Urban Development

TEACHER’S GUIDE

SUBJECT : GEOGRAPHY

TOPIC : URBAN DEVELOPMENT

SUB-TOPIC : Studies in Development

CLASS : Senior Two

CLASS SIZE : 60 Students

TIME REQUIRED : Minimum: 320 minutes (i.e. 8 periods)

Brief description of the unit

Urbanisation is the process through which towns and cities are formed. This unit deals with factors that have contributed to the growth and development of towns and cities around the world as well as the effects of urbanisation.

Objectives

By the end of the lesson students should be able to;

1. Locate New York on the map.
2. Explain the factors that led to the growth of New York.
3. Give the functions of New York.
4. Describe the problems facing New York.
5. Explain some solutions to New York’s problems
6. Describe the types of industry in New York
7. Compare New York with a port and a city in East Africa (Kampala and Mombasa)

Teaching Methods

• Brain storming
• Discovery
• Question and answer
• Discussion
• Photographic discussion
• Use of case study
• Field tours/field work.
• Group work
• Integrated approach
• Information technology

Teaching/Learning Materials

• Text books
• Atlas
• Photography
• Computer

References

Authors insert references

Job related life skills

1. Personal attributes – self confidence, respecting one self and others, time management, creativity/imaginativeness, awareness, empathy for others, tolerance and flexibility

2. Communication – observation & listening skills, reading, recording, writing, interviewing

3. Team work – task oriented, goal oriented, leadership skills and group work

4. Problem solving - interpreting sources of information, photograph interpretation, planning, information seeking, environmental protection & conservation

5. Information skills – ability to identify information needs, observe and collect evidence, present findings appropriately using graphs, pictures, reports and Information Technology

Content and Concepts to emphasise

Position and site of New York

• Location using Latitude and Longitude.
• Situation: of the city in relation to the surroundings i.e. it’s wider position and Links to other places, which include accessibility by Land, Sea, Air.
• The site of the city, that is the physical land on which it stands (Island site)

Factors Leading to the growth and development of New York

• Physical factors: (natural factors)

• Strategic Location
• Situation (Hudson – Mohawk gap)
• Site

• Human/Economic factors – which include

• Historical factors (immigrants)
• Big/diverse population.
• Transport routes - efficient and well-developed transfer routes e.g. high ways, Subways, Canals, Air port, Port on a large Ocean etc.
• The rich hinterland.

• Functions of New York (Multi functional centre)

(Functions concern the work it does.)

• Entre port/Sea Port.
• Centre of employment
• Industrial centre
• Trade /commercial centre
• Centre of information and ideas.
• Financial centre
• Administration

• Transport / Communication
• Educational/Cultural
• Entertainment centre.
• World Political Centre
• Fashion centre
• Residential centre
• Health Centre.

Problems of New York as a Port and as a city

• Physical problems

• Island site – limits space for expansion
• Climate factor – experiences fog in winter (limits visibility)

• Problems as a result of a Big/diverse population

• Over crowded
• Unemployment
• High crime rate
• Pollution
• Traffic congestion at the port/city
• Racial discrimination
• High costs of living
• High cost of maintenance of social and economic facilities
• Slum development
• Environmental degradation

Solution to s physical problems / big population

• Built Sky Scrapers.
• Modern infrastructures e.g. flyovers, subways, bridges, etc.
• Use of container traffic.

Comparison of New York Port with Mombasa and New York City with Kampala city in terms of the following similarities and differences

Port	City
- Location	- Location
- Factors for development	- Site
- Hinterland	- Situation
- Exports/imports	- Functions
- Problems	- Problems/Solutions
	- Prospects

NEW YORK: A CASE OF URBANISATION

Site and location of New York

Location refers to the description of the surroundings of a place, where its site means the actual ground occupied by a feature such as a town. The site gives greater detail of the place. New York is located along the eastern coast of North America, at 40^o45’N, 73^o57’W. It borders the Atlantic Ocean. New York is sited on several islands, of which the most important as far as the city is concerned is Manhattan Island. The other islands include Long Island and Staten Island.

Growth of New York port and city

New York, just like any other part of North America, received immigrants. Immigrants are people who come from another country to make a home in the new country. Those who leave their own country to go and live in another country are called emigrants. By the time the first immigrants arrived in New York there were only a million American Indians in the whole of North America. The first settlers were European and Dutch traders. This was in 1624. They named it New Amsterdam, but in 1664 it was colonised by the British and they renamed it New York. By the time America gained independence (1776), the population of New York was about 300,000 people, but the town was of little importance.

Its growth started at the beginning of the nineteenth century. In 1825 the opening of the Erie Canal boosted its growth, because it created a cheaper route to the interior of North America. There was a dramatic growth of population from 600,000 in 1800 to 800,000 in 1861, then to 1,000,000 in 1880. The immigrants to New York introduced new cultures from their home countries. They comprised of Greeks, Jews, Haitians and Chinese among others. The population of New York in 2006, as quoted by Wikipedia is ranked as the most populous city in the USA and 13^th in the world.

As a city, New York has greatly developed. It contains very many tall buildings and a very large population from all walks of life. Its growth is attributed to the investment of capital, which comes from many different sources including the government and the immigrant traders. A lot has been invested in the building of skyscrapers, transport facilities and the like. The presence of a large population also enabled the growth by offering all the skills they had used to build cities in their home countries. In addition, plenty of water was available for use in industries and homes.

New York has also developed as a city because it has flat relief, which makes the construction of roads and railways easier. The city was planned with the streets forming a grid pattern, allowing easy access to all parts of the city.

Figure 11.2 Present-day New York.

Authors insert picture

Factors that favoured the development of New York as a port

New York has developed into a very large and busy port as a result of a variety of factors. Some of these factors are natural, while others have been a result of human efforts. Below we consider some of the important natural factors.

• The presence of a deep-water harbour. A harbour is an area of water along the coast where ships can anchor and unload safely. New York has a harbour with very deep channels, and so large ships, including oil tankers, can be safely accommodated. For Example, the channel on the eastern side of the Hudson River, which is 14 metres deep.

Figure 11.3. New York’s situation allows it to function well as a port.

Authors insert figure

• New York port experiences ice-free conditions throughout the year; therefore it is used by many transporters who would otherwise use the St. Lawrence Seaway during its months of freezing. It therefore handles more business during these months and indeed generally throughout the year.

• Shelter from the Atlantic Ocean is another natural factor that favoured the development of New York port. This shelter is provided by islands like Long Island, which prevent strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean from reaching the port directly. They could otherwise have damaging effects on vessels in the port.
• New York has a low tidal range. The tidal range is the difference between the highest tide and lowest tides. The difference between high and low tides is less than 2 metres which does not create a problem for shipping activities.

• Its location on the North Atlantic trade route also gives New York an advantage. This is because ships en route Europe can easily call at New York, which facilitates trade with the developed countries of Europe. The location at the southern end of the Hudson-Mohawk gap is another added advantage, providing the easiest route through the Appalachians to the interior of the USA.

• The human factor that stands out in the development of New York is the presence of a large hinterland. The port serves the Midwest of the USA, which is an area very rich in industry. The hinterland is the inland area served by a port. New York handles such goods as petroleum, textiles, iron ore and other industrial raw materials, as well as grain.

The Hudson-Mohawk Gap

This is a gap in the Appalachian Mountains, existing where the Hudson River drains into the Atlantic Ocean. It is very important to transport because:

• It gives New York access to the Midwest of the USA, an area rich in industry and agriculture, through the Erie Canal.
• Since it does not freeze in the winter, it serves Canada when the St. Lawrence Seaway is frozen.
• It is fit for the construction of many roads and railways, because it is a low-lying area within the mountain barrier.

Figure 11.4 The Hudson-Mohawk gap.

As noted earlier New York is the most important city in North America. This importance is attributed to the many functions that New York serves.

• It serves as a financial centre, since it has the world’s largest stock exchange in Wall Street, as well as auction rooms, numerous financial houses, banks and commercial agencies.
• It is the world’s second largest port, after Rotterdam. It handles more than half of the USA’s imports and exports.
• It is a residential centre accommodating a huge population. As well as residential estates, these are slum areas where the many poorer people of the city reside.
• It is a political centre, housing the headquarters of world organisations such as the United Nation Organisation (UNO) and the World Bank.
• It is a cultural centre with many museums, art galleries and libraries.
• It is also an industrial centre, with both light and heavy industries.

Problems facing New York

New York as an urban centre faces big problems, just like many other cities in the world. Many of the problems arise because of the large population found in the city.

• There is a shortage of adequate and decent accommodation. Many people migrate to New York in the hope of enjoying the facilities in an urban centre, but find that they do not have enough money and so end up living in very poor housing.
• The port of New York and the city as a whole, experience fog. Fog is very thick mist. It is a serious problem, because when it occurs road traffic finds it hard to move owing to the poor visibility, and likewise ships find it difficult to move safely.

Figure 11.5 New York port in the fog.

Authors insert the picture

• The fact that New York is made up of islands means that it is surrounded with water. The problem with this is that there is lack of space for expansion of the city.
• Pollution is another problem facing New York City. It happens because New York has many industries and cars disposing off waste products, especially gases into the air as well as liquids into the water. Pollution means making the environment dangerously impure.
• Congestion: New York is overpopulated and therefore experiences congestion in terms of housing as well as traffic. There are very bad traffic jams during rush hours, from 7.00 am to 10.00 am and from 4.00 to 5.00 pm. The port, too, experiences congestion, with too many ships wanting to use the facilities.
• The city also faces the problem of slums. A slum is a part of the city with poor living conditions, such as inadequate housing, poor hygiene and many other problems. These slums are mainly found in Harlem and the Bronx.

Figure 11.6 Authors insert figure

Poor housing in Harlem/The Bronx

The crime rate is quite high. This is partly because of the high number of unemployed people living in New York. Serious crimes like murder, robbery and violence take place in some areas.

• Unemployment is common in New York. So many people migrate there with the hope of finding jobs. However not all of them can be successful. Therefore many people in the city are unemployed.
• Commuting from one place to another presents a problem, because many people live far away from their work places. This involves a considerable loss of time each day. It can be difficult to commute from one inland to another.
• Waste disposal is also a problem facing the city of New York. Owing to the large population and the many industries, masses of waste accumulate and cause a problem of contamination to the environment, as well as being difficult to dispose off.

Solutions to the problems facing New York

Several steps have been taken in order to overcome these problems and make life in New York more comfortable.

• For accommodation improvement, some of the slum areas have been cleared and replaced with housing estates. These are better organised and provide housing facilities at a cheaper rate to accommodate low-income earners.
• The problem of space has been handled by expanding vertically. This involves the construction of very tall buildings called skyscrapers. A building can have more than 100 floors.

Figure 11.7 Skyscrapers in New York.

Authors insert picture

• Pollution and poor waste disposal is checked by instituting laws requiring industries to treat their waste. The waste is now effectively handled by government programmes like waste recycling.
• Congestion at the port has been reduced by the use of containerisation. Here loading and offloading takes only a short time, so ships are not subject to long delays. Using this method goods are packed in vary large standard containers that are loaded or offloaded, instead of handling one item at a time, which would take much longer.
• The high crime rate is tackled by the reinforcement of police and intelligence organisations.
• Unemployment is still a problem, but efforts are being made to increase employment opportunities through the construction of more industries.
• There has been an increase in the number of bridges, subways and underground tunnels to help ease commuting from one island to another.

Industrial development in New York

New York is the largest industrial centre in the USA and has both light and heavy industries. The light industries include textiles, food processing, printing and publishing. Most of the textile industries are found in Manhattan. They are normally small and employ few people. Other light industries are located in the suburbs and on Long Island. A suburb is the outer area of a town or city where people live.

Heavy industries are located in Jersey City and Newark. They include oil refineries, chemical works, engineering and shipbuilding.

Factors favouring the development of industries in New York

• Availability of power. Both hydro-electric power and thermal power from imported petroleum products is used to run machines and facilitate other industries’ operations.
• New York provides a thriving market, because not only is it densely populated, but it also has access by sea to the densely populated European nations. This allows production to continue, since normally the level of output is determined by demand.
• Another important factor for industry is the availability of water. The city has an abundant supply of water, since it is situated on the coast. Water is used both as a raw material and as a coolant in the various industries in New York.
• The heavy population density provides an abundance of labour, which is also very necessary to industrial development. Plenty of people, meaning both skilled and unskilled labour, is available to the industry, thereby promoting high production levels.
• The capital for industry has been provided by the immigrant traders and by the government, making it easier to set up many industries and to put in place industrial activities.
• Raw materials are readily available. Some of them, like agricultural raw materials and crude oil for refineries, have to be imported, but they are made available in sufficient quantities to sustain the industrial functions.
• The good transport facilities in New York, consisting of road, railways and airports, have encouraged the development of industry, because raw materials and finished goods are both easily taken to where they are needed.

A comparison of New York and the East African cities

Mombasa

Mombasa is a port in Kenya located on the coast along the Indian Ocean and situated on Mombasa Island. It is a very busy port throughout the year handling both imports and exports for Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as Kenya. The major imports are petroleum, machinery, textiles and foodstuffs. The petroleum is refined near the harbour at Mombasa port.

Factors responsible for the growth of Mombasa port

• It has a large hinterland, made up to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC and Southern Sudan, and that provides the market for the port services. All these countries apart from DRC are landlocked. A landlocked country is one which has no coastline giving it direct access to the sea. The Democratic Republic of Congo has some coast, but very little.
• Political stability in Kenya: Kenya has been politically stable for many years, hence ensuring security for the goods handled. This is a crucial factor, because without security the transporters cannot operate properly.
• There is hot climate, keeping the temperature warm throughout the year; therefore the port is able to operate at all times during the year.
• The presence of coral reefs means there is a good raw material for the cement used in construction. This has made it relatively cheaper to construct the various facilities necessary for handling goods, such as piers.
• Mombasa has a good transport network within the port and the town, thus ensuring easy transportation of goods from the port to their different destinations.
• Mombasa has a sheltered harbour which allows ships to anchor safely without being vulnerable to storms.

Similarities between Mombasa and New York as ports

• Both are sited on Islands.
• Both have ice free conditions all year.
• Both have sheltered harbours
• Both were founded by foreigners
• Both have large hinterlands.
• Both have industries near the harbour.

Differences between Mombasa and New York as ports

New York	Mombasa
- Situated in the Northern hemisphere	- Situated in the Southern hemisphere
- Has a temperate climate	- Has tropical climate
Experiences fog	Experiences mist
- Free from coral reefs	- Has coral reefs in the harbour

Comparison between Kampala and New York cities

Kampala

Kampala is not a port, but an inland town that is also the capital city of Uganda. It is the largest city in Uganda. Its industrial centres are in the Kyambogo-Nakawa area, Bwaise, Kawempe, Luzira and Nalukolongo. The population was stated as 1208 544 people by the 2002 census. The city is located in the district of Kampala at 0^o19’N, 32^o35^’E and at a height of 1 190 metres (3 900 feet) above sea level.

Similarities between Kampala and New York cities

• Both are leading business cities of their respective countries.
• Both are important centres of education
• Both are important financial centres.
• Both have slum areas.
• Unemployment is a problem in both cities.

Differences between Kampala and New York cities

Kampala	New York
Inland city	Coastal city
Has few tall buildings	Has many skyscrapers
Has light industries	Has both heavy and light industries
Is a capital city	Not a capital city
Situated on hills	Situated on islands.

Revision Exercise

1. What problems are faced by:

(a) Kampala?

(b) Mombasa?

2. How are the problems solved?

3. Name the industries found in each of these cities.

4. What are the factors responsible for the development of these towns?

LEARNERS’ ACTIVITIES

Activity One

Lead the students through these activities

Brain Storming

- What is meant by urbanisation?

- What causes urbanisation?

- What are the advantages of urbanisation?

- Why are towns constantly growing in population and area?

- What problems are faced as a result of urban growth?

- How can these problems be solved?

After the brain storming session, lead the learners through the following debate.

Debate: ‘Country life is better than urban life.’

Activity Two

Photograph Interpretation and Map reading

Ask the learners to do the following;

- Co-relate photograph and map

- Study the photograph of the aerial view of the site of New York and the sketch map.

- Draw an accurate sketch map from the photograph provided and on it ;

- Mark and name the following:

(i) Islands: Manhattan, Bronx, Long, Staten, Governess.

(ii) Bay: Lower, upper and Newark

(iii) Rivers: Hudson, East, Harlem

4. Five bridges, three tunnels, the docks, ships, warehouse
5. Buildings: the United Nations Building (UNO Head quarters), Empire state building, Down town skyscrapers

Ask them to answer the following questions

- Why are there so many skyscrapers on Manhattan Island?

- Make a list of some of the tallest buildings in your country and their main uses?

- Where do we find the tallest building in the world?

- What are the advantages and disadvantages of building skyscrapers?

Activity Three

Case study of New York as a city port

-Read and describe the text

Authors; where’s this text

New York as a port

- State the advantages of the location of New York as a port.

- What are the problems facing New York as a port?

- In what ways have the problems been solved?

- Name the imports and exports handled by New York port

- Which two ports handle exports and imports of East Africa?

Activity Four

Describe New York as a city by answering the following questions

- New York is the largest city and most important city in North America. What makes New York important?

- What are the advantages and disadvantages of developing a city on an island?

- Explain problems faced by people living in a large city like New York.

- How have these problems been solved?

- Give reasons why New York has grown into an industrial city?

- What are the advantages and disadvantages of industrialization?

- Mention the types of industries that are found in New York?

- How can Africa benefit from industrialization?

Activity Five

Study the table below showing the different means of transport used on Manhattan Island (New York)

Table : Means of transport used on Manhattan Island-(New York)

Means of transport	Percentage	Degree
Subway(underground train)	-	252
Train	9	32
Bus	6	-
Ferry	2	-
Car , Lorry , Tax	-	47
Total	100	360

Adopted from R.G.White & Bormann () North America

Authors insert full bibliographical content

A) Calculate the;

(i) Percentage for subway and car, lorry and Taxi.

(ii) Degree for bus and ferry

(iii) Draw a pie chart to show the relative importance of the different

means of Transport used.

B) State the least means of transport used in Manhattan (New York City)

C) “One of the major problems facing New York is traffic congestion”.

1. Why does New York experience traffic congestion?
2. How has it been solved?
3. Is there a similar problem in your country?
4. Suggest how it can be solved?
5. Why should the East African countries invest more in improving transport and communication?

Activity Six

Field work

Ask your learners to do the following task.

1. Visit a town/city nearest your school
2. Choose a topic: The growth and development of town X
3. Set objectives of the study
4. Find out the location of the town
5. Establish the physical background of the town
6. Find out the factors that have favoured the establishment and growth of the town

vii) Find out problems facing the town

viii) Find out the solutions to the problems facing the town

ix) Identify the economic activities in the town

x) Find out the future prospects of the town

Note

- Students should be divided into groups to obtain a detailed study of the topic easily

- You should identify and explain techniques of data collection e.g. observation, oral interviews and a questionnaire

You should prepare a questionnaire to enable the learners carry out the field work

For group 1

1. Name of the town …………………..

• Location …………………………….
• County……………………………….
• Sub-county …………………………..
• Parish …………………………………
• District ……………………………….

2. What was there before the town was established in terms of

• relief ………………………
• climate …………………….
• soils ………………………..
• drainage ……………………

3. What factors have favoured its establishment?

4. Why has it grown up to its current status?

5. What problems face the residents of this town?

6. What problems have been created as a result of the growth of this

town?

7. Who manages the town?

8. How are the authorities trying to solve some of the problems?

9. Is there any future plan for the town? If yes, what are the plans?

For group 2

Topic: Factors that influence the development of slums, A Case study of

slum X.

Questionnaire

1. Name of the slum……………………………….
2. Location of the slum ……………………………
3. What existed in that place before the development of the slum in terms of

• Relief ……………………………
• climate ……………………………
• soils ……………………………..
• drainage …………………………

4. What do you think favoured slum development?
5. How is the

1. population size ?……………..
2. housing? …………………….
3. health facilities? ……………..
4. transport ?…………………….

6. Outline the difficulties faced by slum dwellers.
7. How should the government overcome these problems?

The actual field work

Learners should be involved in observing and consulting each other on what they have seen, making short notes and filling questionnaires and interviewing people about conditions in slums.

Follow up

During the follow up the learners should do the following;

- Share information through discussion

Give group reports through group leaders

Write a report on findings and conclusions of the study.

Activity Seven

1. Explain reasons why people have continued to settle in slums.
2. Write a short story of not more than 120 words with a title “LIFE

IN A SLUM”

3. Assume you are an Environment officer and you have been assigned duties to sensitise the slum dwellers on how to keep the environment clean. Write out what you would present.