Urbanization
(Excursions)
Workout
A. Answer in one word.
1. An increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared with rural areas.
= Urbanization.
2. Cities that provide core infrastructure, a decent quality of life and a clean and sustainable environment.
= Smart Cities.
3. Process by which people from rural areas move to towns and cities.
= Migration.
B. Give reasons for the following.
1. Urbanization is necessary for human development.
= Urbanization is necessary for human development to provide the growing population accommodation, employment, education, health facilities and other standards of living.
2. Urban suburbs are now becoming a common sight.
= Urban suburbs are now becoming a common sight due to the rapid growth of population in the rural areas.
3. People prefer to live in cities than villages.
= People prefer to live in cities than villages because of the facilities and high standards of living.
4. Smart city projects will combat the effects of urbanization.
= Smart city projects will combat the effects of urbanization because they are expected to reduce the problems related to urban centres such as water scarcity, traffic congestion and unplanned growth.
C. Answer these questions in brief.
1. What do you understand by the term urbanization?
= Urbanization is a process by which people living in predominantly rural areas move to towns and cities.
2. What does mechanization of farms in villages lead to?
= The mechanization of farms in villages causes loss of jobs to farmers who move to urban areas to work and make a living.
3. What is urban sprawl?
= Urbanization can be understood as an increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared with rural areas. It is also called urban sprawl.
4. Explain the term smart city.
= Smart cities provide core infrastructure, a decent quality of life and a clean and sustainable environment.
D. Answer these questions in detail.
1. What are the main reasons for rapid urbanization?
= The following are the main reasons for rapid urbanization :
❐ Population growth : Population growth is one of the main causes of urbanization. The growth in population can be natural, that is, it may be caused by an increased birth rate or migration.
❐ Industrialization : The mechanization of farms in villages causes loss of jobs to farmers who move to urban areas to work and make a living. The establishment of industries creates new jobs in cities.
❐ Rural-urban transformation : An increase in the income in the income and number of working people creates a demand for new or more housing space for individuals. This encourages developers to rapidly construct new houses. The rapid development of housing and other urban infrastructure causes uncontrolled urban expansion.
❐ Employment opportunities : Urban centres provide better employment opportunities. When agricultural income becomes low, people from rural regions migrate to urban centres. The prospects of a job in the organized sector and job security draws people form rural to urban areas.
❐ Education : People from rural regions seek admission in educational institutes in urban regions that generally provide better education. Consequently, educational institutes have started mushrooming in cities to accommodate these students leading to urbanization.
❐ Standards of living : A majority of urban residents seek to settle within the core city, but the lower costs of living and property attract them to the countryside. This causes urbanization of the countryside or suburban regions.
❐ Transportation : Transportation routes provide easy access to urban centres. The construction of expressways and highways cause congestion in the city. Roads are commonly considered a major catalyst of urban sprawl. The development of the urban economy and job opportunities are directly dependent on transportation facilities.
2. How does the government help keep cities clean?
= Municipalities in small towns and corporations of big urban centres play a significant role in keeping the city clean.
❐ They provide regular supply of clean drinking water.
❐ They take care of the environment by careful disposal of solid waste and proper sanitation.
❐ They are responsible for enabling easy transportation and communication within the city.
❐ Construction on roads and flyovers for organized traffic flow within urban areas and avoid traffic congestion in also a responsibility of municipalities.
3. What do you mean by smart cities? State some of the features of smart cities.
= Smart cities provide core infrastructure, a decent quality of life and a clean and sustainable environment. Smart cities are expected to reduce the problems related to urban centres such as water scarcity, traffic congestion and unplanned growth.
Smart cities have the following features :
❐ Adequate supply of clean drinking water.
❐ Assured electricity provision and eco-friendly solar panels for streetlighting and lights in parking areas.
❐ Efficient sanitation and garbage disposal facilities to keep the city clean and hygienic.
❐ Special safety measures and parks for old people and children.
❐ Eco-friendly surroundings to protect the environment.
❐ Well-planned traffic flow to avoid traffic congestion during the busy hours of the day.
❐ Free Wi-Fi zones for easy communication.
❐ Efficient waste management.
4. What are the impact of urbanization?
= The consequences of urbanization can be evaluated based on its socio-economic and environmental effects. Often these overlap or may have several indirect impacts :
❐ Higher living costs : Urbanization leads to an increase in living costa. Overpopulation leads to an increase in the demand of public services and for the maintenance and improvement of urban infrastructures such as fire stations, police stations, schools, hospitals, roads, drinking water and sanitation. Therefore, the cost at which these services are available also increase.
❐ Traffic congestion : Urbanization increases increases traffic flow from the suburbs to the central city, leading to more fuel consumption. This causes traffic congestion. More cars on roads covering greater distances cause traffic gridlock.
❐ Impact on wildlife and ecosystem : An increase in the population of a region may lead to an alteration of ecosystems. Development associated with urbanization decreases the amount of forest area, farmland and open space. The spread of urban sprawl into rural natural areas such as forests and wetlands is one of the primary reasons for wildlife habitat loss.
❐ Poor air quality : Urbanization is often cited as the main cause of air pollution. It leads to an increase in fossil fuel consumption and emission of greenhouse gases. Increased use of automobiles adds more air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and microscopic particles in the atmosphere.
❐ Water pollution : Urbanization has a serious impact on water resources. Rainwater does not soak into the ground because of increased urban construction, and groundwater aquifers are not replenished. Urban growth and sprawl has led to an increase in the volume of total surface runoff.