HUMAN GEOGRAPHY CASE STUDIES

WORLD CITIES

KAYATHRIE.A

DHARAVI, MUMBAI
BACKGROUND

Megacity- West coast of India

Major port in the Indian
Ocean
Indias financial centre and
growth of Bollywood Industry
Dharavi= 600000- 2km2 and
generates $40million a year

CAUSES OF GROWTH

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
The increase in population
results in an increase in waste
production.
Eastern neighbour hood of
Chembur waste is burnt= air
pollution
This means 25% of deaths in
Chembur between 2007/8
were caused by respiratory
problems.

Migrants from all over India

come to Mumbai
Population has increased
from 5.9million 21million
There is a hope that living
there will give access to a
successful future in
Bollywood
Transport links to Navi
Mumbai makes it accessible
Sits near the Mithi river
near the Bandra Kurla
complex which provides
many jobs

SOCIAL IMPACTS

Doctors deal with 4000 cases

of diphtheria a day and
typhoid.
Housing is very cramped
12*12 feet with many living
with their extended family.
Standpipes come on at 5:30
for 2 hours and water is
rationed.
500 people share one public
latrine

ECONOMIC IMPACTS

MANAGEMENT

Created jobs for many

$40 million produced a year

2004 first development project

estabilished to clear the slum
New appartments with access to
water and sewage systems
Some residents are strongly
against this as it is a very
established community.
Community spirit may be lost
Slum Saniatation program in
1995 by an NGO. 330 communal
toilet blocks.
Rainwater harvesting system for
all new residential housing on
plots larger than 300m2
Alternative transport such as
mopeds

SURBITON, LONDON
GENERAL

PULL FACTORS

PROBLEMS

South West London

Borough of Kingston Upon
Thames
1971- 141000
2011- 160000
Due to suburbanisation from
London

Transport links into centre

of London.
Reaches Waterloo London
in 18minutes
Close to the A3 one of the
main routes in the city
Variety of good quality
housing eg. Semidetached
and flats
Wealthy area with plenty of
shops and restaurants
Good state schools and
number of parks therefore
popular with families.

Lots of people own cars 70%

own atleast one car
Roads have a large number of
parked cars= congestion+
difficult for larger vehicles to
get through
Currently in travel zone 6
Fares in central London are
expensive therefore many
prefer to drive
This increases congestion and
air pollution especially in A3
House prices are higher ,
406,000 compared to
226,000
Harder for people on low
incomes to move= economics
segregation

MANAGEMENT

CONTINUED

Improvement Strategy for

Surbiton Town Centre was
launched in September
2009 widening, building
new access road to
Surbiton Station, set
delivery times for local
shops
Combat congestion+
easier to go past parked
cars
Surbiton Neighbour Hood

Secure bicycle storage

units installed+ improve
pedestrian access=
encourage cyclists and
walking

ST IVES, COUNTERURBANISATION
BACKGROUND
St Ives, Cambridgeshire,

70 miles north of London

1961 population 3800

2010 population 16400

Good access and rail links

to Cambridge and London

Quarter of working
population travel to
London

IMPACTS
Traffic congestion on A14

Average price of
detached housing rose
from 130,000 to
291,000 between 2000
and 2010

Commuters earn high

wages than those
working locally= afford
higher prices
St Ives- River Great

Ouse+ history of flood

problems

Demand for housing=

development on south
river bank in centre of
town
More shops and

services in
town+gorcoery srotes
Movement of families=
change population
structure
Original population=
ageing but influx of
families-= pressure on
schools + pre schools.

MANAGEMENT
Plans in 2010 to build 200

new homes
Atleast 75 of these will be

affordable housing aimed

at those on lower incomes
social rent and low cost
ownership eg buy house at
discounted price or just a
share of price.
Plabs to make 240 more

primary school places

available
Flooding in 1998 and

2003= flood protection

works= 8.8 million along
the River.

New embankments and

flood walls were
constructed.
116 million guided

busway linking St Ives and

Huntingdon and Cambridge
has been built

Hoped to reduce
congestion along the A14
Extend bus way to a new

train station in Cambridge

from which journey times
to London will be lower.

LDDC, REURBANISATION
BACKGROUND

London Docklands, River

Thames in east of city
19th and 20th century, the
docks were important= a lot
of economic activity
1960 onwards- decline
because change in shipping
industry
Large containership became
common
1980s= derelict
150,000 jobs lost
20% of housing not suitable
Docklands poor public
transport

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

The DLR was opened in 1987

which cut journey times to
central London by 20 min
New pedestrian and cycle
routes were built= safer and
easier
Docks were refurbished=
pleasant enviro for locals
New outdoor space eg.
Ecology park at Bow Creek
and wildfowl sanctuary at
East India Dock

SOCIAL IMPACTS

MANAGEMENT

New public facilites eg.

Sailing and watersports
centre and Surrey Quays
shopping complex
5 new health centres and
existing ones were
refurbished
New schools and colleges
were refurbished eg. By
attaining new IT equipment
24000 new homes were built
6250 homes were housing
association and local
authority housing
Conflict b/w original and
affluent residents because
residents felt that LDDC
favoured luxury rather than
affordable housing

The LDDC asked for 40% of new

housing to be sold at an
affordable price to original
residents e.g. Shadwell Basin
and Wapping
Centres training in basic
literacy, numeracy and IT
Eg. 1.5 million spent on IT in
1984
Trained 16-18 year olds in basic
electronics and computer
programming and work
experience in local businesses
and a qualification at the end of
the course.
Skillnet- job agency which
worked with training providers
and employers to provide skills
they need to find work eg. In
construction.

ECONOMIC IMPACTS
Part of the areas= Enterprise
Zone from 1982- 1992
By 1998- 2700 business es
trading
7.7 billion private
investment
85000 people worked there in
1998
Original residents were
unable to work there
The jobs on offer= skilled/
service industry original
residents in 1981, 36%

ISLINGTON
BACKGROUND

Borough in North London .

Large Georgian and early
Victorian houses.
In the late 19th centuryrailway expanded=
accessible, this meant
wealthier people were able to
move to suburbs
Poorer residents from central
moved in= overcrowded

CAUSES

NEGATIVE IMPACTS
Loss of affordable
housing- 130000 in
1996 to 4300002008. Poorer people
forced out
Wealth gap between
poorest and richest
increased. Richest 20%
60000 and poorest

1960s property bought because:

jobs in city in service sector+ in
service manufacturing
People in service= young well
paid + want to live near their
jobs.
Well connected to city by Angel
Under
Houses in Islington= large and
attractive+ cheaper
Gentrification= more people
moved in

MANAGEMENT
Islington businesses
encouraged to pay all
staff the London Living
wage of 8.30 per hour=
low skilled workers can
survive in Islington
Charity work in poorer
neighbour hood=
encourage education. Eg

POSITIVE IMPACTS
Improved housingthrough restoring
original features and
repainting exterior walls
New businesses to
provide for wants.
Positive multiplier effect
Increased property
values
Reduction in urban
sprawl
Rehabilitation with and
without state
sponsorship

TRAFFORD CENTRE
WHERE IS IT
The Trafford Centre was open in
1998 on a brownfield site
5 miles west of Manchester
Covers 150 acres
Costs 600million to complete
Largest catchment area of any
shopping centre in the UK- 5.3
million a year
More that 30 million visit the
centre every year

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE

CENTRE
1996 IRA bombing
WHAT FEATURES DOES THE
CENTRE OFFER?
Centre split into separate functions
Gay Village around Canal Street Area
in the East of the centre= Gay Pride
Festival
Chinatown= far eastern style
restaurants
Northern Quarter= creative hub.
Numerous bars eg Cocktail bars
Apotheca and Trof
Live music venues such as the jazz
bar Matt and Phred

WHAT FEATURES DOES THE

CENTRE OFFER
1600 seat food court
20 screen cinema
Ten pin bowling
11500 free parking spaces
Air conditioned and = all year
round
Long opening hours. 10pm Monday
to Friday, 8pm on Saturday, 6pm
on Sunday
Close to the M60 and M602
Buses that go directly to
Manchester
Commercial focal point= new
Marks &Spencers, Selfridges
Manchester's first Hard Rock Caf
Newly developed Piccadilly
Gardens and Exchange Square
Spinningfields ice rink- Canary
Wharf the North

POSITIVE AFFECTS
Local community projects such
as Royal Manchester Projectfundraising and donations
Work experience for local
students study Retail Business
8000 employed and receive
benefits such as health care and
childcare vouchers

NEGATIVE AFFECTS
Congestion and pollution in busy
periods eg Christmas
Fewer people go to other local
centres- cannot compete with the
advantages in Trafford
Altrincham suffered badly- 37%
vacant in 2010 nearly 3 times
national average of 17%

MANAGEMENT
Improving Public Transport, cycle
and pedestrian= 40 buses per
hour
Shuttle bus to Metrolink Tram
system
2011 Altrincham Forward= Action
plan to draw people into town eg.
Annual calendar events and

MANCHESTER CITY
CENTRE

BACKGROUND

Important industrial city

through 19th and 20th
century
1960s onwards there was a
decrease and people
moved out
Arndale centre in 1975
brought people to the city
centre to shop
1996- IRA bomb damaged
a lot of Manchester CBD
including Arndale centre
and Royal Exchange
theatre
Damage was repaired to
bring people back to the
city centre
Aided by the opening of the
Trafford centre

AIMS OF MANCHESTER MILLENIUM

LTD
Redesign and rebuild large parts
of the CBD to make a safe,
accessible centre
Make it suitable for people to
shop, live and entertainment
Make sure that the success of
the city is economically
sustainable, long term
investment

MAIN DEVELOPMENTS
Old buildings were refurbished
eg. Corn exchange, a listed
building was occupied by
temporary shops
It is now an upmarket hall
selling designer clothing and
jewellery
Run down and unattractive
building were rebuilt and
restyled
Upmarket department stored
eg Selfridges
Large areas were
pedestrianized eg. Exchange
Square an open areas where
people can meet and socialise

CURITIBA
BACKGROUND

EXAMPLES OF URBAN PLANNING

TRANSPORT

Example of sustainable city

management
Curitiba is 220 miles south west
of Sao Paulo in the capital of
Parana State
Prime agricultural states in Brazil
Curitiba grew rapidly from
150,000 in 1950s to almost
1.6million today
Suffered from problems brought
by rapid urban growth
City has now been redesigned
through sustainable urban
planning

Jamie Lerner, a young architect and

urban planner approached by the
mayor.
They plan to ensure that everyone
understands the plan so they all
work with the same end point
He ensured that the that the plan
was done cost effectively
Planning institute met with mayor
with at the end of the week

Arterial roads= radial going from

outside the city to the cenre
Buses were used along these
routes as they are cheaper than
subways
The centre lanes are only for
express buses= travel faster
The buses were made more
affordable with only one ticket for
as many changes
Until 1979 the cost was
determined by the length of
journey= impact low incomers
75% use public transport= 25 %
less congestion
The gov works with private
companies too= more profitable
without subsidy

LAND USE AND PUBLIC

SERVICES
Citizenship streets= 2 storey
buildings which offer access to
public utilities. Roofed
multipurpose sports ground .
Hospitals also located on the

RECYCLING
Green Swap programme- sort out
rubbish into organic and inorganic
Taught in school and then
encouraged parents
Plants employ alcoholics and
homeless= improve their lives
Recovered material is then sold to
local industries to stuff quilts.
Sort rubbish and bring= collection
points
Favela dwellers= rice, beans, egg
which the city buys cheaply from
state farmers
It costs no more landfills and has the
advantage of improving public
health as well
The program is voluntary but 70% of
households take part and now 20%
is recycled.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY CASE STUDIES

TECTONIC PLATES

KAYATHRIE.A

CHAITEN, CHILE

BACKGROUND
2nd May 2008
Chaiten, S.E Chile
Volcano= 17 km plume of ash
South American plate over
Pacific Ocean platw
4,200 pop.
First eruption in 9,400 years
Winds went east, Chaitn town
10km south-west blanketed in
ash
One of the largest volcano
chains in the world,
40 active out of 122.
Lava dome within a caldera,
2.5km by 4km
Viscous rhyolitic lava
pyroclastic, magma rise
through Fold Mountains in
Andes.

PRIMARY EFFECT

SHORT TERM RESPONSES

Residents not to drink the
water
Chilean officials distributed
face masks +fresh water
Gov ordered a 50km exclusion
around the town
The Gov issued a monthly
disaster stipend of $1200 $2200 per month per family
Financial aid to small
businesses granted
90 day freeze on payment of
existing loans on the state
bank Banco Estado to aid

LONG TERM RESPONSES

4,000 evacuated by boat +

1,000 others people from
nearby town Futateufu
Airports, highways and
schools forced to shut
80% of town damaged,
20% destroyed
3 planes damaged from
ash, Airports in Chile,
Argentina and Uruguay, up
to 2,300 km from the
volcano= forced to close or
cancel flights
Ash =15cm deep had
blocked rivers and
contaminated water
supplies

Real-time seismic monitoring

-16th of May 2008-conducted
by the USGS, not a domestic
agency.
Chile's Servicio Nacional de
Geologa y Minera, or
SERNAGEOMIN) created a
new program= improve
monitoring and hazard
mitigation at 43 of Chile's
high-threat volcanoes.
The program will support
studies of the history of

NATURE OF THE VOLCANIC

HAZARD

Not accurately monitored

Rhyolitic lava meant
pyroclastic flows, lava
generated a new dome,
20 30km ash column,
Ash coated and asphyxiated
some animals
Blocking roads
Triggered thunderstorms,
which lead to flooding.
By late May the lava eruption
had generated a new dome of
540,000m2
Passing polar storm meant
that heavy rains combined
with ash flood

TIMELINE
1st EQ= 30/4/08
Eruption= 1/5/08
Initial eruption= ash column
18km reached in 6 hours
Nearly continuous ash
emission= 30km with large
explosion from 2-8 May
Lava Dome extrusion with
sustained vapour and ash
column

MOUNT ETNA, ITALY

BACKGROUND
On top of plate boundary of
African plate under Eurasian
plate (destructive).
Europes highest- 3310m
Rich agricultural land
East of densely populated
Sicily (Decade volcano by UN)
Well monitored and actively
managed volcano
SHORT TERM RESPONSES
Gov rarely intervene
People rebuild from scraps
/move elsewhere.
But gov did in 1991-1993 when
Zafferana threatened by lava
flow
Initial attempts unsuccessful
as lava went over earth
barriers= explosives at source
of lava to break lava tube
system 7km
Main explosion blew it off
course down another channel.
2002, dams of soil and rock
used to protect tourist base at
Rifugio Sapienza, armies heavy
earth moving equipment
brought in
damage to agriculture and
tourism trade, $8 given as tax
breaks to villagers.

PRIMARY EFFECT
77 deaths in total but
reducing each year caused
by visitors going into
hazardous areas,
9 tourists killed in phratic
explosion, -lightening strikes
or accidents.
2002, eruption destroyed one
whole tourist station and a bit
on the other side -2 weeks to
reach
Caused closure of closest
airport + runway was being
cleared of ash.
Winter tourism affected due
to safety concerns.
In 2007, 400m high spout of
lava, sending ash and smoke
over the towns below from
strong winds,

MONITORING
INGV monitored for 20 years
with lots of sensors (seismic,
magnetic)

NATURE OF THE VOLCANIC

HAZARD
Composite stratovolcano
erupting runny + fast basaltic
lava
Horse-shoe-shaped
Several collapsed calderas
Alternating eruptive vents
Minimum 60 flank/fissure
eruptions
Fertile soil on sides with
hornitos (small parasitic cones
which splatter lava).
1669 lava from Etna= engulfed
village of Nicolosi
1929 lave flow= destroyed Mascali
New fissures and cones= lava can
flow in different directions
1992= efficeitn tube system- 7km
away
2002-2003 Ash column to Libya
across Meditarrean

MOUNT NYIRAGONGO

BACKGROUND

Strarovolcano found in the

East of the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
Part of African Rift Valley
where the African plate is
splitting into two platesSomali and Nubian plate.
The lava lake has been
continually erupting since
2010
Increased seismic and
fumarolic activity since late
2001
17th Jan 2002 a 13km fissure
opened on the south flank of
the volcano
Lave streams from the fissure
and reached a speed of
60mph
This led to lava spilling
southwards in three streams.

SHORT TERM RESPONSES

Water was supplied in

tankers
Aid agencies such as
Christian Aid, Oxfam were
involved in distributing food.
UN supplied 260 tonnes of
food= enough for 700000
people for a week
Evacuation of 400000
people.
One month later people were

PRIMARY EFFECT

The lava flowed across the

runway at Goma airport and
through the town= split in
half
Set of explosions in fuel
stores and power plants.
Killed 45 people
14 villages destroyed- roofs
falling, lava flows and toxic
gases.
500000 homeless.
2 hospitals destroyed
More deaths because they
ate/drank from nearby Lake
Kivu= acidic=suffocation
15% of Goma was
destroyed.
The lava destroyed many
homes as well as roads and
water pipes, set off
explosions in fuel stores and
power plants

LONG TERM RESPONSES

Repair the road netweork
with German Agro Action
NGO
Chlorinatiaon points for the
water drawn along Kivu.
UNICEF reception sites for
displaced population where
there are items such as
blankets.

SECONDARY EFFECTS

220000 fled from Goma into

Rwanda to escape the lava.
Spent many nights sleeping on
Gisenyi= no shelter, electricity
or clean water. = threatened
by Rwandans
Cholera was a disease that
was a real risk.
Looting was a problem in
Goma and many residents
returned within a week in hope
of receiving aid.
100 looters died when petrol
station exploded after spilled
petrol ignited
Death toll brought up to 147

EYJAFJALLAJOKULL,
ICELAND

BACKGROUND
Fine grained ash - 11 000 metres
into the air which is high=reach
into stratosphere =disturb
airplanes etc.
Covered by a glacier, =flood
earlier that year.
Emitted lava from a 500m long
fissure.
Vent of volcano is 1.8-2.5 miles
across and located close to
active volcano Katla.

SOCIAL
People in rural areas had to wear
goggles and facemasks as ash was
so thick.
Local water supplies were
contaminated with fluoride

ENVIRONMENTAL
Scientists feared a climatic
impact.
30 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide
was released per day.
Main risk was to soil and water
courses that were being
contaminated.

MANAGEMENT
All the responses were domestic meaning all countries affected by
this hazard responded themselves or
collectively.

500 farmers and families evacuated

ECONOMIC
Ash spread throughout Europe,
which meant many flights had to
be cancelled.
Hire car companies and other
forms of transport increased their
prices as people sought other ways
to get home
130 million was lost per day by
airlines and associated businesses.

Tests have taken place to see if

planes can fly in ash clouds, in what
type of ash or around ash clouds for
future reference if needed.

MOUNT ETNA 2002

MEDC MOUNT ETNA
Supports rich agricultural land
and it is estimated that 35% of
Sicilys population live on its
slopes.
There have been at least 16
flank eruptions, and many
summit eruptions, since 1600s.
Since 2001, it has seen an
eruption every year.
European plate over African

NATURE OF THE VOLCANIC HAZARD:

Vineyards and orchards spread across
the lower slopes and the Plain of
Catania.
It is a composite stratovolcano
which typically erupts basaltic lava (low
viscosity).
Fissures also open up, releasing lava
flows and hornitos spatter lava from
the side of the cone.

IMPACT OF THE EVENT:

77 deaths altogether
The majority were caused
when visitors stayed into
hazardous areas,
Nine tourists killed in September
1979 near Bocca Nuova by a
phreatic explosion,
In the last 20 years, all deaths on
Etna have been due to lightening
strikes and accidents.
The eruptions of 2002 completely
destroyed the tourist station at
Piano Provenzana and part of the
tourist station around the Rifugio
Sapienza on the south side of the
volcano. It took the lava two weeks
to reach the station.
On July 29th airports of Catania
were closed due to ash and the
winter tourist industry was
affected badly.

MANAGEMENT OF THE HAZARD AND

RESPONSES TO THE EVENT
In most instances locals have rebuilt
their own properties from salvaged
materials or relocated elsewhere, and
government intervention has been
rare.
One intervention occurred in 1991-3
when Zafferana was threatened by a
lava flow.
Initial attempts proved unsuccessful
when hastily built earth barriers were
surmounted. Instead, explosives were
detonated to disrupt and redirect the
flow and break up the efficient lava
tubing system which had guided it 7km
downslope.
Later in 2002, dams of soil and volcanic
rock were put up to protect the tourist
base at Rifugio Sapienza and helped
divert the flow. The Armys heavy
earth-moving equipment was also

OTHER POTENTIAL HAZARDS:

o Seismic activity connecting with
eruptive activity potential damage
to buildings and infrastructure.
o Gas plume emission, volcanic
dust and ashfalls high-magnitude
explosive events at summit craters
can lead to the formation of eruptive
columns of ash, the fallout from
which presents problems for
settlement and agriculture.
o Flank collapse before or following
one of the most hazardous processes
can lead to a huge avalanche of
volcanic debris, as once occurred at
the Valle del Bove.
o Phreatic eruptions steamdriven explosions when water
beneath the ground is heated by
magma or lava.
In 2002-3 the biggest eruptions
for many years threw up columns of
ash that deposited material in Libya,
600km away.
MONITORING:
The Catania Section of the Instituto
Nazionale di Geofiisica e Vulconalogia
(INGV) has monitored the volcano for
20 years with a permanent network
of remote sensors (seismic, gedetic,
magnetic, gravimetric and videos)
connected in real time, radio and by
mobile phone, to the acquisition
centre.
Geochemical monitoring