Thursday 29 August 2013

Urban Structure - LEDCs

Although LEDCs have similar land uses to MEDCs, their layout is very different. The CBD is still the central section, with the highest priced land. However, the next section isn’t the cheap housing and industry as it is in MEDCs, instead you’ll find high cost housing - normally luxury high rise apartment blocks and / or detached houses.

Industry, instead of being in the inner city, is found along the main transport routes. Going outward from the luxury housing are the areas of semi-permanent informal housing, while at the very edge of the city are the favelas.

Favelas are illegal settlements, built from mud, straw and scrap metals - whatever they can find. There is no gas or electricity and no drains, sewage or water supply. The people in favelas pay no rent or rates, the roads are unmade and there is high unemployment. Where people do have jobs they are temporary, part-time and low paid. Any of the very limited public transport that goes as far as the favelas is overcrowded and dangerous. There are major crime problems in the area, few schools and very little medical care. For many residents though, they come from the countryside to the city looking for a better way of life.


Below is the LEDC urban structure model (from BBC Bitesize)…



The topic in teaching…
I read somewhere a lesson plan where the teacher collected a variety of scrap material and asked students to have a go at making their own favelas out of what they collected. I think this would be a really good activity to get students involved, providing I could tie in some suitable aims for the lesson.

References
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/urban_environments/urban_models_ledcs_rev1.shtml
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/geography/settlements/revise-it/urban-morphology

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