Ethiopian Policies on the Urban

Reality (URP4182)

Concepts and Issues of Urban

Development

March 2019
EiABC
1 Addis Ababa
 Presentation Outline

 Session Objectives  Urban Growth Vs.

Development
 Concepts and Definitions
 The Urban Variation
 Characteristics of Urban
 Sustainable Urban
Areas
Development
 Causes of Urbanization  Challenges of Urban
Growth
 Urbanization Process and
Outcomes  Conclusion

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 Week 1 Session Objectives
 At the end of the Sessions participants will be
able to:
 Understand the multi - dimensional nature of the
urbanization phenomenon

 Comprehend the various concepts that have a

bearing on urban development.

 Discuss the conditions that constrain sustainable

urban development in less developed countries

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 The Concept of
Urban Centers

 Urban based on: Physical, Infrastructural, Political, Demographic, Social, Economic & Functional dimensions

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 Definition
 Definitions vary somewhat between nations.
 European countries define urbanized areas on the
basis of urban-type land use
 LDCs use population size and density and land use
criteria .50-75% of the population, is not engaged in
agriculture and/or fishing
 An urban area is characterized by higher population
density and a mix of non – agricultural activities
 Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations

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 Characteristics of
Urban Areas
 Concentration of population and economic activities:
manufacturing, trade and commerce, and various
services
 Dense built environment: network of infrastructure and
social amenities
 Non agricultural production

 A concentration of skilled and other labor

 Wide variety of employment opportunities; specialists

 Problems: unemployment, poverty, housing shortage,

pollution, disease, crime, etc
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 Origin and Development
of Urban Areas
 Urban areas are created and further developed by the
process of urbanization

 Urbanization is the increase in the proportion of

people living in towns and cities within a given country
or region

 It represents the rate at which the urban proportion

(demographic, spatial, or functional) is increasing

 Driven by: Economic, Demographic, Political,

Technological and Social.

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 Causes of Urbanisation
 Driven by a series of interrelated processes of
change.
Economic, Demographic, Political, Technological and
Social

 Closely linked to modernization, industrialization, and

many other socio – economic factors

 Pull factors attract populations to drift to urban areas:

Better opportunities for paying jobs, education, housing,

and transportation and other modern facilities.

Perceived fortunes of wealth and higher living standards

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 Causes of Urbanisation …
 Push factors that generate rural flight

Low farm income and rural unemployment

Rural poverty

Limited/ lack of access to modern services

(education, health, recreation

Natural hazards, ethnic and political conflicts, and

many other problems.

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 Urbanization and the Cities
 Urbanisation generates various changes:

Land use patterns

Social ecology: social and demographic features

Built environment

Nature of urbanism: forms of social interaction and

life styles

 These changes/outcomes are either positive or

negative
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 Urbanisation: Processes
and Outcomes
SCLLY
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE DFND
OUTCOMES PROBLMS

URBAN SYSTEMS
PLTCL CHANGE

LAND USE
CLTRAL CHANGE
PLTCL
CNFLCT
BLT ENVT

SOCIAL CHANGE SCL ECOLOGY

PLCY
RESPNS
TECHL CHANGE URBANISM PLNNG

ENVTL CHANGE

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 Urbanization Outcomes
and Feedback
 Positive outcomes – examples

 Negative outcomes – examples

 Manifestation of the Outcomes vary

 Government interventions:
Policies, rules and regulations, urban planning, urban
management come in to address the diverse emerging
challenges

These in turn affect the dynamics of the overall

urbanization process feedback
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 Urban Growth vs.
Development
 Urban growth is the expansion of urban areas in three
main forms or dimensions.

Physical growth or horizontal expansion

Demographic growth – increase in population size

Economic growth – increasing size and number of

economic activities

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 Urban Growth vs.
Development…
 Urban development is the change that occurs in urban
areas resulting in the improvement of the residents’
well being.
 It is qualitative in nature, whose central focus is human
welfare a mix of:
 Economic
 Environmental
 social well being

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 Indicators of Urban
Development
 There are a variety of indicators which are considered in
measuring urban development:
Improved access to employment and income
Adequate shelter
Food and clothing
Health services
Education
Safe water
Sanitation
Recreation
Security, safety and freedom
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 Urban Development Gap
 Whilst all cities of the world are generally undergoing
urban growth, not all are achieving urban development

 This is especially the case with Less Developed

Countries (LDCs)

 This is mainly because of the nature and rate of

urbanization that takes place

 The nature and rate of urbanization that occurs in LDCs

is different from that of the Industrialized Countries

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 Urbanization Level/
Rates by Region

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Knox and McCarthy 2005
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 The Regional Variation
 Industrialized Countries (ICs) have a high level of
Urbanization and a low rate of Urbanization – Why???

 LDCs have a low level of Urbanization and a high rate

of urbanization – Why???

 In ICs urbanization process is sustainable and has

largely generated urban development

 In LDCs urbanization process is unsustainable and is

associated with significant urban growth problems.

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 The Regional Variation…
 Industrial revolution in ICs allowed high industrial and
economic growth to have the capacity to:
 Employ almost all rural migrants
 Provide housing and related basic needs
 Provide all the necessary infrastructure and services
 Slow/stagnant industrial & economic growth in LDCs leads
to struggling to cope with increasing demand for:
 Jobs, housing, basic infrastructure and services
 Result in urbanization in/ of poverty & its associated
problems: economic, social, political, environmental
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 Sustainable Urban Development
 The concept has been introduced since 1992 at the
Rio summit
 It implies a process of urbanization and urban growth
that leads to widespread improvement in the well being
of the generality of the citizens
 It implies an interplay of three forms of changes to the
citizens
Change that is economically viable
Socially justice or equitable; eliminating all forms of
exclusion
Environmentally healthy or sound
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 Challenge for Urban
Growth
 Whilst many cities of the world are recording remarkable high growth
rates, the concept of sustainable urban development remains largely
easier said than done

 Many urban growth programs and projects are struggling to make sure
that non of the three pillars of sustainable development is compromised

 There can be so much economic progress but at the expense of either

social justice or the environment and this is unsustainable

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 Conclusion
 Definitions of urban areas vary between nations

 Urban growth is the expansion of urban areas in three main

forms: Physical, Demographic and Economic

 Urban development is change that occurs in urban areas

resulting in the improvement of the residents’ well being

 Formulation of comprehensive urban development policies

require understanding of concepts and issues in urban
development

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 Guiding Questions

 Identify push and pull factors generating a high rate of

population growth in Addis Ababa

 With specific examples from Addis Ababa: discuss the

difference between urban growth and urban development

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 Some References
 Henerson, J.V (1988): Urban Development: Theory, fact and
Illusion. NY Oxford University Press, Oxford.
 Henderson, J.V (1979): Urban Growth Policy in a Market Economy

 Kresel, P. K (1995): The Determinants of Urban Competitiveness

 Levy, J. M (1985): Economic Development Programs for Cities,

counties and Towns. Praeger Publishers. NY Schmenner, R .W
(1982) Making Business Location Decisions. Eaglswood, Prentice
Hall
 McCann, P (2001): Urban and Regional Economics. Oxford
University Press, Oxford
 Sullivan, M (1990): Urban Economics, Homewood Cambridge

 Walker, B (1981): Welfare Economic and Urban Problems. London

Hutchinson Chs 8 and 9
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 Comments/Questions?

Thank you!

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