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Miami, Florida, USA is the most diverse city in the world. 58.3% of its 468,000 residents were born in a country other than the United States. But, what factors influence diverse places?
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Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenMiami, Florida, USA is the most diverse city in the world. 58.3% of its 468,000 residents were born in a country other than the United States. But, what factors influence diverse places?
Let's start by defining the words 'place' and 'diversity'.
Places are areas and locations. They are part of a geographical space but are not necessarily within a geographical boundary. Places are dynamic and constantly changing. They are shaped by internal connections (people, Employment, and services) and external connections (government and Globalisation).
Diversity is the variation within a population, in their characteristics, background, and behaviour.
Each place is created by a blend of unique internal and external factors. People add to the diversity of a place: there are not only cultural differences, but also in the perception of a place, how they engage with it, and how they form attachments to it.
With that in mind, diverse places are variations in an area or location. To understand this, we need to look at the factors that make a diverse place.
A Population Structure is the composition and characteristics (such as age and gender) of a given location, which can be represented in a Population Pyramid. It is one of the measures that can demonstrate the diversity of a place and how it varies over time.
To understand this concept, let's have a look at the UK's Population Structure. Since the first census in 1801, the UK's population has increased sixfold to reach an estimated 67.22 million in 2020. The main driver for this growth has been migration.
The population in the UK is unevenly distributed and has grown at different rates depending on location. Urban places are more densely populated than rural places. They have a younger, more ethnically diverse population, and a higher proportion of young adults (20 to 40 years old).
The population density in rural areas has increased in traditional villages (especially with people over 65), and in those rural settlements that have become commuter belts. The population density of a given location is the number of people per unit area (usually per square kilometre). Suburban, rural-urban fringes, and accessible rural areas have also seen population growth. Regionally, there has been strong growth in the South, some growth in the Midlands, and minimal growth in the North. There is also evidence to suggest that population growth and economic prosperity go together.
There are numerous accessibility, physical, and historical factors that contribute to the trends we can see in the UK's population density and structure. Let's look at some of them:
Government actions have also fostered or suppressed diversity both historically and even today:
The proportion of the UK population aged 65 years and over in 2016 and 2039, www.ons.gov.co
How past and present connections have shaped various places can be summarized in terms of Globalisation and immigration, which have led to demographic and cultural changes. Globalisation has driven traditional communities apart, while immigration has changed the character of places.
Let's take a closer look:
immigration
Globalisation
Influences on a place can be broken down into:
Global
National
Regional
Local
The perceptions of Urban And Rural spaces have changed over time. They also vary based on the groups of people and their lived experiences. People's lived experiences, which is their memory and feelings of living in a certain place, can also influence their own image and identity.
Many of the UK's largest cities were born during the Industrial Revolution. Their growth fueled a massive movement of people from rural areas to urban ones. People had the perception that the good life was to be found in urban rather than rural places.
What is the reality behind urban living? Let's see some examples.
Higher living costs
Wages are generally better in urban places. However, we need to take into account the costs of accommodation (which is sometimes of poor quality), commuting, and food.
Low environmental quality
Living in an urban location generally means atmospheric pollution, constant noise, sharp lights, and anti-social behaviors (street drinking, begging, or rowdy neighbours).
Crime
Evidence shows that the average crime rate in rural areas is significantly lower than in urban areas.
Crime in Urban And Rural areas, England & Wales 2020/21. Source: ONS (OGL)
Rural places tend to be divided into two groups:
Currently, more people in the UK are moving to rural areas pursuing their idea of the so-called 'rural myth' or rural idyll. According to it, rural places are problem-free, peaceful, healthy, and friendly.
Rural living is seen as desirable. Source: pixabay
What is the reality of rural living? People in rural areas often have to travel further to access services and facilities that urban dwellers take for granted. This is known as the rural desert. It means the nearest doctor, shop, or post office could be many miles away. Rural services are more vulnerable to public finance constraints since their delivery is more expensive than in urban areas. For example, a local bus service has greater distances to travel, therefore its services can be withdrawn or reduced.
Other issues include:
The north-south divide is a term used to describe the disparities between London and the south-east of England and the rest of the UK in social, economic, and cultural terms.
Since the 1930s, migration within the UK has contributed to this divide. People living in the southeast have a better Life Expectancy, higher income, and better standards of living than those who live in the north. Two well-defined differences between these areas are that house prices in the southeast are higher due to high demand, and the rates of unemployment are higher in the north as some regions suffer de-industrialization.
The main cause of the north-south divide is de-industrialization. Manufacturing industries that were traditionally located in the north began to close and the economy declined. At the same time, the south-east became increasingly prosperous in response to the growth of the financial and service sector, and the dominance of London. As a result, people migrated south looking for work.
The UK government and the EU attempted to reduce the north-south divide by investing in the north. They implemented some such as the Enterprise Zones that we mentioned before.
As a result of these movements within the UK, new tensions surfaced. Tensions in a residential space are often caused by resistance to change. The flow of migrants into an area will begin to change its basic characteristics. This causes tensions between those who are new arrivals and those who class themselves as long-term residents.
Miami in Florida, USA is the most diverse city in the world. 58.3% of Miami's 468,000 residents were born in a country other than the United States
A diverse place is the variations in an area or location.
Flashcards in Diverse Places181
Start learningWhat has been the main driver in population growth in the UK?
Migration.
Which are more densely populated urban or rural places?
Urban places
Explain the differences between regional growth in the population of the UK.
Regionally, there has been a strong growth in the South, some growth in the Midlands, and minimal growth in the North.
Fill in the missing words
There is also strong evidence to suggest that population …… .. and economic …… ... go together.
There is also strong evidence to suggest that population growth and economic prosperity go together.
Can you name some of the factors that influence population trends?
Physical environment, social-economic status, dwelling type and house size, functions and planning.
Can you name a recent government action that has suppressed diversity?
Brexit has caused unease among EU citizens who are living and working in the UK. Many have now returned home.
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