Introduction to Urbanisation

A number of towns or cites across the Caribbean has expanded significantly over the past years. Modifying these urban spaces has provided several benefits as well as created a number of challenges for the population. However, using varying strategies to control the development of the towns and cities can curb these problems.

Across the globe today, more than in recent years, additional people live in urban areas than in rural areas. For the first time in history, in 2007, the global urban population exceeded the global rural population, and the population remained mostly urban afterwards. This process is termed as urbanisation.

Key Terms:

Urbanisation is an increase in the proportion of people living in urban area. It is the growth and spread of a city and the consequential increase of the population.

Urban growth is the actual increase in physical size and total population of urban area.

Urban sprawl is the spread out of urban areas into surrounding rural areas to accommodate the growing population in city centre.  

The suburb is a built-up area close to large cities but away from the city centre.     

Commuting is travelling each day from a home in a rural area to work in a city.

Causes of Urbanisation

The urban population in Caribbean cities increase due to several reasons. These factors working together have caused the greatest growth in developing countries in recent years. These include:

Push & Pull Factors

Most of the migration to urban centres are as a result of push and pull factors. The push factors refers to the reasons which cause persons to move out of their place of residence while the pull factors encourages persons to move into another town or country. Figure one shows examples of push and pull factors.   

Figure 1: Push and Pull Factors

Location of Commercial Sectors

The urban areas are central to a number of industries. The markets are potential for consumers so industries are attracted to these areas. For example, the manufacturing industry is located in the urban areas as they have easier access to shipping ports. Cities also provide transport networks to and from these commercial sites as well. This central location of the industries and businesses provides a mix of commercial as well as administrative services and such they are called the central business district (CBD).  

Natural Increase

The increase in population caused by the difference between the birth rate and the death rate. In some urban areas, there is an excess of births over deaths that result in a natural increase in the population.

In-migration

As rural residents seek a higher quality of life, they move to urban areas from the rural areas. This has been one the chief factors of urbanisation in developing countries over the past years.

Employment

Fewer persons are working in primary industries such as farming. More jobs are available in secondary and tertiary industries such as construction, manufacturing and retailing found in the urban areas. Persons prefer to live in the cities because of the availability of employment in these sectors.