15.9.1
What are the advantages of urbanisation?
Urbanisation has many benefits for both urban and rural residents. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures a country’s wealth, and according to the World Bank, 80 per cent of global GDP is generated in cities. FIGURE1 shows that countries with higher urban populations tend to be wealthier. This is because cities offer better education and job opportunities, allowing people to earn and spend more, boosting GDP. Cities also foster new ideas and technologies, which can create wealth. Access to services like high-speed internet in cities helps with education, jobs and businesses. On a personal level, city living provides more services and facilities than rural areas. With more people in a smaller area, it’s easier to provide government support and facilities like housing, roads, public transport, hospitals and schools (see FIGURE3 ).
FIGURE2 Footscray in Melbourne has a large variety of restaurants, across a wide range of cuisines.
SkillBuilder discussion Communicating 1. Why do most cities have some form of high-density housing? 2. Discuss why a good public transport system is important in urban areas. 3. Discuss why having a good health and education system contributes to rural–urban migration and thus urbanisation.
FIGURE 3 (a) Public transport, (b) Hospital, (c) School in New York, (d) High-rise housing in Brazil
(b)
(a)
(c)
(d)
There are also cultural and social advantages of urbanisation. Urban areas frequently have more sporting facilities, museums, galleries, theatres and playgrounds than rural locations do, as well as a greater variety of different cultures, their cuisines and their practices of living side-by-side ( FIGURE2 ).
460 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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