Globalisation & Economic Change in London (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Population Characteristics of London
London's population stands at 8.8 million (2021 census) and is the second largest region by population size after the southeast
The top 20 most densely populated local authorities in the country are in London
London’s population is much younger than the rest of the UK, which increases the rate of natural increase in the city
Economic migrants from within the UK and overseas in their 20s and 30s give London its distinctive age structure
The older population is smaller in London because:
Families leave the capital
People leave when they retire
The 2021 Census shows that 3.58 million London residents were born outside the UK, some 41 per cent of London’s total population, up from 3.00 million, 37% in 2011
1.37 million London residents were born in Europe outside the UK
1.15 million people were born in the Middle East and Asia
1.06 million in the rest of the world, including Africa, the Americas and Oceania
The top non-UK country of birth was India, with 323,000 London residents
Over 100,000 were Romanian (176,000, Poland 149,000, Bangladesh 139,000, Pakistan 130,000, Italy 126,000, and Nigeria 117,000)
Causes of Deindustrialisation
London has undergone several changes to its economy
Between 1960 and 1981, there was rapid deindustrialisation in London. especially around the dockyards
Containerisation led to larger ships which could not be accommodated in the London Docks, with the last dock closing in 1981
Manufacturing across London relied on the goods coming in through the docks
The closure of the docks led to a decline in manufacturing in areas like Lea Valley, Tottenham and Stratford
Between 1966 and 1974, almost 400,000 manufacturing jobs were lost in London
In 1971, one million people were employed in manufacturing
By 2004, it was only 245,000
The unemployment rate in 1981 was almost 18%
Over 60% of the docklands area was derelict or vacant by 1981
Decentralisation
Competition for space within cities makes land expensive to buy or rent, and access is limited
This has led to many businesses and shops relocating to the rural-urban fringe (the edge of the city)
Business and retail parks have room for expansion and usually have good transport access and parking
Examples of decentralisation in London include:
Shopping centres such as Bluewater, Dartford and Centrale, Croydon
Retail parks such as Cork Tree, Tottenham, Grove Farm, and Ilford
Business parks such as Uxbridge Business Park and Riverwalk Business Park in Enfield
A shortage of housing and land in London has led to a number of new homes being given planning permission on London’s rural fringe
These homes have been built on the opposite side of the green belt and created commuter towns such as Reading, Milton Keynes, Luton, Chelmsford, etc.
There has been an increase in online shopping, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic
This has led more businesses to locate outside the city, as they do not need to be located near to customers
Transport changes
Many main roads, motorways and train lines link the suburbs with the city centre
This allows commuters easy access to work, shopping and entertainment
Park and ride schemes have been particularly important to enable people to travel to events without taking their cars, e.g. football matches and arena concerts
Inequality in London
Inequality in London
Area of Inequality | Examples |
|---|---|
Housing availability | London’s housing stock has not kept up with population growth Prices and rents have increased rapidly Rents are double the UK average, making housing some of the least affordable in the world Many lower-income workers cannot afford to buy or rent, so they either have to commute to London or share a house with others |
Transport problems | London has a good transport system but is under pressure due to the rising population Roads are frequently congested and slow (the average speed during the day is 8mph), which impacts lost office hours or makes worker hours longer Approx. 1 million commuters arrive daily on overcrowded trains and delays on the 'tube' have doubled |
Access to services | London has some of the best health care and education services in the UK, although some people struggle to access these services or have access to private health care and bypass the system Hospitals are often overcrowded, waiting times for doctors and consultant appointments have increased, and congested roads delay ambulances Wealthy people access fee-paying schools and some of the best state schools in the country, leaving children from poorer families in underperforming schools, therefore widening the gap between children’s attainment |
Wages and Employment | There is a wage disparity, with the average wage in Kensington and Chelsea being £130,000, compared to Newham, where it is less than £30,000 a year London's economy consists of 96% service industry positions, often low-paid with zero-hours contracts Many migrants are exploited, are paid below minimum wage and have to work several jobs to meet basic needs Unemployment increases in areas which are more deprived Often, people do not have the skills or education to gain employment, and if they do, it is poorly paid Many people in Tower Hamlets (a poor area) cannot get jobs in Canary Warf despite the close distance This inequality impacts life expectancy, which varies across Greater London by 5 years |
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