Residents of a coastal district in Manila produced Fig. 1 during a community mapping exercise. It shows an informal settlement beside a railway and drainage...
Question 1 Report
Residents of a coastal district in Manila produced Fig. 1 during a community mapping exercise. It shows an informal settlement beside a railway and drainage channel. Many households have moved to the city from rural islands because employment, education and health care are concentrated in the urban area. The city government wants to reduce risk without removing people from their jobs. A proposed upgrading programme includes secure water points, surfaced paths and legal occupancy agreements.
(a) Identify the transport route shown beside the settlement in Fig. 1. [1]
(b) Identify two reasons why land beside the drainage channel is a hazardous place to build homes. [2]
(c) Identify two benefits of an in-situ upgrading programme compared with moving all residents to a distant estate. [2]
Fig. 1 shows a planning team's sketch of rapid outward growth at the edge of Nairobi. The team is studying how a city can grow when its population increases through natural change and migration. The shaded area is former farmland that has been replaced by housing, workshops and roads. Table 1 gives estimates from the same urban study. The planners are concerned that development may occur faster than water pipes, schools and waste collection can be extended.
| Year | Population of Nairobi, million | Built-up area, km² |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.1 | 250 |
| 2010 | 3.1 | 380 |
| 2020 | 4.4 | 570 |
(a) Identify the type of land use shown being replaced by new housing in Fig. 1. [1]
(b) Identify one feature in Table 1 that shows rapid urban growth between 2000 and 2020. [1]
(c) Identify two challenges this growth could create for the city authorities. [2]
Answer Details
Informal settlement in Manila
(a) The transport route beside the settlement is a railway (rail line). [1]
(b) Land beside a drainage channel is hazardous because:
- The channel may flood, putting homes and residents at risk. [1]
- Contaminated water can spread disease. [1]
Unstable or eroding banks that may collapse, and homes blocking drainage and increasing flood depth, are also acceptable. Any two hazards gain the marks. [2]
(c) In-situ upgrading means improving conditions where residents already live, rather than relocating everyone. Two benefits are:
- Residents remain close to their existing jobs, so their access to income is less disrupted. [1]
- Existing social networks are retained, including support from neighbours, family and community groups. [1]
It is also valid that schooling and livelihoods are less disrupted, or that improving services may cost less than complete relocation. These benefits matter because distant relocation can separate people from employment and support networks. [2]
Urban growth in Nairobi
(a) The land use being replaced by housing is agricultural land (farmland). [1]
(b) One clear piece of evidence of rapid urban growth is that Nairobi's population rose from 2.1 million in 2000 to 4.4 million in 2020. [1]
The increase in built-up area from 250 km2 to 570 km2 is an equally valid feature. A high-mark response should quote the dates and figures rather than merely saying that the population increased.
(c) Two challenges for city authorities are:
- A shortage of affordable housing if homes are not built fast enough for the growing population. [1]
- Greater pressure on water supply or sanitation because more people need clean water and sewage services. [1]
Other acceptable challenges are more waste requiring collection, overcrowded schools or health services, and traffic congestion. The underlying issue is that population growth and outward expansion can happen faster than infrastructure and public services can be extended. [2]
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