Urban
Settlements 1 - Urban Processes
1
Settlement
-
Settlement
is any form of human habitation, from a single house to the largest city.
-
Classification by function
-
Rural
settlement
-
Primary activities (e.g. agriculture)
are dominant.
-
A rural settlement has a small
population size and a low population density.
-
Urban
settlement
-
Secondary activities (e.g. manufacturing)
and tertiary activities (e.g. trade) are dominant.
-
An urban settlement has a large
population size and a high population density.
-
Classification by size
Settlements can also be
classified by size as hamlet,
village, town,
city, conurbation and
megalopolis.
-
Patterns of settlement
-
In a dispersed
settlement, the dwellings are scattered, e.g. farmhouses.
-
In a linear
settlement, the dwellings form an elongated settlement, e.g. along
a road.
-
In a nucleated
settlement, the dwellings form a cluster, e.g. a walled village,
at a road junction.
2 Characteristics
of an urban settlement
-
An urban settlement is mainly
a built-up area.
-
There are many tall buildings
with little open space.
-
The natural
landscape is almost totally modified into a cultural
landscape.
-
Urban land use is intensive.
-
There is keen land use competition.
-
The land
rent is the high.
-
An urban settlement has a large
population size and a high population density.
-
Urban dwellers have a higher
living standard.
-
Secondary and tertiary activities
are dominant.
-
An urban settlement performs
many functions, e.g. commercial, industrial,
administrative functions.
-
An urban settlement has a hinterland
which it serves and is served.
-
The hinterland provides food
and raw materials to the urban settlement.
-
The hinterland provides a big
market for the urban settlement.
3 Processes
of urbanisation
-
Urban
growth is an increase in number of urban population in a
country.
-
Urbanisation
is an increase in percentage of urban population in a country.
3-1 Natural
increase
-
There is urban
growth when there is natural increase in the urban population.
-
There is urbanisation
when the natural increase in the urban population is greater than in the
rural population.
3-2 Rural-urban
migration
-
Pull factors
attract people to the cities.
-
There are better job opportunities.
-
There are higher income and
higher living standard.
-
There are better educational
and medical facilities.
-
Push
factors drive people to leave rural areas.
-
There is unemployment due to
farm mechanisation.
-
There are lower income and lower
living standard.
-
There are inadequate educational
and medical facilities.
-
There are inadequate farmland,
crop failure and famine.
-
There are poverty, debt and
hard farm life.
3-3 Expansion
of city space
-
Vertical expansion of city space
-
There is great demand for land
at the city centre, but the supply is limited.
-
Taller buildings accommodate
the growing population.
-
There is prestige of tall buildings.
-
There is technological advances.
-
Horizontal expansion of city
space
(see
6-1 Urban sprawl)
-
Urban
planning
-
New town development alleviate
congestion in the city centre.
-
Improved transport network enables
the city area to expand outwards.
4 Urbanisation
as a phenomenon - Urbanisation operates in different ways in different
places and time
4-1
Urbanisation in developed countries
-
Urbanisation started in the
late 18th century during the Industrial Revolution.
-
The main causes are the pull
factors, e.g. industrial development provides employment opportunities.
-
The level of urbanisation is
high, e.g. over 70%.
-
However, the rate of urbanisation
now slows down or even declines because suburbanisation
occurs.
4-2 Urbanisation
in developing countries
-
Urbanisation started in the
20th century.
-
The main causes are the push
factors, e.g. debt, crop failure, civil war.
-
The level of urbanisation is
low, e.g. below 30%.
-
However, the rate of urbanisation
in developing countries is faster.
-
Urban problems are more serious,
esp. large primate cities.
-
The urban growth is too fast
and the governments cannot build enough houses, schools, etc.
-
The lack of housing results
in the growth of slum and squatter area.
-
The lack of medical services,
water and power supply results in poor sanitation.
-
The lack of roads and public
transport results in serious traffic congestion.
-
The lack of industries and jobs
results in unemployment and poverty.
5 The
distribution of major urban centres in the world
-
Most big cities are found on
lowland with good accessibility, e.g. road, railway or water transport.
-
Most big cities are found in
coastal locations, at route focus, river confluence
or mountain gap.
-
Most big cities are well-linked
with its hinterland.
-
Most big cities are found in
mid-latitudes (between 60oN and 40oS) with mild climate.
-
Most big cities are found in
the Northern Hemisphere. There are few large cities in Africa and Australasia.
-
In the past, there are more
big cities are in developed countries.
-
In recent decades, the largest
cities are increasingly found in developing countries.
6 The
distribution of major belts of urban centres in the world
6-1
Formation of conurbation
-
Urban
sprawl is the (haphazard, unplanned) outward expansion of the urban
area.
-
The city centre is congested
and the land rent is high.
-
There is rapid urban
growth and increase in economic activities.
-
New sites for development are
no longer easily available.
-
The rural area has a better
environment, e.g. fresh air, quiet life.
-
The high-income group moves
to the suburb for bigger houses.
-
Industries move outwards to
the suburbs for large site and cheaper land
rent.
-
Improved transport network and
increased private car ownership lead to higher mobility of urban dwellers.
-
Suburbanisation
is the creation of built-up area at the edge
of the city in the suburb (the suburban area).
-
Suburbanisation often takes
place radially along transport routes for
better accessibility.
-
The area between the major roads
are gradually filled in by settlement and feeder roads.
-
[Urban
encroachment is the take-over of the rural area by suburbanisation.]
-
A conurbation
is an extensive continuous urban area formed by the coalescence of several
urban areas.
6-2 Major
conurbations in the world
-
North-eastern
Seaboard of the USA
-
The North-eastern Seaboard stretches
from Boston through New York to Washington,
DC.
-
Therefore this conurbation
is also known as Bosnywash.
-
Megalopolis
-
The word megalopolis
was originally used to describe the continuous belt of urban centres in
the NE Seaboard.
-
Now the word is used to describe
any continuous built-up area formed by the coalescence of conurbations.
-
Southeast
Honshu of Japan
-
The conurbation
Greater Tokyo includes Tokyo , Kawasaki and
Yokohama .
-
There is extensive alluvial
lowland on Kanto Plain and reclaimed land around Tokyo Bay .
-
Conurbation in
Northwest Europe
-
The conurbation
in Northwest Europe includes Paris (France), Amsterdam (the Netherlands),
etc.
-
The conurbation is located on
the largest lowland in western Europe.
-
These conurbations have many
common locational advantages.
-
They have coastal lowland for
agriculture and for building houses and factories.
-
They have good transport networks
(e.g. railway) and good harbours for imports and exports.
-
There are good linkages with
their hinterlands.
-
There is a mild climate for
agriculture and settlement.
-
They have prosperous international
trade and commerce.
-
They are industrial belts.
-
They have long history of development.
Urban
Settlements 2 - Urban Land Uses and Factors Affecting
Their Distribution
7
Urban land use zones
7-1
Central Business District (CBD)
-
Location and accessibility
-
The CBD has the highest accessibility.
-
The CBD has a central location.
-
The CBD is the focal point of
transport networks.
-
Activities
-
Buildings are very tall and
are closely packed together to make the most intensive use of the site.
-
Land rents
are high due to keen land use competition
by different urban land uses.
-
There are high
order retail shops selling luxury commodities (e.g. jewellery and
fashion).
-
There are high order service
businesses and offices (e.g. banks, stockbrokers and legal firms).
-
These high order functions need
a central location with high accessibility.
-
There is a large number of potential
customers.
-
They have a high economic return
and can afford to pay the high land rent.
-
Pedestrian and traffic density
-
The CBD is crowded with traffic
and pedestrians in the daytime.
-
The CBD has a low residential
population density and is quiet at night.
-
Horizontal
zonation of land use
-
Zones of different types of
commercial businesses can be identified.
-
e.g. zone of government offices,
zone of banks, zone of high order retail shops and office buildings.
-
Vertical
zonation of land use
-
There is also vertical zoning
in the tall buildings.
-
On the lower floors, there are
banks, restaurants and shops selling high-order
luxury goods.
-
On the upper floors, there are
airlines, trading firms, accounting firms, legal firms and consulates.
-
The CBD of Hong Kong is Central
District and Tsim Sha Tsui.
-
Central
District
-
Central District had an early
development from the early commercial area in Sheung Wan.
-
It is built on reclaimed land
at a water-front location in the middle of Victoria Harbour.
-
It is the focal point of transport
networks, e.g. ferry, MTR, bus, tram and Peak Tram.
-
It expands mainly to the E on
the coastal lowland towards Wan Chai.
-
Expansion to the N is restricted
by Victoria Harbour, although land is available from sea reclamation.
-
Expansion to the S is restricted
by the hilly relief.
-
Expansion to the W is restricted
because Sheung Wan is an old area and redevelopment is very expensive.
7-2 Mixed
commercial and residential zones
-
These zones are found in the
inner city near the CBD, e.g. Wan Chai, Western
District, Yau Ma Tei.
-
Commercial functions serve the
need of the neighbourhood.
-
Bigger shops selling higher
order goods (e.g. banks, restaurants) occupy the lower floors of the main
roads.
-
Smaller shops selling lower
order goods (e.g. food, daily necessities) occupy the lower floors of side
streets.
-
Offices and residential flats
occupy the upper floors.
-
Secondary
commercial districts occur at the intersections of major roads,
e.g. Causeway Bay and Mong Kok.
-
These areas suffer from urban
decay and needs urban renewal.
-
It is also called the zone
in transition undergoing changes to the functions associated with
the CBD.
-
It is also called the twilight
zone because it is a slum area with
old buildings and poor facilities.
-
Land rents are lower than the
CBD.
7-3 Residential
land uses
-
High-class
residential zones, e.g. the Mid-Levels, Kowloon Tong.
-
Middle-class
residential zones, e.g. Tai Koo Shing, Ho Man Tin.
-
Low-class
residential zones, e.g. public housing in Kowloon and new towns.
7-4 Industrial
land uses
-
Industrial land uses are often
mixed with residential land uses.
-
Light industries operate in
flatted factory buildings in
-
mixed
residential and industrial zone, e.g. San Po Kong, Kwun Tong, Chai
Wan, Wong Chuk Hang, and
-
new towns,
e.g. Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun and Sha Tin.
-
There are industrial
estates in Tai Po, Yuen Long and Tseung Kwan O.
-
Land rents are lower.
7-5 Other
minor land uses
-
Recreational
land uses, e.g. parks, swimming pools, cinemas.
-
Institutional
land uses, e.g. government offices, schools, hospitals.
-
Transport
land uses, e.g. roads, airports, railway stations, ferry piers,
car parks.
8 Factors
affecting the distribution of urban land use zones
8-1
Competition for location and space
-
All land uses compete for the
sites at the city centre
where
-
the accessibility is the best,
and
-
sites are in limited supply.
-
There is keen land
use competition among different land uses.
-
The city centre has the highest
land rent (land value).
-
Land rent declines with increasing
distance from the city centre.
-
Commercial land use can bid
a very high rent for a central location because
-
it has high economic return,
-
it requires less space.
-
Industrial and residential land
uses can bid a lower rent because
-
they have low economic returns,
-
they require more space.
-
Each land use has its own bid
rent curve which shows the land rents it affords to pay.
-
Commercial land use has a steep
bid rent curve.
-
Industrial and residential land
uses have gentle bid rent curves.
-
The land use which affords to
pay the highest land rent will outbid other
land uses.
-
Commercial land use has the
highest rent-paying ability and occupies the city centre.
-
Industrial and residential land
uses have lower rent-paying abilities and are located further away.
-
A concentric
pattern of land use is formed. However, in reality
-
Places along or at the intersections
of major roads have better accessibility.
-
Such places form minor peaks
and ridges in the land-value surface.
8-2 Historical
factors
-
A certain type of land use is
located in a particular area because it has a long history of development.
-
Many mixed land use zones exist
because there was no urban planning in the past.
-
Geographical
inertia is the tendency of activities to remain in an existing location
after the locational factors no longer exist.
8-3 Institutional
factors
-
The government influences urban
land use through urban planning.
-
Urban renewal and new town development
are planned by the government.
-
Land use zoning reduces conflicts
among different land uses.
8-4 Social
values and perception
-
Differences in race, religion
and socio-economic status lead to social segregation.
-
These create high-class and
low-class residential zones.
9 Urban
land use models - Generalisation of urban land uses
9-1
The concentric model (Burgess, 1923)
-
Cities grow radially outward
away from a single centre.
-
Different land uses are distributed
like concentric rings around the city centre.
-
They are: CBD, zone in transition,
low-class residential zone, middle-class residential zone, high-class residential
zone.
9-2 The
sector model (Hoyt, 1939)
-
All land uses except the CBD
form sectors around the city centre.
-
The land use zones are influenced
by radial transport routes.
-
High-rental and low-rental areas
repel one another.
9-3 The
multiple-nuclei model (Harris and Ullman, 1945)
-
Apart from the CBD, there are
several separated, secondary centres.
-
Certain functions require specialised
facilities or sites, e.g. a port district needs a suitable waterfront.
-
Similar functions may group
together for agglomeration economies.
10
The major urban land use patterns in Hong Kong
-
The sectoral
pattern is confined to the inner urban areas, e.g.
-
the radial transport from Tsim
Sha Tsui on Kowloon Peninsula, and
-
the east-west coastal development
and the transport network on Hong Kong Island, which is affected by the
hills.
-
The concentric
pattern is predominant in the public housing estates in the peripheral
areas, e.g. New Kowloon.
-
The age of the population and
household size vary concentrically with distance from the city centre.
-
A younger population with smaller
families dominates the outer areas.
-
The multiple-nuclei
pattern reflects the location of higher-income group, due to social
segregation.
-
Living in a well-defined prestige
area gives the affluent residents of the a higher status.
-
They would not distribute in
a ring because of difficulty of interaction with people of their own class.
Urban
Settlements 3 - Function of Urban Centres
11
Central Place Theory
-
A central
place is an urban settlement providing goods and services.
-
The threshold
population of a function is the minimum market size necessary for
the function to be profitable.
-
The range
of goods is the maximum distance that the consumers will travel
to buy those goods or services.
-
Suppliers selling different
goods will locate together in central places
for the convenience of customers.
-
The lower the threshold, the
greater the number of central places that will sell the good.
-
Goods with high thresholds are
called high order goods (e.g. furs and expensive
jewellery).
-
Goods with low thresholds are
called low order goods (e.g. bread and newspaper).
-
A high
order central place (large urban centre) usually provides
-
more functions and
-
a larger range of functions
(both high order and low order goods).
-
A low
order central place (small urban centre) usually provides
-
fewer functions and
-
a smaller range of functions
(low order goods only).
12
Canberra as an example of a city with a dominant function: administration
12-1
Background
-
Canberra is the capital
of Australia.
-
The Commonwealth of Australia
is formed in 1901.
-
A national capital was needed
as the centre of government and administration.
-
There was rivalry between the
two largest cities in Australia - Sydney and Melbourne.
-
It was decided to build a capital
at Canberra, a small inland settlement between Sydney and Melbourne.
-
In 1911, an area of 2360 km2
was bought from New South Wales, forming the Australian
Capital Territory (ACT).
-
An international competition
was held to design the new city.
-
It was won by an American architect
Burley Griffin.
-
Canberra did not completely
develop until late 1957 because it lacked finance and because of the two
World Wars.
12-2 The
site of Canberra
-
Canberra is built on an undulating
plain which was easy to develop.
-
Canberra is located on the Eastern
Highlands, over 550 m above sea level.
-
River Molonglo divides Canberra
into two halves.
12-3 The
situation of Canberra
-
Canberra has a warm temperate
climate with sunny weather.
-
Canberra is located near the
densely populated SE Australia.
-
Canberra is not centrally located
in Australia but is the centre of population concentration and economic
development.
-
Canberra lies midway between
Sydney and Melbourne. The rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne was solved.
-
Canberra lies midway between
the agricultural hinterland of Murray-Darling Basin and the industrial
SE coast.
12-4 Canberra
as a planned city
-
Canberra
is divided into distinctive functional zones.
-
Different
zones are separated by the main avenues.
-
Administrative
land use is around Capital Hill.
-
A large
amount of land is used for educational purposes.
-
Industrial
land use is limited and is located far away from the city centre to avoid
pollution.
-
Canberra
is a garden city.
-
There
is ample open space, e.g. parks and gardens, which provide a good living
environment.
-
An artificial
lake (Lake Burley Griffin) is formed by building a dam across River Molonglo.
-
There
is a regular road pattern, both radial and concentric, to make transport
convenient.
-
Self-contained
new towns are
developed to prevent urban sprawl.
12-5 The
functions of Canberra
-
Canberra is the Federal
Capital of Australia.
-
Administrative
functions, e.g. Parliament House, High Court.
-
Educational functions, e.g.
the Australian National University.
-
Cultural functions, e.g. the
National Library.
-
Tourist functions, e.g. hotels.
-
Administrative function is the
most dominant function.
-
Commercial and industrial functions
are limited.
-
Employment structure of Canberra
in 1985
-
Administrative work 33 %
-
Commercial activities 13 %
-
Manufacturing activities 8 %
13
Shanghai as an example of a city with multi-functions
13-1
Background
-
Shanghai is the largest city
in China.
-
Shanghai has a long history
of development.
-
Before 1949
-
Shanghai was a treaty
port opened up to foreign trade under the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842.
-
Textile industries started to
develop in the early 20th century.
-
Shanghai was a world trading
and financial centre in the 1930s.
-
After 1949
-
Foreign trade decreased after
1949.
-
Heavy industry has intensified
although light industry is still predominant.
-
In recent years
-
The open
door policy attracts many foreign companies and banks.
-
There is a revival of its role
as a financial centre.
13-2 The
site of Shanghai
-
Shanghai was built on extensive
flatland on a flat deltaic plain.
-
Physical problem for the development
of Shanghai
-
Shanghai's port development
is hindered by the silting problem of Huangpu
Jiang .
-
Huangpu Jiang carries a large
amount of load which is deposited on the river bed.
-
The river channel is too shallow
for large ocean-going vessels.
-
Constant dredging
is needed to prevent silting.
13-3 The
situation of Shanghai
-
Shanghai is at the mid-point
on the coastline of eastern China.
-
Shanghai is located on the major
shipping routes.
-
Shanghai has cheap and easy
sea transport.
-
Shanghai is situated on Huangpu
Jiang at the mouth of Chang Jiang.
-
Shanghai controls the entrance
to Chang Jiang Basin.
-
Shanghai is a communication
focus with cheap and easy sea, river and railways transport.
-
Shanghai is at the centre of
the densely-populated eastern coast with abundant labour supply.
-
Shanghai obtains raw materials
and power from its hinterland, e.g.
-
Oil from Lanzhou, Daqing and
offshore oil-fields along the continental shelf of Huang Hai .
-
Iron ore from Daye, Ma'anshan,
Australia and Brazil.
-
Coal from Taiyuan and Huainan.
-
Cotton and silk from Sichuan,
central and lower Chang Jiang Basin.
13-4 The
functions of Shanghai
-
Industrial functions
-
Shanghai is the largest industrial
centre in China.
-
Light industries include textile,
garment, electronics, printing.
-
Heavy industries include iron
and steel industry, ship-building, motor-car.
-
Transport functions
-
Shanghai is situated at the
mouth of Chang Jiang and controls the entrance to Chang Jiang Basin.
-
The Grand Canal runs from Hangzhou
in the S to Beijing in the N.
-
There is railway from N (e.g.
Tianjin), S (e.g. Guangzhou) and W (e.g. Wuhan).
-
Port functions
-
Shanghai is the largest port
in China.
-
Shanghai lies on major international
shipping and air transport routes.
-
Shanghai has a sheltered harbour
and good port facilities.
-
Administrative functions
-
Shanghai is a municipality
and is the largest city in China.
-
The administrative area covers
the 6200 km2 of the municipality.
-
Commercial functions, e.g. banks,
stock market, trade.
-
Tourist functions, e.g. hotels.
-
Education functions, e.g. universities.
14
Classification of urban centres by functions
-
Many urban centres have a large
range of functions and are multi-function cities,
e.g. Shanghai.
-
Some urban centres are dominated
by one particular function are called single-function
cities, e.g. Canberra.
-
These urban centres can be classified
according to the major function, e.g.
-
Capital
city, e.g. Canberra (Australia).
-
Industrial cities, e.g. Pittsburgh
(USA).
-
Holiday resorts, e.g. Pattaya
(Thailand).
Copyright (C) H L 1998-9.
All Rights Reserved.