Urbanisation in LEDC’s Today (Asia, Africa, and South America)

As cities in Asia, Africa, and South America have expanded, they have tended to sprawl. In 1900; 10% of the world’s population lived in cities – to day the figure is 50%. Most of the current growth is because of rural-urban migration.

Rural to Urban Migration What is rural-urban migration In some LEDC cities over 50% of the population may not have been born there. Majority of growth in LEDC cities is from migration rather than natural increase. Why Move? Push Factors, Pull Factors, Restraining Factors

Push FactorsPull FactorsRestraining Factors

A Typical Migrant Young, single, adventurous male who comes to the city in search of wealth before returing to his home town or village. Some migrants stay; others return home permanently or seasonally. Chain Migration Circular Migration

Migrants Come to the city with very few skill that would be useful in an urban environment. Arrive with little money so must sleep in footpaths or construct temporary accommodation.

Shanty Housing ‘Self Help Housing’ made out of scrounged materials such as corrugated iron, packing cases, cloth, and disused pastic sheeting. 70% of all new housing in developing nations consists of shanty settlements.

Squatters Squatters often occupy shanty settlements Squatters will build on land that had been left vacant: – Strips along railway lines – Edges o f parklands – Steep Sloping land Shanty settlements can been found next to expensive real estate. Shanties can be found in all parts of the city but often located on the outskirts of the cities.

Ant and Dec in the Slums of Nairobi

Government Assistance Some governments realise that shanty housing is a self-help way of addressing the housing shortage. Some administrations connect shanty housing to basic services such as electricity and sewage. Governments have built public housing to rehome the shanty dwellers.

High rise housing in Singapore used to re-house shanty dwellers.

Population Structures Rural-urban migration distorts the population structure of many African, Asian and South American Cities. Why?

The Struggle to Survive Many migrants are unskilled.

Primate Cities Many of the large cities in Africa, Asia and South America are Primate Cities. This means that they completely dominate the urban networks of which they form a part of. Political, economic and social focus of the city they form a part of. A primate city has to have at least five times the population of the second largest city.

Land Use in LEDC Cities Cities in LEDC cities grow bit by bit, growing outwards with shanty settlements on the outskirts of the city. As time passes these shanty settlements grow into permanent buildings and a new ring of shanties develop. In this way the wealthy elite live close to the city centre and people become progressively poorer towards the outskirts. Bands of manufacturing are situated along the major lines of communication. Few attempts have been made to produce models on LEDC cities.

Functional Zones in LEDC Cities Similar to that of ‘Western Cities’ except for the congestion and competition for space are even greater. Zones: Inner Zone Middle Zone Outer Zone Industry