Urbanisation ICSE Class 8: Causes, Impacts, Satellite Towns and Smart Cities

What Urbanisation is about

Weightage: CISCE publishes no question paper, marking scheme or chapter weightage for Class VIII Geography: your school sets and marks the exam. Urbanisation sits in the Urbanisation theme of the CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII).Source: CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII), RDCD 2016

Key concepts

Meaning of urbanisation

Urbanisation is the process by which an increasing proportion of a country's population comes to live in urban areas (towns and cities). It is measured by the level of urbanisation:
Level of urbanisation (%) = urban population / total population x 100.

Urbanisation is not just the growth of city population. If both rural and urban populations grow at the same rate, the share does not change. Urbanisation means the urban share rises.

Features of urban areas:

• Most people work in secondary (manufacturing) and tertiary (services) activities rather than farming.
• High population density.
• Better infrastructure: roads, electricity, water supply, hospitals, colleges.
• Administrative and commercial centres.

Trends: the world became more than half urban around 2007; the UN projects that about two-thirds of the world's people will live in urban areas by 2050. Urbanisation is much higher in developed countries, while the fastest growth now is in Asia and Africa.

Worked example

(2 marks) A state has a population of 5 crore, of which 1.75 crore live in urban areas. Find its level of urbanisation.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Level of urbanisation = urban population / total population x 100 - 1 mark.
2. = 1.75 / 5 x 100 = 35 per cent - 1 mark.

Answer: Level of urbanisation = 1.75/5 x 100 = 35 per cent.

Causes of urbanisation

1. Industrialisation: factories set up in or near cities create jobs and attract workers.
2. Rural-urban migration: push factors (unemployment, low farm incomes, drought) and pull factors (jobs, wages) drive people to cities.
3. Growth of the service sector: banking, trade, transport, information technology, education and health care are concentrated in cities.
4. Better amenities: schools, colleges, hospitals, electricity, water supply and entertainment attract people.
5. Natural increase in urban population: births exceed deaths among people already living in cities.
6. Reclassification: villages that grow large or are absorbed by expanding cities become urban areas.
7. Transport and communication: roads, railways and the internet connect cities to wider areas, encouraging trade and growth.
8. Government policies: setting up administrative centres, industrial areas and special economic zones.

Worked example

(4 marks) Explain four causes of urbanisation in India.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Industrialisation creates urban jobs - 1 mark.
2. Rural-urban migration due to push and pull factors - 1 mark.
3. Growth of services such as IT, trade and education - 1 mark.
4. Better amenities / natural increase / reclassification of villages - 1 mark.

Answer: (1) Industries in and around cities create jobs that attract workers. (2) People migrate from villages because of low incomes and lack of work. (3) Services such as information technology, trade, banking and education are concentrated in cities. (4) Cities offer better schools, hospitals, electricity and water supply, which draw people from rural areas.

Positive impacts of urbanisation

1. Economic growth: cities are centres of industry, trade and services, and produce a large share of national income.
2. Employment: a wide range of jobs, from factory work to professional services.
3. Better services: hospitals, colleges, universities and specialised facilities are easier to provide to large populations.
4. Infrastructure: public transport (metro, buses), electricity, water supply and internet reach many people efficiently.
5. Social change: education, exposure to new ideas, and greater opportunities for women; social barriers such as caste may weaken.
6. Innovation: cities bring together talent, investment and ideas, encouraging new businesses and technologies.
7. Cultural exchange: people of different regions and cultures live together.

Worked example

(3 marks) State three positive impacts of urbanisation.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Economic growth and more jobs - 1 mark.
2. Better access to education and health care - 1 mark.
3. Social change and cultural exchange / innovation / efficient infrastructure - 1 mark.

Answer: Urbanisation (1) drives economic growth and creates many kinds of jobs, (2) gives people better access to schools, colleges and hospitals, and (3) encourages social change and cultural exchange as people from different backgrounds live and work together.

Negative impacts of urbanisation

1. Slums: when cities grow faster than affordable housing, poor migrants live in crowded settlements without proper water, sanitation or drainage. Dharavi in Mumbai is often described as one of the largest slums in Asia.
2. Overcrowding and traffic congestion: more vehicles and people than roads and transport can handle.
3. Pollution: air pollution from vehicles and industries; water pollution from untreated sewage; noise pollution.
4. Water shortage: demand exceeds supply; groundwater levels fall.
5. Solid waste: huge amounts of garbage are produced daily, and much is not collected or treated properly.
6. Loss of farmland and green spaces as cities spread outwards (urban sprawl); wetlands and lakes are filled in, increasing flooding.
7. Urban heat island: built-up areas stay hotter than surrounding countryside.
8. Social problems: unemployment, crime, stress and loneliness; inequality between rich and poor areas.

Worked example

(4 marks) Explain four problems caused by rapid urbanisation.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Growth of slums - 1 mark.
2. Traffic congestion and air pollution - 1 mark.
3. Water shortage and poor sanitation - 1 mark.
4. Solid waste / loss of farmland / urban flooding / crime - 1 mark.

Answer: (1) Slums grow because housing cannot keep pace with migrants. (2) Roads become congested and vehicle exhaust pollutes the air. (3) Water supply and sanitation fall short of demand. (4) Large amounts of solid waste pile up, and cities spread over farmland and wetlands, increasing flooding.

Satellite cities and ways to reduce negative impacts

Satellite cities (satellite towns) are smaller towns developed near a large city, connected to it by good transport, to take some of the pressure of population, housing and industry off the main city. They have their own housing, jobs and services, though many residents may still travel to the main city.
Examples in India: Navi Mumbai near Mumbai; Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad near Delhi; Bidhannagar (Salt Lake) and New Town near Kolkata.
Advantages: reduce crowding and housing shortage in the main city; planned layouts with open spaces; new jobs in industries and offices.

Other ways to reduce the negative impact of urbanisation:
1. Urban planning: master plans, zoning of land for housing, industry and green areas.
2. Affordable housing and slum upgrading with water and sanitation.
3. Public transport: metro rail, buses, cycle lanes, so fewer private vehicles are used.
4. Waste management: segregation of waste, recycling, composting and treatment of sewage.
5. Water conservation: rainwater harvesting, reuse of treated waste water, protecting lakes.
6. Green spaces: parks, tree planting, protecting wetlands.
7. Rural development: jobs and services in villages to reduce distress migration; decentralising industries to smaller towns.

Worked example

(3 marks) What is a satellite city? Give one example and one advantage.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. A smaller planned town near a large city, linked by transport, to reduce pressure on the main city - 1 mark.
2. Example: Navi Mumbai / Noida / Gurugram - 1 mark.
3. Advantage: reduces crowding and housing shortage / provides planned housing and jobs - 1 mark.

Answer: A satellite city is a smaller town developed near a large city and connected to it by good transport, so that it can absorb some of the big city's population, housing and industry. Navi Mumbai, near Mumbai, is an example; it reduces crowding in Mumbai by providing planned housing, offices and industry.

Smart cities

A smart city uses technology, data and good planning to provide efficient services, improve the quality of life and use resources sustainably.
Features:

• Sensors and data to manage traffic, parking, street lighting, water and electricity.
• Efficient public transport and safe walking and cycling.
• Digital services for citizens (online payments, information, complaints).
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy; smart water metering.
• Good waste management and recycling.
• Citizen participation in planning.

Examples from the world:

• Singapore: its Smart Nation initiative uses digital technology for transport, health care and public services.
• Barcelona (Spain): uses sensors for smart street lighting, parking and waste collection.
• Amsterdam (Netherlands): projects on energy saving, smart grids and cycling.
• Copenhagen (Denmark): known for cycling infrastructure and plans to cut carbon emissions.
• Songdo (South Korea): a planned city built with technology integrated into buildings and services.

India: the Smart Cities Mission, launched in 2015, selected 100 cities to improve infrastructure and services using technology and planning.

Worked example

(3 marks) What is a smart city? Name two smart cities from the world and one feature of each.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. A city using technology and data to provide efficient services and a better quality of life sustainably - 1 mark.
2. Singapore: digital public services and transport (Smart Nation) - 1 mark.
3. Barcelona: sensors for street lighting, parking and waste / Copenhagen: cycling and low carbon - 1 mark.

Answer: A smart city uses technology, data and planning to deliver efficient services, improve quality of life and use resources sustainably. Singapore uses digital technology in transport and public services under its Smart Nation initiative, and Barcelona uses sensors to manage street lighting, parking and waste collection.

Urbanisation in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Urbanisation: Meaning, Causes and Impacts
• Satellite Cities, Smart Cities and Ways to Reduce Urban Problems

Urbanisation: key facts

Level of urbanisation

$Levelofurbanisation($

Urban growth rate

$Urbangrowth($

Over a stated period.

Density

$Urbandensity=population/area$

Persons per sq km.

Key facts

World	more than half urban since about 2007
India	about 31% urban (2011 Census)
Smart Cities Mission	2015 (100 cities)

How the school exam asks Urbanisation

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Urbanisation

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Causes: I-M-S-A-N

  Industrialisation, Migration, Services, Amenities, Natural increase.

  Use it when: Causes of urbanisation.

• Urban problems: 'SPOTWS'

  Slums, Pollution, Overcrowding, Traffic, Water shortage, Solid waste.

  Use it when: Negative impacts.

• Smart city examples

  'Smart Birds Always Cycle': Singapore, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen.

  Use it when: World examples.

Urbanisation: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section B style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In a school exam set on the board pattern this is a 8-mark question split into 3 + 2 + 3 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in Urbanisation

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Defining urbanisation as 'growth of cities'

  Missing the idea of share.

  ✓Do this: Urbanisation is an increase in the proportion of population living in urban areas.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Listing only problems

  Urbanisation is often presented negatively.

  ✓Do this: Give positive impacts too: jobs, services, growth, social change.

  Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Naming Indian examples when world examples of smart cities are asked

  Not reading the question.

  ✓Do this: Learn world examples: Singapore, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Songdo.

  Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Confusing satellite towns with suburbs

  Both are near cities.

  ✓Do this: A satellite town is a separate, planned town with its own services and jobs, linked by transport.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

Practice questions on Urbanisation

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level

   Urbanisation means an increase in:
   (a) the number of villages
   (b) the share of population living in urban areas
   (c) farmland
   (d) birth rate in villages

   Hint

   A share, not a number.

   Answer

   (b) the share of population living in urban areas.

2. Q2 · 1 mark · MCQHarder exam level

   India's Smart Cities Mission was launched in:
   (a) 2005
   (b) 2011
   (c) 2015
   (d) 2020

   Hint

   100 cities.

   Answer

   (c) 2015.

3. Q3 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level

   A district's urban share rose from 28 per cent to 35 per cent. By how many percentage points did urbanisation increase?

   Hint

   Subtract.

   Answer

   35 - 28 = 7 percentage points.

4. Q4 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder exam level

   What is an urban heat island?

   Hint

   Concrete and asphalt.

   Answer

   A city area that is noticeably warmer than the surrounding countryside because concrete, asphalt and buildings absorb and hold heat, and there is less vegetation.

5. Q5 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level

   Name two satellite towns of Delhi.

   Hint

   In Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

   Answer

   Noida and Gurugram (also Ghaziabad, Faridabad).

6. Q6 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder exam level

   Give two reasons why cities flood more easily than the countryside.

   Hint

   Concrete and drains.

   Answer

   Concrete and paved surfaces stop rainwater soaking into the ground, and lakes and wetlands that stored water have often been filled in; blocked or small drains add to the problem.

7. Q7 · 2 marks · Very short answerExam level

   Find the population density of a city of 1,20,00,000 people living on 600 sq km.

   Hint

   Population / area.

   Answer

   1,20,00,000 / 600 = 20,000 persons per sq km.

8. Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   How can rural development help reduce urban problems?

   Hint

   Fewer push factors.

   Answer

   If villages have jobs, irrigation, schools, health care, roads and internet, fewer people are forced to move to cities. Slower migration reduces overcrowding, slum growth and pressure on city services.

9. Q9 · 3 marks · Short answerExam level

   State three features of a smart city.

   Hint

   Technology for services.

   Answer

   (1) Use of sensors and data to manage traffic, lighting, water and energy; (2) efficient public transport with digital information; (3) digital services for citizens and good waste management and recycling.

10. Q10 · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

    Suppose your city council has money for only one project: a new flyover for cars or a dedicated bus lane and cycle tracks. Which would you choose for the long term? Justify with two reasons.

    Hint

    Think about how many people each serves.

    Answer

    The bus lane and cycle tracks. (1) A bus carries many more people than a car using the same road space, so more people move faster with less congestion; flyovers often attract more cars and jams return. (2) Buses and cycling cause less air pollution and fuel use, improving health and reducing emissions. It is also cheaper per person served.

11. Q11 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder exam level

    State two ways in which urbanisation can bring social change.

    Hint

    Education and barriers.

    Answer

    Greater access to education and jobs, including for women, and weakening of traditional barriers such as caste as people of different backgrounds live and work together.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.Level of urbanisation if 3 of 10 crore live in towns?Show answer

   30 per cent.

2. 2.Since about which year has the world been more than half urban?Show answer

   About 2007 (UN estimates).

3. 3.Name a satellite town near Kolkata.Show answer

   Bidhannagar (Salt Lake) or New Town.

4. 4.Which city runs the Smart Nation initiative?Show answer

   Singapore.

5. 5.Name one cause of urbanisation.Show answer

   Industrialisation (or rural-urban migration).

6. 6.What is urban sprawl?Show answer

   Unplanned spreading of a city over surrounding farmland and open land.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Urbanisation: rising share of population in urban areas; level = urban/total x 100.
• ☐World more than half urban since about 2007; India about 31% urban (2011).
• ☐Causes: industrialisation, rural-urban migration, services, amenities, natural increase, reclassification, transport, policy.
• ☐Positive: growth, jobs, services, infrastructure, social change, innovation. Negative: slums (e.g. Dharavi), traffic, pollution, water shortage, waste, sprawl, heat island, crime.
• ☐Satellite cities: Navi Mumbai; Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad; Salt Lake, New Town. Remedies: planning, housing, public transport, waste and water management, green spaces, rural development.
• ☐Smart cities: technology and data for services; Singapore, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Songdo; India's Smart Cities Mission 2015.

Urbanisation: frequently asked questions