Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Geography A (C111) · Spec 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3
Theme 2: rural and urban change, and global cities
Read the notes, then try the questions. Each one is marked the moment you press Check, and shows the right answer and why.
Key ideas
- The urban-rural continuum is a gradual change from the city centre through the suburbs and the edge of the city to villages and remote rural areas.
- Counter-urbanisation is people moving out of cities into the countryside. Reasons include a quieter life, more space, car ownership, broadband and home working.
- A sustainable community meets the needs of people now without harming the future. Egan's wheel breaks it into eight parts, including governance, services, environment, equity and economy.
- Brownfield sites were built on before, so reusing them saves countryside but may need costly clean-up. Greenfield sites are cheaper and quicker but use up countryside and lead to more car commuting.
- A global city has great influence on the world economy through finance, company headquarters, transport and media. It is defined by influence, not by size. The fastest urban growth now is in Asia and Africa.
Key terms
- Sphere of influence
- The area a settlement or service draws people from.
- Counter-urbanisation
- The movement of people out of cities into rural areas.
- Brownfield site
- Land that has been built on before and is available to redevelop.
- Greenfield site
- Land that has not been built on, often at the edge of a town or city.
- Push factor
- Something that drives people out of an area, such as drought or few schools.
- Pull factor
- Something that draws people to an area, such as jobs and hospitals.
- Informal economy
- Work outside official rules and tax, such as street selling and small recycling workshops.
Common mistakes
- Saying global cities are just the biggest cities. They are global because of their economic, political and cultural influence.
- Using general pull factors such as jobs and health care for a named city. Questions on a named city need detail about that city.
- Thinking the informal economy means being unemployed. It is income-earning work outside the official system.
- Mixing up the scale in a migration question. If the question asks about internal migration, moves from abroad earn no marks.
Exam tip
Check the tier in the question. If it asks for an HIC global city you have studied, name a city that is in an HIC. A non-HIC or unnamed city stays in band 1. Component 1 papers also ask for a named, located example, and an answer with no name or place can be capped.
Free practice questions
7 questions, 17 marks. Answer, then press Check. The marking guide explains how the marks are worked out. Nothing is saved.
- Question 1 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
In mid-2024 England had 58.6 million people, of whom 9.7 million lived in rural settlements. What percentage of England's population was rural?
- Question 2 · Choose more than one[2 marks]
Counter-urbanisation is the movement of people out of cities into rural areas. Tick TWO reasons why people make this move.
Choose 2.
- Question 3 · Sort into groups[4 marks]
Sort each statement into the correct group: brownfield site or greenfield site.
Uses up countryside
May need costly decontamination
Land that was built on before
Often leads to more car commuting
- Question 4 · Matching[3 marks]
Match each factor in retail change to its type.
- Question 5 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
Which statement best describes a global city?
- Question 6 · Choose more than one[2 marks]
Which TWO are examples of work in the informal economy of a city in an LIC or NIC?
Choose 2.
- Question 7 · Sort into groups[4 marks]
Sort each factor into push (from rural areas) or pull (to the city).
Drought ruining farmland
Hospitals and health care
Jobs in city factories
Few schools in the village