Urbanisation and development trends

The trend in urbanisation (the increase in the number of people living in towns and cities relative to rural areas) is strongly associated with economic growth and development. As economic activities increase in urban areas, opportunities open up for employment, which attract people living in rural areas to move into the towns and cities.

As the total population increases, the land available per person for farming in rural areas decreases. Furthermore, degradation of the natural environment leads to low productivity of the land. The shortage of land, coupled with reduced productivity, results in a low income for rural households. This encourages people, particularly young adults, to migrate from rural to urban areas in search of better employment opportunities.

The overall effect of these trends is that the number of people living in urban areas keeps increasing.

Political and administrative bodies in urban areas have to provide basic services such as electricity, telephone, water supply, waste disposal, healthcare and education. However, the infrastructure required to deliver these basic services to an acceptable standard is growing at a much slower pace compared to the increase in population.

Slums are becoming a common feature in most towns (Figure 1.1). Slums are urban areas that are heavily populated and have sub-standard housing and very poor living conditions. They provide minimum shelter requirements for communities with low or no income. Slums are the usual entry point for those from rural areas to the complex urban environment. However, due to intense competition, securing a job with reasonable pay often proves very difficult. As a result, the majority of people who live in slum areas remain there permanently because they cannot earn enough to move into better housing.

Figure 1.1 Slum area of a town.

Despite the very high population density – the number of people living in a unit area of land – and the dire need for access to water, electricity and roads, slums are not the main focus of attention for administrative bodies. Slums arise in areas with little or no government scrutiny and are mainly illegal settlements. Therefore these communities do not have legal rights to the land they live on, which is a fundamental requirement for claiming services in urban areas. Although the government recognises the need, it is difficult to provide basic services to slum areas as part of its regular work.

Peri-urban areas are another common feature of towns. These areas are interface zones, located on the outskirts of towns, which show characteristics of both rural and urban areas. They are similar to urban centres in that they have high population density and services such as electricity, water and transport are probably available nearby (but may not be affordable). However, people in peri-urban areas may be farmers and grow food to supplement their income so also share similarities with rural communities. As towns spread, peri-urban areas may become part of the main urban area (Figure 1.2).

Figure 1.2 Peri-urban areas have similar characteristics to slums.

The increasing urban population in low-income countries may support economic growth, but it is a continuing challenge for urban administrations to provide adequate access to basic services to enable these communities to remain healthy and productive.