Rural settlements are an important part of human landscapes but have undergone significant changes recently. Rural to urban migration is occurring in both MEDCs and LEDCs due to push and pull factors, while some urban to rural migration also takes place. Declining rural populations lead to problems like closure of services and infrastructure. Key drivers of rural change include economic and technological changes, urban growth, and government policies around funding and planning.

1. Lesson 4

2.  Rural settlements form an essential
part of human landscape.
 However, such settlements in both
MEDCs and LEDCs have undergone
considerable changes in recent
years.

3.  Rural-urban migration
 Urban-rural migration
 The consequences of urban growth
 Technological change
 Rural planning policies
 The balance of government funding between urban and
rural areas

4. 1. The large-scale movement from rural areas is a feature
of developed and developing countries.
 Push and pull factors are clearly in operation
2. The evidence for return migration is clear.
 For many people living in large cities, small towns and
rural areas are very attractive. Due to improvements in
transport they can still benefit from the employment
opportunities, shops and recreational facilities of large
urban areas but live in small towns or rural areas

5. 3. Declining villages have many problems;
 It is difficult to maintain basic services
for those who remain
 Decrease population number leads to
closure of village, schools, run-down
bus services and the transfer of many
services to larger towns

6. Categories Description Features
• An area of traditional tribal land tenure with
At a travelling
Remote rural distance of more than •Subsistence farming, extensive commercial
2 hours from an urban farming
area
•Nomadism in some parts
•In some places tourism in the form of game parks
At a travelling
Accessible distance between •Developing service centres on or near main roads
rural 30 mins and
2 hour from an urban •Deforestation for farming and fuel
area
•Areas of intensive vegetables and dairy farms
Urban fringe Land close to the
edge of the urban •All the land is cultivated often with irrigation and
area manuring
•Evidence of urban growth with expansion of
squatter settlements

8.  The changes which are happening in rural areas in
LEDCs are very important. This is because:
 the majority of the population live in rural areas with
many people living below poverty line.
 The land is used to feed the people both in towns and rural
areas - LEDCs import less food from other countries than
MEDCs. This means that changes in rural areas in LEDCs are
important.
 In Sub-Saharan Africa, problems such as famine, deforestation,
soil degradation and soil erosion continue to exist

9. Key changes

11.  Rural push factors (such as low wages) and urban pull factors
(such as better jobs) cause rural to urban migration.
 Positive results
 The migrants are able to send money home.
 With more money from the urban workers, school fees may be
paid or livestock bought.
 Negative results
 It is often the young males who move - the remaining family may
be less physically able to carry out heavy tasks.
 With the absence of the young males, children may have to work
on the farm, rather than going to school.

13.  Slash and burning of tropical rainforest, Amazon Basin, Brazil
 Land which was growing subsistence crops is turned into
commercial agricultural land for cash crops.
 Positive impacts :
 The country has a greater source of income.
 There are jobs generated for workers.
 Negative impacts
 Less land is available to grow food to feed the local population.
 Water supplies may be used up on cash crops.
 Fertiliser may enter the local water supply.
 Rates of soil erosion increase.
 Local ecosystems may be damaged

15.  The rate of natural
increase is high in many
areas. This puts
pressure on the food
supply.
 This leads to
malnutrition and
starvation. It also
encourages rural to
urban migration.

16.  AIDS and other
epidemics raise the
death rate.
 Wars also raise the
death rate. This
means that there are
fewer older people to
work on the fields to
produce food.

18.  As people seek to gain food
and income from the land,
more vulnerable land is used.
 The processes of
desertification and
deforestation mean the
environment degrades.
Clearing forests, such as in
the Amazon Rainforest,
causes many problems such
as soil erosion and loss of the
ecosystem.

20.  Some rural areas attract tourists. The Masai
Mara in Kenya is one area which attracts tourists
on safari.
 This brings money into the area and may help
improve local infrastructure. However the
money spent by tourists does not always go
back to the local economy.
 These changes can make rural areas more
vulnerable and trigger a cycle of decline.

21. Masai Mara

22.  The key success of future rural development is sustainability.
 Development that meets the needs of the rural people in the
present without compromising their future needs
 Focus must be on sustainable agricultural development as
this is the backbone of rural economy, employing up to 80%
of households
 Other forms could be agro-forestry, ecotourism
 However, for each of these, education and training are
fundamental
 Great emphasis should be given to raising the literacy
standards as well as improving skills and techniques

23.  Four key ways of helping rural areas become more sustainable:
 By improving the rural economy. This includes encouraging
income generation in the area. This may result in less rural -
urban migration.
 By increasing rural food production. This will need to be
done in an environmentally sensitive way, so the way the land
is farmed is more sustainable.
 By improving the rural standard of living. Ensuring there is
clean water and safe sewerage disposal. Giving everybody
access to education and health care.
 Improvements in communication help rural people to keep
in touch with developments. Better access and links to towns
allows exchange of information, goods and products.