What is an urban area?
Urban AreaUrban Area = Is a built-up area such as a town or city.

4. What is Urbanisation?
Urbanisation =Urbanisation = a process where an increasing
proportion of the population lives in towns and cities
(and there is a reduction living in rural areas).

5. What causes Urbanisation?
There are 2 main factors of urbanisation:
1. Rural – urban migration
2. Natural increase (birth rate-death rate)

6. Rural to Urban Migration
A process in which people move from the
countryside to the towns and cities.

7. Rural to urban migration
Rural push factors City pull factors
PUSH FACTOR

8. PUSH
From Rural

9. PUSH
From Rural
Not enough land to
support the people.
Leads to over-farming
and low yields
Due to desertification, subdivision
of land into smaller plots and debt
on loans taken out to help pay for
agricultural change.
Local diseases and
inadequate medical
provision.
Land traditionally
used to grow food
for locals now used
to produce crops
for money.
Floods, tropical storms,
earthquakes
Cause people to flee
Population Growth
Agricultural Problems
Wars and civil strike
Natural Disasters
Cash Crops
Health

10. PULL
To Urban

11. PULL
To Urban
In factories and service industries
such as hotels – better paid than
rural area jobs.
Selling on the street,
providing transport e.g.
prostitution
Education, healthcare,
entertainment
A perceived better quality
of life
Employment
Informal Employment
Social Provisions
Quality of Life

12. Natural Increase
A process resulting from rural to urban migration. A
high proportion of young adults migrating into a town
resulting in high levels of birth. Falling death rates due
to improved medical care and more babies being
born than people dying.

13. Urban population increase
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/world/06/urba
nisation/html/urbanisation.stm

14. Which parts of the world are
most/ least urbanised?
Title: Chloropeth Map showing the distribution of
urbanisation
Using the table of information about certain countries in
the world and an atlas, colour in these countries according
to the percentage of the population who live in urban
areas.
You should colour them in according to which category
they fall into. The most urbanised countries should be the
deepest/ darkest colour and the least urbanised countries
should be a lighter colour. Use A key on your map.

15. Which parts of the world are
most/ least urbanised?
Countries
Canada 60 – 79.9%
USA 60 – 79.9%
Brazil 60 – 79.9%
Argentina 80 – 100%
Russia 60 – 79.9%
UK 80 – 100%
Finland 20- 39.9%
Italy 60 – 79.9%
Algeria 20- 39.9%
Sudan 0- 19.9%
South Africa 20 –
39.9%
China 40 – 59.9%
India 40 – 59.9%
Australia80 – 100%
Saudi Arabia 80 – 100%