Study Notes
Urbanisation and Migration
- Level:
- A-Level, IB, BTEC National
- Board:
- AQA, Edexcel, OCR, IB, Eduqas, WJEC
Last updated 9 Aug 2019
Businesses need to consider key changes in population as they determine their strategy. Two aspects to consider are urbanisation and migration.
Urbanisation
Urbanisation is:
The movement of people within a country from the countryside to urban areas (towns and cities)
Degree of urbanisation: usually measured by the percentage of the population living in urban areas
Migration
Migration is:
The movement of people between countries or regions
Immigration - the movement of people into a country
Emigration – movement of people out of a country
Example Urbanisation & Migration Data: UK
The UK is a good example of the typical levels of urbanisation and migration for a developed economy. The key features of the UK are:
- Steady growth in population
- Significant net inward migration in recent years
- Slow growth in degree of urbanisation
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/subjects/business/diagrams/bus-urbanisationmigration-ukpop.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=800)
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/subjects/business/diagrams/bus-urbanisationmigration-ukurb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=800)
Example Urbanisation & Migration Data: China
By contrast, the population of fast-growing economies like China and India has surged ahead in recent decades.
China in particular has supported its population growth with a mass urbanisation programme.
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/subjects/business/diagrams/bus-urbanisationmigration-chinapopgrowth.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=800)
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/subjects/business/diagrams/bus-urbanisationmigration-chinaurb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=800)
Business Implications of Changes in Urbanisation and Migration
Some key business implications of changes in the level of population and extent of urbanisation include:
Rising population = higher demand for goods and services
More urbanisation (particularly emerging economies) = more affluent “middle class” consumers
Impact of net inward migration on public services (pressure on government spending), but helps economy to grow + businesses have larger supply of labour
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