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Year 11 - Geography

Urban change over time

Urban change

Unit Summary

This unit teaches pupils about the causes and challenges of rapid urban growth. Pupils will learn about the trends and causes of urbanisationand will study how cities change over time.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to analyse how, and the reasons why, urban areas change.

Key Notes

  • Urban areas change over time.
  • Urban population numbers, distribution and spatial growth change over time.
  • Processes of urban change include urbanisation, suburbanisation, de-industrialisation and regeneration.
  • Counter-urbanisation is a process leading to urban change.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • suburbanisation: the movement of people from more central urban areas to the outskirts of an urban area
  • urban sprawl: the unplanned, and often rapid, growth of urban areas into the surrounding countryside
  • de-industrialisation: the loss of manufacturing industries from urban areas
  • regeneration: investing money into poorer and derelict urban areas where there was once a sustainable economy in industry

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Urban areas can only experience one process of urban change at a time.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.

Urban areas change over time. Urban population numbers, distribution and spatial growth change over time.

2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'suburbanisation'

the movement of people from more central urban areas to the outskirts of an urban area.

3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.

Mistake: Urban areas can only experience one process of urban change at a time. Correction: While in theory urban changes appear to follow a logical order, in reality processes often overlap and it is best to avoid thinking of changes occurring along a set timeline.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 Geography guide library.