GCSE Geography | Push and Pull Factors in Urbanisation

Geography Quiz - Urbanisation (Questions)

Urbanisation is the growth of towns and cities as more people move from rural areas. This quiz explores its causes, patterns, and the challenges it creates worldwide.

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Fascinating Fact:

Rapid urbanisation can create problems such as overcrowded housing, informal settlements, traffic congestion, pollution, and pressure on services.

In GCSE Geography, urbanisation describes the increasing proportion of people living in towns and cities. You study its causes, such as rural to urban migration and natural increase, and explore how rapid growth affects housing, jobs, transport, and the environment in both richer and poorer countries, as well as strategies to make cities more sustainable.

Key Terms

Urbanisation: The increase in the percentage of a country’s population living in towns and cities.
Rural–urban migration: Movement of people from countryside areas to towns and cities, often for work or education.
Informal settlement: Housing built without official planning or services, often on marginal land, sometimes called a shanty town or slum.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is urbanisation in geography GCSE?

In GCSE Geography, urbanisation means that a growing percentage of a country’s population lives in towns and cities, usually because of migration from rural areas and natural increase.

What are the main causes of urbanisation?

The main causes are rural–urban migration, often driven by better job and education opportunities in cities, and natural increase when birth rates in urban areas are higher than death rates.

What problems can rapid urbanisation cause?

Rapid urbanisation can put severe strain on transport, water, energy, and waste systems, increase inequality between rich and poor residents, and lead to environmental damage and health risks in cities.

Try These Related Quizzes

Which of the following is a push factor in urbanisation?

[ ]	Better service provision
[ ]	Greater wealth
[ ]	Unemployment
[ ]	Improved health care

What is the definition of a megacity?

[ ]	Any city larger than 1 million acres
[ ]	One of the top 10 largest cities in the world
[ ]	Cities that have more than 50% of their country's population
[ ]	Any city with more than 10 million people living in it

World cities are those considered internationally important for trade and finance. Which of the following is not considered a world city?

[ ]	Abu Dhabi
[ ]	London
[ ]	New York
[ ]	Tokyo

Urbanisation can cause a number of problems. Which of the following is not an issue in more economically advanced nations?

[ ]	Transport congestion
[ ]	Open sewers leading to disease
[ ]	Housing pressures
[ ]	Pollution

Which of the following are not methods of reducing traffic congestion in urban areas?

[ ]	Park and ride schemes
[ ]	Providing more car parks in the city centre
[ ]	Cycle lanes and paths
[ ]	Low emission zones

In many cities there exist areas of deprivation close by gentrified areas that are unaffordable to those on lower incomes. Which of the following is not a reason for deprivation in UK cities?

[ ]	Poor access to education
[ ]	Areas of older, run down housing
[ ]	Unemployment after the decline in industry
[ ]	Safety and security concerns in high crime areas

Brownfield sites are in urban areas, often on disused and derelict land. Greenfield sites are in rural areas and normally on land that has never been developed before. Which of the following is an advantage of greenfield sites?

[ ]	Greenfield sites are mostly available in the North and the Midlands of the UK
[ ]	Greenfield sites reduce urban sprawl
[ ]	Greenfield sites are cheaper to build on
[ ]	Greenfield sites clear and clean the land before development can begin

[ ]	Brownfield sites are often in deprived areas and unpopular with property purchasers
[ ]	Reusing derelict brownfield sites can improve the entire area and increase property values
[ ]	Gentrification of the area caused by brownfield sites being developed can increase prices and force local residents out
[ ]	Contaminated land found on brownfield sites may be unsuitable for residential properties

What is the definition of a sustainable city?

[ ]	A city that meets both the needs of current and future residents
[ ]	A city that is carbon neutral
[ ]	A city that is neither growing uncontrollably nor shrinking
[ ]	A city that relies on ecologically sound technologies

10.

How do local services and employment opportunities increase a city's sustainability?

[ ]	By keeping money in the local economy
[ ]	By encouraging people to migrate into the city
[ ]	By increasing pollution as people use cars in the immediate area
[ ]	By reducing the need for long journeys and use

Geography Quiz - Urbanisation (Answers)

Which of the following is a push factor in urbanisation?

[ ]	Better service provision
[ ]	Greater wealth
[x]	Unemployment
[ ]	Improved health care

The potential for employment is often a pull factor for cities. Even in more economically advanced nations, such as the UK, people move to places like London and Manchester in the hope of finding the right job

What is the definition of a megacity?

[ ]	Any city larger than 1 million acres
[ ]	One of the top 10 largest cities in the world
[ ]	Cities that have more than 50% of their country's population
[x]	Any city with more than 10 million people living in it

One of the problems defining a city's population comes from defining its boundaries. Greater London is much larger then London itself. Many city centres have surprisingly low populations as businesses and retail have taken over the streets

World cities are those considered internationally important for trade and finance. Which of the following is not considered a world city?

[x]	Abu Dhabi
[ ]	London
[ ]	New York
[ ]	Tokyo

World cities control a disproportionate percentage of the world's commerce. Also known as global cities, they can rise and fall as the international business landscape changes. In 1866 Liverpool was described as the only global city, now this smaller city is overshadowed by neighbouring Manchester

Urbanisation can cause a number of problems. Which of the following is not an issue in more economically advanced nations?

[ ]	Transport congestion
[x]	Open sewers leading to disease
[ ]	Housing pressures
[ ]	Pollution

Despite many people moving to cities in search of the perfect job, unemployment can also be an problem in urban areas of the UK. Added to pollution, rising house prices and traffic congestion, it's no surprise that counter urbanisation is occuring

Which of the following are not methods of reducing traffic congestion in urban areas?

[ ]	Park and ride schemes
[x]	Providing more car parks in the city centre
[ ]	Cycle lanes and paths
[ ]	Low emission zones

By providing car parks, more cars are encouraged to come into the city centre. By improving public transport and cycle lanes, as well as penalising car users that do enter the city, it becomes easier and cheaper to leave the car outside the city centre

In many cities there exist areas of deprivation close by gentrified areas that are unaffordable to those on lower incomes. Which of the following is not a reason for deprivation in UK cities?

[x]	Poor access to education
[ ]	Areas of older, run down housing
[ ]	Unemployment after the decline in industry
[ ]	Safety and security concerns in high crime areas

Whilst some areas have better educational opportunities than others, everyone has access to a free basic education in the UK - unlike in many less developed nations

[ ]	Greenfield sites are mostly available in the North and the Midlands of the UK
[ ]	Greenfield sites reduce urban sprawl
[x]	Greenfield sites are cheaper to build on
[ ]	Greenfield sites clear and clean the land before development can begin

Since little needs to be done to clean up the site before use, and since much larger developments can be completed, the cost per unit for the developer is reduced

[ ]	Brownfield sites are often in deprived areas and unpopular with property purchasers
[x]	Reusing derelict brownfield sites can improve the entire area and increase property values
[ ]	Gentrification of the area caused by brownfield sites being developed can increase prices and force local residents out
[ ]	Contaminated land found on brownfield sites may be unsuitable for residential properties

Urban renewal of both derelict sites and old properties means that areas are improved and property prices increase. This can lead to gentrification of the area and a change in the demographics of the population