Urbanisation and Land Use
What this domain tests
Urbanisation and land use questions ask you to explain why cities grow, how land use changes with distance from the centre, and how planners manage congestion, housing and environmental quality. You must interpret urban models, land-value graphs and growth-rate data.
Core rules and concepts
- Urbanisation is the rising share of a population living in urban areas, not simply city growth in absolute numbers.
- The Burgess concentric zone model places the CBD at the centre, then a transition zone, low-class housing, high-class housing and a commuter belt; it assumes a flat plain and free competition for land.
- Land values peak in the CBD because accessibility and competition are highest; manufacturing and warehousing often locate near transport routes and cheaper land.
- Urban sprawl increases commuting and infrastructure costs and can consume farmland.
Worked example
A city grows from 400,000 to 500,000 people in 10 years. Change = 100,000. Percentage growth = 100,000 ÷ 400,000 × 100 = 25%. Simple annual growth = 25% ÷ 10 = 2.5% per year. Reasoning: use the original population as the denominator, not the new population. A 25% total increase over a decade is substantial and implies demand for about 100,000 extra residents' housing, services and transport.
Traps that cost marks
Do not calculate growth using the final population as the denominator. Do not treat the concentric zone model as universally applicable; many cities have sectors or multiple nuclei. Do not confuse urbanisation with urban growth. Do not recommend 'more housing' without saying where and with what infrastructure.