Geography Case Studies - SETTLEMENT

BACKGROUND

• Sardinia is an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea
• Population of 1.7 million people
• It's only in the last 50 years that people have started to populate the island, as most of them lived inland until tourist development took place

Different towns have different functions

• Cagliari: the capital city - it's the main industrial and commercial centre. It has one of the largest fish markets in Italy and has one of the biggest container terminal in the Mediterranean
• Carbonia: built to provide housing for the workforce of the nearby mines. Since the mines closed in the 1970s, Carbonia had had to deal with high unemployment
• Bosa: located on the west coast. Traditionally agriculture and fishing played an important part in the economy. Its beach has been voted the most beautiful beach in Italy and the town has grown popularity for tourism
• Olbia - an important port. It is the main connection between Sardinia and the Italian mainland, with an airport, a passenger port, a main railway, an expressway and main roads to loads of places

BACKGROUND

• The capital city of Georgia state. 
• Population has grown from 1.4 million in 1970 to 5 138 000 in 2006.
• Between 2000 and 2006 Atlanta added almost 1 million residents to its total - the fastest growing meteropolitan city in the USA.
• 1/3 of its increase was by births, the rest from newcomers. 

EFFECTS

• Traffic congestion - aswell as air and noise pollution. 68 hours of delays per year, as 90% of residents drive to work
• Air quality - causes respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Fumes from vehicles aren't blown away
• Population growth - largest meteropolitan area in south-east USA.
• Water quaility and quantity - increased run-off and contaminated drinking water with pollutants
  
• Agricultural land
• Hotlanta Socio-economic division
• Cultural loss
• Impermeable surfaces
• Loss of green space/ecosystems

BACKGROUND

• India has the fastest growing urbanisation in the world - by 2030, 41% of the population will be living in urban areas, compareed with the 28% now.
• Many of the inhabitants of these urban areas expect a western standard of life and lifestyle.
• In 2006 more than 38 million Indians were online, 70 million owned cell phones, and India's cable TV market is one of the biggest in the world.

EFFECTS

• Strain on urban infrastructure - such as road networks and public transport, power and water supplies, healthcare, and education services.
• Great contrasts between the rich and the poor - rich have well-built homes, electrical shops and well-conditioned restaurants, while the poor have huts and many children have to beg on the streets.