Urbanisation Essay, Research Paper
Why has there been such an
accelerated rate of urbanizationin Mexico?Since WW2 there
has been a phenomenal amount of urbanization, industrialization and population
growth in Mexico. This trend is not peculiar to Mexico. It has been observed in
many other developing countries. It is estimated that there will be 6000
million people on earth by the year 2000.It is also thought that there may be
as many as half of these living in built up areas of at least 5000 people. ??????????????? Urbanization is the process where people
leave rural (country ) areas to move into towns and cities. In the 1000 years
before 1950 this was a gradual trend. However, in the second fifty years of
this century the number added to the urban population has greatly accelerated. ??????????????? Throughout
Latin America towns are increasing in population at a rate of 2.5 to 10per cent
each year. Urban Facilities, especially housing, cannot keep pace, therefore
the numbers of people in makeshift squatter settlements is increasing at an
even greater rate. The type of shanty settlement described in Mexico City is
now a major urban form in many towns and cities in developing countries. Two factors have caused the
urban population explosion.??????????? It is not clear which of the two factors, high fertility or rural-to-urban
migration is more responsible for urban growth in Latin America. A United
Nations report indicated that Venezuela?s urban growth in the 1941-50 period
was 29per cent natural increase and 71per cent migration to cities. The same
study showed that the population growth of Mexico?s cities was due to 58per
cent natural increase and 42per cent migration. A more recent investigation
(1967) showed growth of cities in Chile, Venezuela and Mexico was due mainly to
the natural increase.Migration??????????????? Researchers
argue about the detail of reasons why people migrate and why they settle in a
particular place, but there seems to be little doubt that the basic reason is employment . ??????????????? Until
recently Mexico has shown an impressive economic growth, with related
employment opportunities. However, the population growth has been even more
rapid ( between 800 000 and 900 000 new workers come into the labour market
each year ). In 1950 there were 2.3million landless laborers and in the 1960s
there were 3million. Many of these left to seek work in urban places.
Others? migrated across the border into
the USA, either legally or illegally. In recent years the us authorities have
made this source of employment more and more difficult. ??????????????? The
Director of Planning in Mexico City (1981) believes that 27 to 30 per cent of
the population is in fact immigrant and that up to a 1000 a day are still
coming in. He thinks Mexico City may well be the most Striking example of
accelerated urbanization. Many other cities in Mexico exhibit rapid growth but
it is Mexico City that has shown the extraordinary increase.Summary of Mexico?s economic and social
problems·
Half of the population is under 15
years of age. ·
Each year 800 000 to 900 000
additional workers come into the labor market. ·
Unemployment is around 20 per cent. ·
Underemployment is up to about 30 per
cent. ·
Inflation has risen from 30 per cent
in 1981 to 100 per cent in 1982. ·
Rapid urbanization, partly due to the
shortage of cropland ·
Importing food. Social structure:3 per cent very rich;
about 65 per cent very poor; with a growing demand for consumer goods. ??????????????? ??