Megacities

IB Geography II

What are Megacities?

• Megacities are large metropolitan areas of 10 million inhabitants or more.

• By 2050, 7 out of 10 people will live in megacities

Megacities

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFboV2m1yuw

Megacity Demographics• Cities are growing at a rate of around 1 million

people every week.

• Half the Earth's population will soon live in congested, urban regions mainly in the poor, developing countries of the South.

• If the 20th century was the century of urban

sprawl, the 21st century will be the century of the megacity.

Growth of Megacities in Rich and Poor Countries

• While the greatest megacities were once in rich countries, they are now dominated by cities in the less developed world

• Why??? Think about rural push factors and natural increase… MAJOR UNIT CONCEPTS!

Megacity Demographics• The 10 largest megacities in the world as of the year

2000 are: • 1. Tokyo, Japan 26.4 million

2. Mexico City, Mexico 18.4 million 3. Bombay, India 18.1 million 4. Sao Paulo, Brazil 17.8 million 5. Shanghai, China 17.0 million 6. New York City, USA 16.6 million 7. Lagos, Nigeria 13.4 million 8. Los Angeles, USA 13.1 million 9. Calcutta, India 12.9 million 10. Buenos Aires, Argentina 12.6 million

Tokyo is the world’s largest megacity

Megacity Demographics

• The world's megacities take up just 2% of the Earth's land surface, yet they account for roughly 75% of industrial wood use, 60% of human water use, and nearly 80% of all human produced carbon emissions.

• These figures suggest that the struggle to achieve an environmentally sustainable economy for the 21st century will be won or lost in the world's urban areas.

Shanghai

Agglomerations

• An agglomeration is the metropolitan area incorporating several large towns and cities.

Urban Hierarchy

• A national arrangement of urban areas, for example from one large city to many small villages.

Essay Planning Tool

• Prompt: Referring to 1 or more case studies, explain the opportunities and challenges that exist in megacities.

• Sources for study: – Notes – The Real Population Bomb – Documentary: “Sustaining the City” BBC News – Megacities Interactive Tour

The Opportunities of a Megacity

• Megacities are vibrant centers of economic activity, social interaction and creativity.

• Hubs in the global network of economic activities such as trade.

• Megacities bring together people and resources and are able to generate huge amounts of wealth.

Challenges of Megacities

• High population concentration and density• Uncontrolled spatial expansion• Severe infrastructural deficits • Inadequate water supply and sewage • Signs of ecological strain and overload• Poor housing provision • Increasing disparity between rich and poor

Homework: Due Monday 1/6• Megacities Interactive Tour

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/interactive/2012/oct/04/rise-of-megacities-interactive

• Explore and play around with the interactive maps. • Choose one Megacity: Lagos, Mexico City, or Dhaka

and write a 1 paragraph response addressing the following questions: – What are the challenges for this megacity? – What economic/social opportunities exist in this

megacity?– You must research at least 1 other source (cite)