Lecture 3

1. Urbanization
and
Migration
Week 9

2. Recap of previous lecture
 Patterns and trends of SSA populations
 Fertility patterns
 Mortality patterns
 Migration
 SSA populations
 A predominantly black race
 The poorest region of the world, and contains of
the Least Developed Countries (LDC) of the world
 Fast unprecedented growth rate
 World’s fastest growing population
 Concentration of population in countries and
geographical areas that are rich with natural
resources or have better economic opportunities.

3.  Distinguishing features of SSA populations
• children (< 15 years) form 43% of the population of SSA
• the population of SSA aged 65+ years is presently 3%
• it has population momentum
• implication on the need to provide health and
educational infrastructure and services for children
and the young people
• High fertility
• TFR ranges from 2 to 7 in the region
• CBR is 39 per thousand population
• Teenage pregnancy or early childbearing is hugely prevalent
 General Mortality declines
 Infant, Child and Maternal Mortality - major health problems
 IMR in sSA 81 per thousand live births in 2010; 50 for all LDCs; and 6
for MDCs.

5. URBANIZATION
•Worldwide , countries differ in
the ways in which they classify
their population as “urban” or
“rural” (village).
• A population of 2000 or more people is
considered urban.
•The cut-off point may be higher

6. • In Ghana , a population of 5000 or more is
considered urban.
• Some countries consider availability of certain
services and facilities when classifying.
 See the United Nations Demographic Yearbook for country
definitions

7.  World Urbanization Prospects, The 2011
Revision
 2013, World Population Data Sheet

8. WHAT IS URBANIZATION ?WHAT IS URBANIZATION ?
The increase in the proportion of
the population residing in towns.

9. Global figures
 Major disparities in the level of urbanization
exist among development groups.
 The proportion urban in the more developed
regions was already nearly 54 per cent in 1950

10.  Sub-Saharan Africa is the least urbanized region of
the world.
 That is, countries in Africa, other than those at the
North, are the least urbanized in the world.
 It will still take another decade for half of the
population of the less developed regions to live in
urban areas

12.  The world urban population is expected to increase by 72 per
cent by 2050, from 3.6 billion in 2011 to 6.3 billion in 2050.
 By mid-century the world urban population will likely be the
same size as the world’s total population was in 2002.
 Virtually all of the expected growth in the world population will
be concentrated in the urban areas of the less developed
regions

13. This could be as a result of :
• Migration (particularly rural-urban migration).
• Natural population increase
• Reclassification of previous rural communities as urban as
they experience population increase and change their
character (Hinrichsen, Salem and Blackburn 2002: 6)

14.  Sub-Saharan Africa is the least urbanized region of the
world.
 That is, countries in Africa, other than those at the
North, are the least urbanized in the world.

15. Rate of urbanization is the percentage
of population living in urban centers.
In 2004, the rate of urbanization in SSA
was 31%.
• (LDC = 41%, MDC =76%)
In 2013, the rate of urbanization in SSA
was 37%.
• (LDC = 28%, MDC =76%)

16. The rates of urbanization in
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (2005)
Large variations : 50% Southern Africa
36% West Africa
35% Central Africa
22 % East Africa
Least urbanized = Burundi (8%).
Most urbanized = South Africa(53%).

17. Large variations : 58% Southern Africa
45% West Africa
42% Central Africa
24 % East Africa
Least urbanized = Burundi (11%).
Most urbanized = Gabon (86%).
The rates of urbanization in
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (2013)

18. Some MDCsSome MDCs
 Canada - 80 %
 Belgium - 99 %
 Denmark - 87 %
 Iceland - 95 %

19. GHANA
Between 1984 and 2000 the Accra
metropolis grew at a rate of 4% per annum
190,000 = 1957
1 million = 1984
1,658937 = 2000
4 million = 2020
 Presently , 52 percent of all people living in towns or
urban areas of the country .

20. • COASTAL TOWNS are most urbanized in
SSA

21. Reasons for coastal town urbanizationReasons for coastal town urbanization
 Pre-colonial trade with Europeans and Arab Merchants;
ports to export of raw materials from other regions
 Established plantations in the interior
 Railroads were built to connect the towns
 After independence the trading continued because of
export of goods

22.  The establishment of capital towns and
colonial administration
 Contact with missionaries (Christian).

23.  Other towns in the interior
 railways junctions
 along major rivers
 Near sources of valuable resources (mining towns – J’burg, Tarkwa,
Konongo, Obuasi
 Other towns grew as trading activities became important
following contact with European traders
 Lagos and Salaga (trade posts)

24. ISSUES WITH URBANIZATION IN
SUB-SAHARA AFRICA
 The lack of effective planning of cities
 The lack of regulatory policy frameworks on city
management
- housing, architecture, provision of play grounds,
hospitals and schools, migration, industrial areas,
noise levels, transportation etc.

25.  Economies have not grown to be able to support
urbanization;
 job opportunities, efficiency (as against bureaucracy and
red tapeism),
 high income across board
 low cost of living.

26.  Inadequate social amenities; schools, health, water and
electricity.
 The lack of essential infrastructure to support the high
numbers; good roads with street lights, good housing,
sanitation, effective drainage system etc.

27. Growth of large cities
 The growth of large cities and metropolitan areas
has been one of the most remarkable demographic
stories of past decades.

28.  Cities of 10 million or more are often
referred to as “mega-cities.”
 In 1950, 117 million people lived in the top 30
metros but that number rose to 426 million by
2011.
 In 1950, 19 of the top 30 cities were in
industrialized countries. By 2011, that number
had shrunk to eight.
 In 1950, Delhi was not even in the top 30 but it
is now second behind only Tokyo.

29.  Such phenomenal growth is usually due to
rural-urban migration as migrants seek a
better life in cities.

30. CAUSES OF URBANIZATION
PUSH-PULL THESIS
 Circumstances at the place of origin PUSH –
poverty, unemployment
 Opportunities in urban areas - high standard of
living or job opportunities - PULL

31.  urban –biased development.
 Employment opportunities
 Educational options
 Social infrastructure & Amenities
 Modern lifestyles
 Deteriorating agric land
 Poor markets
 Lack of banking facilities

32. FEATURES OF URBANIZATION
 THE NEED FOR MONEY IS HIGHER IN
URBAN CENTERS DUE TO ;
• Modern lifestyles and ways of doings things.
• Healthcare.
• Education.
• Housing .
• Utilities.

33. ENVIRONMENTAL
• Overcrowding.
• Sanitation.
• Flooding.

34. SOCIAL
• Crime
• Streetism
• Care

35. HEALTH
• Stress, sedentary lifestyles
• Non –communicable Diseases are higher in the cities
than in the rural areas
• Pollution from vehicles, industries
• Globalization; dietary changes, risky behaviours
• Consumption of refined foods and vegetable oils is high

36. IMPLICATIONS OF (UNMANAGED)
URBANIZATION
 CRIME: The majority of criminal cases in Ghana has been
recorded in Accra and in a survey conducted by the Center
for Democracy and Development I 999, it was reported that
35.5 percent of there respondents indicated that they felt
less safe “when walking bout alone”.
 Prostitution
 Overcrowding and congestion
 Poor housing facilities
 Urban poverty.
 flooding due to insanitary conditions.