2.3.2

Causes of Urbanisation

Test yourself on Causes of Urbanisation

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Factors Causing Migration

Migration to cities can be national (migration of people to a city in the same country) or international (migration of people to a city in a different country). The causes of migration can be split into push and pull factors:

Push factors

Push factors

  • Push factors force people to leave a place. Some examples are:
    • People's homes and jobs destroyed by a natural disaster.
    • Automation (things like combine harvesters) cause people to lose their jobs in rural agriculture.
    • Land becomes uninhabitable because of processes like desertification.
    • Government mandate (Singapore under Lee Kuan-Yew forced people to move from farms into apartments in cities).
    • Civil wars, like the Syrian Civil War, can force people to leave a place.
Pull factors

Pull factors

  • Pull factors attract people to a place. Some examples are:
    • Like in the UK in the Industrial Revolution, there may be more jobs and higher paid jobs in cities.
    • Cities usually have more doctors, nurses, teachers, and other wellbeing infrastructure.
    • If the trend is that more people are moving to cities, people may just move to live closer to their family and friends.
    • Cities usually have more cinemas, shops and fun things to do. Flight Club Darts and Junkyard Mini Golf in the UK open sites in major cities, but not in rural areas.
Natural increase

Natural increase

  • Natural increase happens when the number of people dying is smaller than the number of people being born.
  • People living in cities usually have a lower average age than people living in rural areas, so birth rates are usually higher in cities.

Factors Influencing Urbanisation

The two main causes of urbanisation are rural-urban migration and natural increase.

Rural-urban migration - push factors

Rural-urban migration - push factors

  • People can't afford to repair damage caused by natural disasters.
  • Mechanisation of farming equipment means fewer jobs are available.
  • Desertification can make it hard for people to support themselves as the land becomes less productive.
  • People might be forced to flee their homes because of conflict.
Rural-urban migration - pull factors

Rural-urban migration - pull factors

  • Urban areas provide more jobs, and jobs which are often better paid.
  • Health care and education are more easily accessible in urban areas.
  • The thought of joining other family members that have already moved.
  • There is a perception that urban areas provide a better quality of life.
Natural increase

Natural increase

  • Natural increase happens when the birth rate is greater than the death rate.
Jump to other topics
1

Physical Geography

1.1

River Environments

1.1.1Weathering1.1.2Mass Movement1.1.3Erosion1.1.4Transportation1.1.5Deposition1.1.6River Landforms: Waterfalls & Gorges1.1.7River Landforms: Interlocking Spurs1.1.8River Landforms: Flood Plains1.1.9River Landforms: Point Bars1.1.10River Landforms: Levees1.1.11River Landforms: Meanders1.1.12River Landforms: Oxbow Lakes1.1.13River Landscape Changes: Long Profile1.1.14River Landscape Changes: Cross Profile1.1.15Vertical & Lateral Erosion1.1.16Flood Risk Factors1.1.17Human Activities on Rivers1.1.18River Management: Hard Engineering1.1.19River Management: Soft Engineering1.1.20Case Study: The River Eden - Landforms1.1.21Case Study: The River Eden - Climate1.1.22Case Study: The River Eden - Geology1.1.23Case Study: The River Eden - Management1.1.24Case Study: The River Eden - Human Activity1.1.25End of Topic Test - River Environments
1.2

Coastal Environments

1.2.1Weathering1.2.2Mass Movement1.2.3Erosion1.2.4Deposition1.2.5Longshore Drift1.2.6Sediment Transportation1.2.7Wave Action on Coasts1.2.8Other Factors Influencing Coasts1.2.9Coastal Landforms: Wave-cut Platforms & Cliffs1.2.10Coastal Landforms: Headlands & Bays1.2.11Coastal Landforms: Caves, Arches & Stacks1.2.12Coastal Deposition1.2.13Spits, Bars & Sand Dunes1.2.14Human Activity on Coasts1.2.15Coastal Defences: Hard Engineering1.2.16Coastal Defences: Soft Engineering1.2.17Coastal Defences: Managed Retreat1.2.18Case Study: Holderness Coast Overview1.2.19Case Study: Holderness Coast Management1.2.20Case Study: Holderness Coast Defences1.2.21End of Topic Test - Coastal Environments
1.3

Hazardous Environments - Tropical Cyclones

1.3.1Characteristics of a Tropical Cyclone1.3.2Structure of a Tropical Cyclone1.3.3Physical Hazards of Tropical Cyclones1.3.4The Impacts of Tropical Cyclones1.3.5Responses to Tropical Cyclones1.3.6Vulnerability to Tropical Cyclones1.3.7Preparing for Tropical Cyclones1.3.8Case Study: Katrina1.3.9Case Study: Nargis
1.4

Hazardous Environments - Earthquakes & Volcanoes

1.4.1Earthquakes1.4.2Features of an Earthquake1.4.3Types of Earthquake1.4.4Case Study: L'Aquila1.4.5Case Study: Chile1.4.6Case Study: Japan & Pakistan - Planning1.4.7Volcanoes1.4.8Types of Volcanoes1.4.9Volcanic Eruptions
2

Human Geography

2.1

Economic Activity & Energy

2.1.1Increasing Energy Consumption2.1.2Non-Renewable Energy - Nuclear2.1.3Non-Renewable Energy - Fossil Fuels2.1.4Renewable Energy - Solar2.1.5Renewable Energy - Water & Bio2.1.6Renewable Energy - Hydro2.1.7Energy - Statistical Skills
2.2

Rural Environments

2.2.1Rainforests2.2.2Temperate Forests2.2.3Characteristics of a Temperate Forest2.2.4Goods & Services in Temperate Forests2.2.5Deserts2.2.6Tundra
2.3

Urban Environments

2.3.1Urbanisation in Different Countries2.3.2Causes of Urbanisation2.3.3Consequences of Urbanisation2.3.4Sustainable Urbanisation2.3.5Case Study: Rapid Urbanisation in Mexico City2.3.6End of Topic Test - Urbanisation
3

Global Issues

3.1

Fragile Environments & Climate Change

3.1.1Natural Causes of Climate Change3.1.2Effects of Climate Change on the Environment3.1.3Effects of Climate Change on People3.1.4Impacts of Deforestation3.1.5End of Topic Test - Climate Change3.1.6Increasing Water Supply3.1.7Sustainable Rainforest Management
3.2

Globalisation & Migration

3.2.1Globalisation - Transport3.2.2Globalisation - Communication Networks & Banking3.2.3Push & Pull Factors3.2.4TNCs & Globalisation3.2.5Tourism Landscapes3.2.6The Growth of Tourism3.2.7The Economic Benefits of Tourism3.2.8The Social & Cultural Benefits of Tourism3.2.9The Economic Costs of Tourism3.2.10The Social & Cultural Costs of Tourism3.2.11Managing Tourism - Sustainability3.2.12Managing Tourism - Quotas & Tourism Hubs
3.3

Development & Human Welfare

3.3.1Ways of Defining Development3.3.2Different Ways of Measuring Development3.3.3Environmental Factors Causing Uneven Development3.3.4Historical Factors Causing Uneven Development3.3.5Economic Factors Causing Uneven Development3.3.6Patterns of Development3.3.7How Can we Reduce the Global Development Gap?3.3.8Top-Down & Bottom-Up Development

Practice questions on Causes of Urbanisation

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What are the pull factors affecting migration?Fill in the list
  2. 2
    Which of the following are push factors affecting migration?True / false
  3. 3
    Which of the following is a pull factor affecting migration?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    A rural village experiences significant job losses when its main employer, a manufacturing plant, closes down. Many residents decide to move to nearby cities.Multiple choice
Answer all questions on Causes of Urbanisation

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Urbanisation in Different Countries

Consequences of Urbanisation