Land use patterns differ between developed and developing countries, especially in urban areas. In developing country cities, the central business district (CBD) is typically found in the city center and contains shops, offices, and administrative buildings, many belonging to multinational companies. Industry zones are located along transportation routes leading away from the CBD, causing high pollution levels. The inner zone is a high-class residential area near the CBD containing colonial homes and new flats. The middle zone is for middle-class homes, though of poorer quality than developed countries. The outer zone is where the majority of the poor population lives in very poor quality, informal housing lacking basic amenities and land rights.

1. Land use in
Developing Countries
Developing countries have similar land-use needs to
developed countries, but the pattern of land use in urban areas
is different.
Although every city, in developing countries, has its own
characteristics, models can be used to illustrate a typical LEDC
city.

2. URBAN MODEL IN LEDCs

3. • Both MEDC and LEDC cities have a CBD - often the oldest part of the
city.
• In LEDCs the poorest housing is found on the edge of the city - in
contrast to MEDC cities whose suburban fringe is very often a place of
high quality housing. The areas of poor quality housing found on the
edge of cities in LEDCs are called shanty settlements or shanty towns.
C.B.D. In Sao Paulo Shanty town in Sao Paulo

4. C.B.D. IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
C.B.D. in Kolkata
Location: It is in the centre of the city
Function: There are shops, offices and administrative buildings. Most
of the shops belong to multinational companies from Europe or the
U.S.A.
Land value: It is very high because the competition for land is even
bigger than in developed countries

5. INDUSTRY ZONE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Location: Big factories are located along roads and railways which
are going from the edge of the city to the CBD. As a result, the
pollution in the whole city is very high
Factories in Beijing

6. INNER ZONE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Location: Next to the C.B.D.
Function: It is the place for the high-class residential zone. Rich people live
in the former colonial houses. Even though, in the last decades new flats
with modern amenities have been built for the high class of these cities.
They have high security systems and all the facilities, servicies and modern
amenities
High-class estates in Manila

7. MIDDLE ZONE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
It is the “periferia” or the medium-class residential zone.
Location: It is next to the high-class residential area and it is the
third ring of a city in a developing country
Function: The main function is to accommodate the middle-class.
However, the quality of the houses is poorer than in developed countries.
Most of the times, these houses are sometimes self-constructed homes.
Even though, the authorities have provided these homes with amenities
such as:
-Running water
-Sewerage
-Electricity
- Basic services: Schools, Hospitals, Transport, Police stations...
There are also shops and shopping centres for the people who are
living there

8. OUTER ZONE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
It is the sector where the poor people live. In these countries, poor people
are the majority of the population.
In developing countries, the quality of the homes decreases with distance
from C.B.D.
Location: In the edge of the city
The quality of the houses is very poor and they usually have a lack of
amenities (running water, sewerage, electricity) and basic services.
What is more, they have not rights to the land where they build their
homes.
These informal neighbourhoods are called favelas in Brazil, bustees in
India, Barrios Miseria in Argentina or Chabolas in Spain.
As we can see, there are also these kind of settlements in developed
countries, but they are smaller.