Man - a being, of course, social, tending to the company of other people.That's why the world's population continues to "spill over" to the big cities.On the other hand, people - being natural.It is an integral part of the natural element, the natural landscape.Thus, the city and the natural areas - without industry and exhaust remain today the two main axes around which revolves the life of modern society.
In this article we will look at the concepts relating to urban studies section.What suburbanization, de-urbanization and urbanization?What is the meaning of these three concepts?
Meaning of "urbanization"
term "urbanization" is derived from the Latin word "urbanus", which translates as "the city."Under urbanization (in the broad sense) to understand the growth of the city's role in the life of man and society.In a narrower sense, it is a process of growth of the urban population and the "overflow" of people from the countryside - in cities and megacities.
on urbanization as a social and economic phenomenon and the process of actively began to talk in the middle of the twentieth century, when the percentage of the urban population began to increase rapidly.The reason for this was the development of industry in the cities, the emergence of these new jobs, as well as the development of cultural and educational functions in urban areas.
Scientists have identified a number of aspects of urbanization processes, namely:
- exodus from rural areas - in the city;
- transformation of villages - in urban settlements;
- and holistic formation of large suburban areas of settlement.
the question "What is the suburbanization, urbanization, de-urbanization, ruralisation?"geourbanistika meets science - one of the most important areas of modern social geography.
With the concept of "urbanization," is closely related to the so-called phenomenon of false urbanization, which is typical for such regions as Latin America and Southeast Asia.What is false urbanization.In fact, it is nothing unreasonable urban growth that is not accompanied by the necessary increase in jobs and the development of related infrastructure.As a result, the rural population just simply "displaced" in the big cities.Misleading urbanization, usually accompanied by a surge in unemployment and the appearance of the city in the so-called "slums" - not intended for normal human life urban neighborhoods.
level of urbanization around the world
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs is preparing the next annual rating of the urbanization of the world.These investigations are carried out since 1980.
level of urbanization - is the percentage of the urban population to the total population of a country.And he is not the same in different countries of the world.For example, the highest rates of urbanization (if not to take into account the dwarf state, consisting of one city) recorded in Kuwait, Qatar, Belgium and Malta.In all these countries, the urban population exceeded 95%.Also, the level of urbanization is quite high in Iceland, Argentina, Japan, Israel, Uruguay and Venezuela (above 90%).
Outside Russia in the ranking according to UN estimates is 74%.Urbanization is located at the bottom of rankings of Papua New Guinea and Burundi (with urbanization rates of 12.6 and 11.5%, respectively).In Europe, the lowest urbanization rate is characteristic for Moldova (49 percent).
concept of urban agglomeration
Urban Agglomeration - a phenomenon that is inextricably linked with the process of urbanization.This process of unification of the neighboring urban settlements, a complex and integrated system.Within this system, to generate sustainable and intensive communication: production, transport, scientific and cultural.Urban agglomeration - is one of the natural stages urbanization processes.
There are two main types of agglomerations:
- monocentric (formed on the basis of a central city core);
- polycentric (accumulation of several equivalent urban settlements).
for urban agglomeration characterized by the following features:
- compound of the central city with the adjoining other cities and towns (without significant territorial gaps).
- share of built-up areas in the metropolitan area must necessarily be greater than the percentage of agricultural land.
- For any agglomeration characterized by daily commuting - employment, education, culture and tourism.
According to the UN, on our planet, there are no less than 450 metropolitan areas, each of which lives at least one million people.The largest agglomeration in the world recognized by the urban agglomeration of Tokyo, which is home to around 35 million people.The leading countries in the total number of urban agglomerations are: China, USA, India, Brazil and Russia.
Urban agglomerations in Russia
interesting that in Russia at the state level does not keep any records of urban agglomerations in the country.Therefore, the evidence on this issue may be slightly different from each other.
However, in Russia decided to allocate 22 agglomeration.The largest of them are as follows (in parentheses indicate the approximate population):
- Moscow (about 16 million).
- St. Petersburg (5.6 million).
- Samara-Togliatti (2.3 million).
- Yekaterinburg (2.2 million).
- Rostov (1.7 million).
to Russian metropolitan areas typical of high industrialization of the territory, a high level of infrastructure development, a large number of research and higher education institutions.The bulk of the agglomerations in Russia is monocentric, that is, they have one distinct center, which controls all the other villages and suburbs.
Suburbanization: definition
now is to consider other concepts, is actively used in urban studies.Suburbanization - is that over the concept and what is its essence?
The term came into common use active in the second half of the twentieth century.Suburbanization - this phenomenon is accompanied by the rapid development of suburbs - areas located around the big cities.
Toward the end of the last century, a growing number of people began to move to the outskirts of cities, away from the noise of factories and dirty air and close to the natural landscape.At the same time, these "settlers" did not begin to cultivate the land and raise chickens.They continue to work in the city, spending a few hours every day to get to and from work.Of course, suburbanization has become possible only thanks to the development of mass motorization.
urbanization - to the suburbanization!
Recently the magazine "The Economist" published an interesting article titled "The Planet of the suburbs."According to the text of the article, suburbanization - it is not nothing but a "disguised" urbanization!After all, throughout the world today, and the city of megacities grow solely through the suburbs.The exception to "The Economist" calls only two modern metropolis - it's London and Tokyo.
And now we can see an interesting picture: if 30-40 years ago the outskirts of large cities have become "home" for more than the poor, but now everything has changed diametrically.And now gentrification neighborhoods are increasingly seen in suburban areas.
What is de-urbanization?
Finally, we must deal with another concept.De-urbanization - a process opposite the urbanization (from the French "dez" - a denial).
de-urbanization process is characterized by the resettlement of the population outside the cities.In a more global sense, the term also means denying the positive role of the city in the life of society.The main goal of the theory of de-urbanization - is to eliminate all the world's major cities.
In conclusion ...
urbanization, de-urbanization, suburbanization ... All these concepts are very closely related to each other.If urbanization - is the process of improving the city's role in society, the suburbanization - is, on the contrary, outflow of population in suburban areas.
