1. (A) What is rural – urban migration ?
Is the migration of people from rural to urban areas
Occurs in both developed and developing countries
In developed countries, such flow of population began in the early 19th century, but has slowed down nowadays.
In developing countries, such flow started in the early 20th century, and is getting faster as time goes by.
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2. Push factors in the rural areas Pull factors in the urban areas
(B) What are the causes of rural-urban migration ?
Push factors in the rural areas
Pull factors in the urban areas
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3. Push factors in the rural areas
Overpopulation - the man-land ratio is very high
Few job opportunities
Low living standard - low income, malnutrition
Poor social services and facilities - transport, education, medical service, recreation etc.
Poverty - the strongest factor
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4. Pull factors in the urban areas
Many job opportunities
High living standard - high income, good nutrition
Good social facilities and services - transport, education, medical service, recreation etc.
Better jobs - the most important factor
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5. (C) What are the problems caused by rural-urban migration ?
Rapid population growth
High unemployment
Conflicts between local people and migrants
Shortage of facilities and services
Shortage of houses
Example
Favelas in Brazil
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6. Rapid population growth
Waves of immigrants from rural areas never stop.
Very few people leave the city.
Therefore, there is a big net gain in population.
Most immigrants are young adults.
They know little about birth control and family planning.
The birth rate is very high.
However, the death rate is very low.
Therefore, there is a big natural increase in population.
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7. There is a great increase in population.
High unemployment
There is a great increase in population.
Economic development is slow.
The increase of job is not fast enough.
Many people are unemployed.
High unemployment may lead to social problems.
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8. Conflicts between local people and migrants
They are different from each other in religion, tradition, custom outlook, educational level, language, race, etc.
Therefore, misunderstandings arise.
The local people do not want those outsiders:
– to share their facilities and services;
– to take away their jobs;
– to bring along problems of congestion and pollution.
Therefore, the local people do not like the immigrants.
The immigrants thus feel being looked down on and ill-treated.
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9. Shortage of facilities and services
Urban population increases too fast.
The city government has very limited resources. The number of facilities like electricity and water supply, and services like schools and hospitals only increases very slowly.
The facilities and services cannot meet the needs of people.
Life quality becomes poor.
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10. Urban population increases too fast.
Shortage of houses
Urban population increases too fast.
The increase of houses is too slow.
The poor immigrants cannot afford good housing.
The government is not fast enough to provide public housing.
Cottage areas or shanty towns appear and spread.
The living conditions are very poor there.
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11. These favelas are built on the outskirts of the city.
Favelas in Brazil
In big cities in Brazil, 40% of the people live in shanty towns called ‘favelas’.
These favelas are built on the outskirts of the city.
Many basic facilities, like water and electricity supply, are absent in the favelas.
Sewage and refuse are not properly collected and disposed of.
Sanitary conditions are poor.Diseases spread easily.
The people are very poor. Most of them are unemployed.
Most children have no schooling.
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12. Terms to learn:
Migration - the flow of people from one place to another
Rural-urban migration - people moving from the countryside into the city
Push factors - the bad conditions that drive people out of their homes
Pull factors - the good conditions that attract people to come to live in that area
Migrants - people who come to live here from other places
Squatter area - an area of unlawfully built huts and houses with poor facilities and services
Shanty town - a squatter area where the poor live
Favela - a shanty town on the outskirts of a Brazilian city
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13. Favelas in Brazil
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