urbanisation in economics

1. Urbanisation
-problems associated
&
the possible solutions
NHLIZIYO DUMISANI (University Of Zimbabwe)

2. DEFINATION…
 The term urban area, from which urbanisation is derived is
very difficult to define.
 It varies from region to region (Madzingira et al, 2002).
 In Israel an urban area is defined as a non-agricultural
settlement, presumably of any size (Jones, 1967).
 In Chile it is the centre with urban characteristics whilst
in Norway localities of 200 or more inhabitants can
constitute an urban area(UN Demographic Yr. Bk, 1983)
 In Zimbabwe it is a designated urban area, that is areas
which ha 2500 inhabitants or a compact settlement
pattern, with the majority [more than 50%] of the
population employed persons engaged in non - agricultural
activities (Madzingira et al, 2002).

3. Def....
 The process by which towns & cities grow
bigger & more people go to live in them, (Mac
Millan dictionary).
 Urbanisation is a process whereby an
increasing proportion of a nations population
live in urban areas (Waugh, 1990).
 Other scholars have simply defined
Urbanisation as the proportion of a country
that is urban.

4. Def ...cont*
 Urbanisation implies a cultural & social
psychological process whereby people acquire
the material & non-material culture, including
behavioural patterns form of organisation &
ideas that originated in or are distinctive of
the city.
 Debji (1991), defined urbanisation as a
process of concentration, which in two ways:
the multiplication of the points of
concentration and the increase in size of
individual concentrations.

5. Def.…cont.*
 Urbanization is the shift from a rural to and
urban society & involves an increase in the
number of people in urban areas during a
particular year.
 It is a result of the outcome of social,
economic, & political developments that lead
to urban concentration & growth in large
cities, changes in land use & transformation
from rural metropolitan pattern of
organization to governance (Nsiah Gyaabah*)
* Nsiah Gyaabah-Urban processes-Environmental & Health effects in Africa

6. Global Urbanisation Trends
 Global urban population is growing at a rapid pace
from 17% in 1951 to 20% in 2001 and approaching
41% by 2030 (Kadi, 2012).
 Developing countries urbanise faster than
developed countries hence they face greater
challenges of urbanisation
 U.S.A was 40% urbanised in 1890, 70% in 1960
and 75+ % in 1990.
 This gradual pace is in contrast with that one of
developing nations e.g. Korea was 40% in 1970 and
78% in 1990 (Henderson, 2002).

7. Global urbanisation trends
 By 2005 more than half of the worlds population
will be in urban areas; over two-thirds of this
population will be in Less Developed Countries, as
alleged by the world population patterns
(Madzingira et al ,2002).

8. Major Causes Of Urbanisation (Africa)
1). Natural Increase
High birth rates than death rates
fuelled by improved medical care, better sanitation and
improved food supply which lower death rates
2).Migration
rural poverty drives people from rural areas into large
cities in search for greener pastures(employment, food
shelter, education etc. )
Pushed out by factors e.g. poverty, environmental
degradation, religious strife, political persecution,
food insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure and services
in rural areas.
* Urbanisation in an African context was not a result of
industrialisation but of absolute poverty(in rural Areas).

9. migration…cont.*
or because people are pulled into urban areas by
advantages and opportunities of the city
(education,
electricity, water, employment etc.)
- Even though in many African countries the urban
areas
offer few jobs for the youths, they are attracted
there
by amenities of urban life (Tarver, 1996).

10. Problems associated with Urbanisation
a). Unemployment
One of the significant
feature of urbanisation in
Africa is that unlike in
Asia and Europe, much
growth is taking place in
the absence of significant
industrial expansion,
(Nsiah ).
Consequently this lead to a
large number of
unemployed masses in
urban areas

11. Problems cont.*
b). Pollution
i).Air pollution has
resulted
from the emission of
gasses, fumes and waste
smoke into the
atmosphere.
Overdependence on
motorised transport
has
also contributed to air
pollution ( large amount
of exhaust fumes)

12. Problems – pollution cont.*
ii). Water pollution has resulted from poor sewage
facilities(inability of town municipals to handle ever
increasing urban population), disposal of industrial
waste and/or heavy metals into water bodies
iii). Noise pollution from large factory engines, motor
vehicle idling, unreasonably high radio volumes
iv). Land pollution – uncollected refuge hips, people
littering everywhere

13. Problems Cont.*
c) Poor Sanitation
. Population growth-both
natural increase &
immigration- is always ahead
of the housing supply in urban
area.
Rapid increase in urbanites
surpass gvt & town planners
ability to provide adequate
accommodation.
Consequently the poor are
forced to crowd into already
squalid slums or settler
settlements as ‘temporary’
alternatives.

14. Problems
Poor Sanitation (Stats)
 The Herald(1999), Harare on its own has a long
waiting list that is more than 100 000 and today
the population stands at over one million
(Madzingira et al, 2002)
 These figures could have doubled considering the
fact that 14 years have passed since these figure
were published and the rapid increase in
urbanisation for developing countries.
 Rate of urban growth is so great that the
government cannot adequately supply
accommodation, social services, health care,
transportation services

15. Problems Cont.*
d).Disease Outbreaks
The urban population is
more vulnerable to
diseases such as
HIV/AIDS, Malaria and
S.T.Is
Unhealthy environments &
overcrowded housing in
slums exposes the ‘urban
poor’ to high rates of
infectious diseases e.g.
pneumonia, T.B, diarrhoea,
Cholera.

16. Cholera Outbreak Zimbabwe - 2008
 As of 1 December 2008, the Ministry of Health
in Zimbabwe has reported a total of 11 735
cholera cases with 484 deaths since August 2008,
affecting all provinces in the country. The overall
case fatality rate for cholera is 4% but had
reached up to 20–30% in remote areas.
 Out of the total number of cases, 50% had
been reported from Budiriro, a high density
suburb of the capital city, Harare.
 Beitbridge, a town bordering South Africa,
hasdreported 26% of all cases. (WHO,2008)
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2008_12_02/en/

17. Problems
diseases cont.
 Hatcliffe extension( Harare ) was initially
suppose to hold 3000 families but to date the
actual number of families residing in the area
is not known. Varying figures that have been
give range between 30 000 and 80 000.
 Air and water Quality in many cities threatens
the health of millions of city
dwellers(UNEP,1994).

18. Problems Cont.*
e). Traffic Jam
Using a private car
has become very
common in
the world and such an
attitude creates
traffic
congestion in urban
areas

19. Problems Cont.*
f). Increased crime
and anti –
social behaviour
Unemployed surplus in
urban areas usually
resort to crime &
prostitution
in order to sustain
their livelihoods.

20. Problems Cont.
Water & Sewage problems
 Facilities are often ancient
and inadequate to support
the ever increasing
population levels
 Very little of sewage is
collected as a result and
the is left to flow in
pathways
 Providing the
infrastructure for
collection and treatment of
solid & liquid waste is often
beyond the resource of
mage cities

21. Possible solutions
 The most effective way to tackle urbanisation
is to make the economy of villages and small
scale fully viable
 Economies can be revitalized if the
government undertakes a massive rural
development programme
 Surplus rural manpower should be absorbed in
the village themselves so as to reduce rural to
urban migration

22. Possible solutions
(traffic problems)
 The most effective way to curb traffic
congestion in urban areas is to encourage the
population to use public transport
 Control of volumes of traffic – heavy haulage
trucks should not be allowed to enter the
inner city
 Increase road capacity (dual carriage
systems)
 Improve the traffic control systems- traffic
lights should be fully computerized and
constantly serviced

23. Possible solutions
Urban Slums
 Implement ruthless government clean up campaigns
such as Operation Murambatsvina of 2005
 Governments should construct low cost multi storey
flats to accommodate the slum dwellers
 E.g. in Zimbabwe Matapi - Mbare
 Promote schemes that involve the provision of tracts
of urban land, which are divided into plots and
provided with basic supporting services e.g. water,
drainage and electricity. The plots are then either
sold or leased to those who wish to build their own
home on them.
 Construction of skyscrapers to ease the problem e.g.
in Hong Kong where the idea has been more of a norm

24. Possible solutions Cont.
 Encourage people to enter into the informal
sector to ease unemployment and anti
social behaviours
 Government should provide funds to
promote entrepreneurship so that part of
the surplus un employed will be employed
 Solutions to pollution problems include:
banning heavy vehicles from CBD's;
developing cleaner fuels, and providing
more litter bins in CBD's.

25. Possible solutions Cont.
 Some cities have encouraged the growth of
out-of-town shopping centres to help traffic,
land price and pollution problems, by taking
some of the focus away from the CBD
 Government should introduce schemes where
the local community will be closely involved in
the planning and building of new houses. Often
the government provide the materials, whilst
the local people built the buildings. The
government will then provide an improved
infrastructure and sewer systems

26. The End……..thank you