1. Characteristics and causes of urbanisation

2. Urbanisation Definition
“Urbanisation is a process of urban growth which leads to a greater proportion of people being concentrated into towns and cities”

3. Urbanisation
In 2008 – for the first time in history over 50% of the world’s population lived in towns and cities.
Urbanisation – results in an increasing proportion of city dwellers in contrast to those in the countryside
Urbanisation is a worldwide process – it began at different times in different parts of the world and occurred at contrasting paces.

4. Causes of urbanisation
Rural to urban migration
Natural Increase

5. Rural – urban migration
Rural to urban migration – result of push and pull factors

6. Push and pull factors Push factors Pull factors
Difficult/harsh climate – eg. droughts
Chance of a better life
Struggle to provide food for family
Better housing and amenities
Very low income
Chance of good jobs – higher wages
Only able to own small plots of land
Children able to go to school
Can’t afford to fertilizers to increase yields
Better medical/health care

7. Natural increase
The people that migrate into towns and cities tend to be young resulting in high levels of natural increase
high % of young adults = high levels of births
Falling death rates due to improved medical care means more babies are born than people dying, further increasing the urban population

8. % urban population

9. THE WORLDS LARGEST CITIES

10. TASK 1
What are the 10 most populated cities in the World (bullet points).

11. TASK 2
Devise your own key and divide the cities on the work sheet into:
North America
South America
Europe
Africa
Asia

12. NUMBER 10
SHANGHAI 12.7

13. NUMBER 9
Jakarta 13.2

14. NUMBER 8
Buenos Aires 13.3

15. NUMBER 7
Kolkata 14.3

16. NUMBER 6
DELHI

17. NUMBER 5
Mumbai 18.0

18. NUMBER 4
NEW YORK 18.1

19. NUMBER 3
SAO PAULO 18.3

20. NUMBER 2
MEXICO CITY 19.0

21. NUMBER 1

22. NUMBER 1
TOKYO 35.3

23. Exam-Style Questions......
Answer the following questions in your exercise books:
Define the term “Urbanisation” . (1 )
Suggest reasons for rural-urban migration in LEDC’s (2)
other than rural-urban migration, give two further causes of urbanisation. (2)
Draw a labelled “Push & Pull” diagram for a typical urban area. (4)
Describe & Explain the possible environmental effects of Urban Sprawl. (6)
If you are unsure on any of the key terms mentioned, such as “Urban Sprawl”, head over to and Ask a Geographer!
Total for Questions= (15 Marks)