2.1 Cities are growing in importance

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
• vmbo t, mavo, havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

2.1 Cities are growing in importance

Part 1

Learning goals

- You know how a city or urban area differs from a rural area.

- You understand the difference between metropolis, megacities and capital cities.

- You can explain the connection between socioeconomic status and urbanisation.

Take your notebook and write down 4 things to help you recognize a city.

Do this quietly.

3 characteristics of urban areas:

1. A high population and building density, there are many high rise buildings;

2. A large variation of levels of socioeconomic status, educational opportunities and culture;

3. A wide variety of amenities close to each other.

Rural area: area with low population and building density and few amenities

Where were the first cities located?

In the Middle Ages you could recognize a city by its big walls.
Located near water.

Maastricht back in the day

Remains of city wall

Nowadays it is difficult to recognize a city: 
Iceland - 500 inhabitants
Japan - 50.000 inhabitants

Megacity, metropolis, capital city

Different types of cities

There are a lot of different types of cities: a capital city, megacity and metropolis.

A megacity has more than 10 mln people.

Different types of cities

A capital is often the most important city of a country. 

A capital may coincide with a metropolis and a mega city such as London and Tokyo.

Different types of cities

A metropolis has many inhabitants and is very important for a large part of the world.

Important center in the field of economics, culture and politics

3 types of cities

1. Mega city: + 10 million inhabitants

2. Metropolis: large and important on a world level. Economy, culture and politics.

3. Capital city: most important city in a country, usually housing the government

Homework: 2.1 ex 2

2.1 Cities are growing in importance

Part 2

Learning goals

- You know how a city or urban area differs from a rural area.

- You understand the difference between metropolis, megacities and capital cities.

- You can explain the connection between socioeconomic status and urbanisation.

Core: Rich countries (Netherlands)

Semi-Periphery: Developing countries

(BRIC: Brasil, Russia, India, China)

Periphery: Poor countries 
(Afghanistan)

Look at the source on the next slide, what could the degree of urbanisation mean?

Degree of urbanisation: percentage of population living in cities.

Urbanisation rate: percentage of population growth in cities each year.

Work, study, family, facilities

Peace, space, environment, green, more child-friendly, possible by car

Moving between city and countryside

Western countries: 19th century urbanisation, now suburbanisation and re-urbanisation

Non-Western countries: now urbanisation

Re-urbanisatie

Homework: 2.1 ex 1a, 1b, 3, 4, 5 and 6