Changing Populations (OCR GCSE Geography B)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Patterns of National & International Migration in London
Migration has impacted the character of the city
London is the most ethnically diverse place in the UK
Each group of new migrants bring their own culture, traditions, religions, music and food, which adds to the cultural diversity of the city
Migration increased during the Industrial Revolution, decreased after WWII, and increased since 1991
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:
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 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 Romania 176,000, Poland 149,000, Bangladesh 139,000, Pakistan 130,000, Italy 126,000, and Nigeria 117,000
Patterns of National & International Migration in Lagos
Incomes in Lagos are four times higher than in rural areas and this has contributed to Lagos’ rapidly growing population
Migration into Lagos from rural areas has brought a wide range of ethnic groups, giving Lagos a diverse ethnic population
International migration is from neighbouring countries such as Chad and Niger
There are some migrants from the USA, the UK and China, who are employed by foreign businesses operating in Lagos, mostly in the oil industry
Overall, migration has resulted in an overcrowded, congested and polluted city with pockets of high-density populations such as squatter settlements and gated communities
1900 | Initially a small fishing village on Lagos Island, with access to the lagoon, the Atlantic and marshlands |
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1965 | With the discovery of oil in the Niger Delta, Lagos began to expand across Lagos Island. People spread to parts of Victoria Island, and then onto the mainland, where Lagos grew in a linear pattern along the major transport routes. |
1990 | Inward migration saw rapid expansion of Lagos in all directions, including the rise in slums. Maroko's slum was cleared in 1990 but quickly redeveloped along with others on the mainland. Lagos and Victoria Islands were connected to the mainland by three bridges: The Eko, Carter and Third Mainland Bridge. Tin Can Island container port increased global links. |
2020 | Lagos officially became a megacity in 2010. Urban sprawl pushed further northwest and included areas around the airport. Eko Atlantic began development in 2009 on reclaimed land south of Victoria Island to create a new coastal city in an attempt to solve the shortage of housing. Construction work on the 38km 4th Mainland Bridge (which will be the longest in Africa) was due to begin in 2019 but has been delayed until 2023 |
Mainland Lagos is located on a flat expanse of land and with an annual influx of 600,000 people per year, the city has spread north and westwards
There are wealthy areas such as Victoria Island with gated communities, but also some of the biggest squatter settlements such as Makoko, home to around 250,000 people
Squatter settlements are close to the lagoon - many people work in the informal economic sector or fish in the lagoon. Makoko settlement is built out into the lagoon itself and floods regularly
Rural to urban migration is responsible for the high rate of natural increase and the city’s youthful population
Some of the 'push' factors include:
Poor education and health services in rural areas
Crop damage due to frequent droughts and floods
Low wages and long hours for subsistence farming
Few job opportunities other than farming
Oil pollution has degraded the land
Climate change is bringing unreliable rainfall to the North of Nigeria
Ways of Life in London
London is a vibrant, busy capital city; with a rich heritage and a popular tourist destination, however, it is also very expensive to live there
Most Londoners live a fast-paced life, always rushing to their next meeting or engagement
London rush hour is really busy and the underground tube stations are usually packed
The London Underground (the Tube to Londoners) is a rapid transit system that opened in January 1863. It was the world's first underground passenger train
Other forms of notable transport in London are the black cabs and red double-decker buses
Ways of Life in London
Culture | London has over 192 museums and 857 art galleries, including 3 of the top ten museums and galleries in the world and 4 UNESCO world heritage sites: Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich, Westminster Palace and Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens London is culturally diverse with over 300 languages spoken, which is more than any other city in the world, all living together which influences food and music |
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Ethnicity | As a city of trade, London has always had different races mixing together and many immigrants have come in waves (1960s southern Asian groups, 70s Caribbeans/Windrush generation and 1990s from Hong Kong), and more recently from eastern Europe as former communist countries joined the EU According to the 2021 Census, London was the most ethnically diverse region in England and Wales. Out of all regions, London had the smallest percentage of people who identified as white British, 46.2% of residents identified with Asian, black, mixed or ‘other’ ethnic groups, and a further 17.0% with white ethnic minorities Newham borough is the most ethnically diverse of all local authorities in England and Wales Taken from: Ethnicity facts and figures UK Gov 2022 |
Housing | London is one of the world’s top ten most expensive cities to live in, with average house prices in the Greater London region being £709k in 2023 compared to a UK average of £288K London's housing is unequal with most people having to rent their homes, and spending on average, two-thirds of their income on rent. The spread of housing is diverse with billionaires living next to the homeless or those on less than a living wage Some areas such as Mayfair, Kensington and Chelsea, have very high house prices, with apartments and large housing in excess of £1 million. Some areas, such as east/southeast London, have lower prices and lower quality houses or houses separated for multi-occupancy such as those in Hackney, Ealing, Brent and Southwark The highest population density is in central London (10,936 people per km2), almost twice the level of London overall |
Leisure | London has plenty of world-class sporting venues and events, including the 2012 Olympic Games, Wimbledon, Lord’s Cricket Ground and Wembley Many Premier League football teams are also located in London such as Arsenal and West Ham Theatreland in the West End, where a huge number of shows can be seen or opera in Covent Garden |
Consumption | There are a diverse number of shops to be found in London with high streets such as Oxford St, Regent St. and Carnaby St, containing shops such as Hamley's Toys, Selfridges, Liberty's and Harrods Westfield has two major shopping centres in London, with more than 250 shops under one roof Food markets are found all over the city, from Covent Garden to Borough Market and Old Spitalfields Market; Smithfield Meat Market and Billingsgate Fish Market are open to all, but trading is early morning - between midnight and 8.30 am |
Ways of Life in Lagos
Lagos attracts 600,000 new residents annually, all seeking a better way of life, and making Lagos extremely diverse
There are a mix of rich and poor, with 4 billionaires, 6,300 millionaires, of which:
330 have a fortune of more than $10 million
20 are worth more than $100 million
Access to water and energy is slowly improving
Transport systems are getting better
Ways of Life in Lagos
Culture | Lagos has a mix of cultural traditions and the city is at the heart of the film industry in Africa. Called Nollywood, it produces approx. 1,500 films a year Although ‘western’ influence (fashion and food) is becoming more common, traditional clothing, street vendors and markets are still the most popular with Lagos Museum, being built as part of the redevelopment of the Onikan area of the city as a cultural hub The city has a growing arts scene, holds large street dance parties until dawn and events such as the Badagry Festival, Lagos Street Carnival and the One Lagos Fiesta, which gains international coverage Lagos is home to Afrobeat and Afro hip-hop music movement and attracts musicians from all over the world |
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Ethnicity | There are more than 250 ethnic groups represented in Lagos, due to heavy migration from other parts of Nigeria and surrounding countries. Lagos was originally inhabited by the Awori group of the Yoruba people There are small minorities of American, British, East Indian, Chinese, white Zimbabwean, Greek, Syrian, Lebanese and Japanese people There are over 500 different languages spoken in Lagos, with English, Pidgin and Yoruba being the most common |
Housing | With roughly 77 people moving to Lagos every hour, housing is very limited, making renting in Lagos expensive and buying a home almost impossible Housing is mixed in Lagos and range from skyscrapers, luxury apartments and high-rise flats within the city centre to colonial mansions and gated communities on Victoria Island to tin shacks on the outskirts. Very few can afford to buy their own homes and with no government social housing, roughly two thirds of the population live in slums, the largest being Makoko With the shortage of housing, a new urban district, Eko Atlantic City, is being built on land reclaimed from the sea, and is protected by an 8.5km sea wall, helping to build confidence in Lagos as a 'go to' city |
Leisure | Football is the national sport and some of the best players in Europe are Nigerian As an emerging city, leisure activities are limited and aimed at tourists, but they do take advantage the natural beaches and stunning scenery - some key areas are Landmark Leisure Beach, and Lekki Leisure Lake |
Consumption | As the population rises, so does the demand for resources. Lagos consumes half of Nigeria’s energy output As more people become wealthier, there is greater demand for consumer goods, so more resources are used There are shopping malls and mix of food markets and street vendors There is a growth of commercial and industrial zones, along with an overall improvement to economic development and standard of life |
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