Consequences of Urbanization

Along with positive sides of urbanization, i.e. high level of cultural, information, public service, there is a number of negative consequences, such as:

· High density of population in small territory which results in growth of infectious diseases (flu, tuberculosis, etc.).

· High pollution of city environment by chemical substances, physical and biological factors.

· Decrease of solar radiation by 10-20 %, including UVR, causing growth of rickets in children.

· High level of noise — on big highways noise even at night reaches 80 decibel (dB), (norm for rest — 30 dB). The occurrence of noise illnesses is possible at 50-60 dB.

· Because of building up the air ventilation in cities is worsened, that leads to accumulation of pollutants (fogs-murderers, smog, etc.)

· Non-optimal microclimate — in summer there is overheating of buildings, roads, etc.—

· High level of transport traumatism of population.

· Excessive waste of time and energy while getting to work and back.

· Problem of rest out of town — there are not enough parks in cities, and going out of town for rest is not always possible in large cities.

· High level of negative psychogenic factors — stresses, nervous and mental disorders.

· Growth of cities limits agricultural use of suburban lands.

These negative consequences of urbanization for people health are illustrated by greater disease incidence of urban population in comparison with rural one, deterioration of demographic parameters, decrease of parameters of physical development of children and teenagers in large industrial centers.

Urbanization has resulted in occurrence of megapolises (New York, Tokyo, etc.) with huge amount of population and sharp deterioration of all negative consequences of urbanization.

Factors Causing the Occurrence and Development of Cities

As a rule, cities arise not at any place; their occurrence, development or decline are determined by a number of economic, social and political factors, which are called town-planning factors.

Earlier such factors included:

· The development of crafts and convenient waterways — at estuary of rivers, on seashore, e.g. Athens, in the Crimea — Chersonese, Feodosiya (Cafa), Sudak (Sugdeya).

· Presence of feudal fortress with lock, solid city walls for protection of population against enemies (medieval cities — center of Moscow, Bonn, Krakow).

· In the 19th century growth of industry and business activity (Manchester).

Modern town-planning factors include the following:

· Presence of industrial enterprises and deposits of minerals. Many such cities are in bad climatic conditions, e.g. Norilsk in Arctic zone.

· Availability of large transport junctions and crossing of large highways. Thus 200 years ago Simferopol (city-gatherer) appeared.

· Presence of administrative establishments of a state level — governmental, republican, regional. It is Washington in the USA, Brazilia — a new capital of Brazil.

· Availability of science, education centers and scientific and technical complexes — Novosibirsk academic town, Oxford, etc.

· Presence of large Naval bases — Sevastopol, Vladivostok, etc.

· For cities-resorts — the presence of recreational resources (curative mud, mineral waters, coastal seawaters), i.e. cities-resorts of the Crimea, Caucasus.

The Basic Groups of Urban Population

All urban population is divided into 3 groups:

· town-forming group — workers of industry, transport, administration, science. It makes up about 30-35 % of city population.

· serving group — workers of municipal services, education, public health services, trade, communication, etc. (20-25 % of city population).

· economically unoccupied population –children, students, pensioners, unemployed (40-45 % of city population).

Functional Zoning in Cities

· Inhabited or residential zone where the basic part of population lives. It should have the best hygienic conditions.

· Industrial zone. There is concentration of industrial enterprises into industrial units. Between this zone and inhabited zone there should be sanitary-protective gaps (zones) with green plantations.

· Тransport-warehouse zone. In Simferopol it is clearly expressed in the area of railway station near our university.

· The green zone is diffusely located on the territory, it is very important for autopurification of atmosphere and creation of recreational conditions in the city.

· Residential suburb — parks, woods, recreation areas, agricultural enterprises supplying city.