URBANISATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Problems of the urbanisation in developing countries

DEFINITION OF URBANISATION:

Increase in the proportion of the world’s population that live in cities

In the developed countries this process took place between 1850 and 1950

In the developing countries this process started around 1950

Nowadays, the 75% of the population in developed countries lives in cities. In develping countries is the 40% but that percentage is increasing

PROBLEMS OF THE URBANISATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

There are several problems in the cities of the developing countries. They are mainly related to the poverty

These are the main problems that we can find in cities of the developing countries:

Housing

Services

Water supply, sanitation and health

Other problems

HOUSING

In countries like India, many families have not got home. As a result they live on the streets.

However, mostof them live in shanty settlements. In countries like india they are called “bustees”.

They are houses that have mud floors, wooden walls and poor iron roofs. They only have a room for the whole family

Bustees are packed closely together and those neighbourhoods are always overcrowded

Obviously, most of them have not got electricity, running water and means of sewage deposal

Epidemics are very common in these neighbourhoods

SERVICES

Developing countries have a lack of public a basic services.

There are few schools, but many children do not go to the school because they are working

There is also a lack of doctors and hospitals because they are usually private and only the richest people can afford this basic service.

For that reason the life expectancy is very low Besides, public transport is not very

efficient and is overcrowded

WATER SUPPLY, SANITATION AND HEALTH

As a result, we can guess that water supply, sanitation and health is very poor.

Water supply: In some places, there is a single water tap to serve 40 families

Sanitation: Water is sometimes polluted so there are many diseases like cholera or dysentery

Health: Besides, the diet is very low in proteins. So there are many situations of malnutrition, a high infant mortality and a short life expectancy.

OTHER PROBLEMS

EMPLOYMENT:

• People usually work in informal jobs in their houses making clothes or household utensils. Then, they sell these products in the streets

• Other people work in factories many hours with low salaries and poor conditions

• Besides, there are many people who are unemployed

OTHER PROBLEMS

CRIME:

Due to the lack of police officers and the consequences of the poverty