Task 1. China Urbanisation
Key question: What are the causes and effects of the unprecedented internal migration of people within China.
China is experiencing the largest urbanisation event in history.
In 1950 13% of people in China lived in cities.
By 2010, the urban share of the population had grown to 45%; the total urban population is projected to reach 60% by 2030.
Twenty-five of the world’s largest 100 cities are in China
To do: A report that examines urbanisation in China
1. Introduction
What is the report about? Where is China?
2. The urbanisation trend in China
Describe and explain the urbanisation trend in China (Use graphs and examples to support your investigation)
3. Population distribution
Investigate the changes in the distribution of population in China between 1990 and the present day,
Use a map or graph (China population distribution changes) to show evidence of this change.
Add your own annotations to explain your observations.
4. Push factors
Explain three (3) Push factors leading people to leave rural areas for the city?
5. Pull factors
Explain three (3) Pull factors that are drawing people to urban regions of China?
6. The impact of urbanisation on rural and urban areas
Explain the impacts of this mass migration on rural and urban areas
Tips and tricks
Include evidence to support your discussion and analysis. This could be in the form of maps, diagrams, and graphs or even images.
Make sure each image is captioned and your annotations identify the key features.
the report must include a bibliography.
Carefully check your work and proof read for spelling and grammar mistakes before submitting it.
How to do the China Urbanisation report
1. Introduction
Define urbanisation.
Where is China? Use a map
Briefly explain the urbanisation of China with a quote.
What is the total population of China? Use a graph
2. The urbanisation trend in China
The urbanisation trend describes the growth in the urban population in China.
Describe and explain the urbanisation trend in China using graphs and examples to support your discussion.
According to the China National Bureau of Statistics, ‘China’s urbanisation ratio (i.e., the share of population living in urban areas) reached 67% in 2024, maintaining a pace of over 1 percentage point increase per year over the past 45 years. It is described as the largest experiment in human settlement in history.’
What is China's urbanisation rate?
Insert an annotated graph showing the urbanisation trend in China.
Where to get a graph? Our World in Data
Using Our World in Data allows us to access and use reliable global datasets on geography topics including urbanisation, population, health and the economy. You can use the Our World in Data graphs and maps or download the data and make your own.
Visual representations such as graphs help us identify trends and patterns in the data.
See more Our World in Data graphs below
Pro tip: You can download the data for each graph and make your own graph.
Make sure to include (Graph by author) in the caption.
3. Population distribution in China
The growth of China’s cities has changed the population distribution.
How has the population distribution of China changed between 1990 and 2020?
Annotate a map to show this change.
Use a map of China’s megacities to explain where people are migrating to.
4. Explain three (3) PUSH factors causing people to leave rural areas and move to the city.
Define push factors then use examples to describe three push factors.
The forces behind rural-urban migration are often described in terms of push and pull.
Push factors cause workers to leave their rural homes.
Rural Chinese who once shunned the 'pull' effect of major cities are now being 'pushed' there. There are several reasons for people moving from rural areas.
Low wages and unemployment
Quality of life
Poverty
Possible graphs to illustrate this section
China % poverty
‘China’s unprecedented urbanisation was partly driven by the disappointing reality of rural education in China.’
Borgen magazine. 2023
5. Explain three (3) PULL factors causing people to leave rural areas and move to the city.
Explain three (3) pull factors causing people to leave rural areas and move to the city.
Define pull factors then describe two pull factors.
The forces behind rural-urban migration are often described in terms of push and pull.
Pull factors attract workers to the urban centres.
Many Chinese people move to the city because they are seeking a better life.
Better income
Better education
Better healthcare
Possible graphs to illustrate this section
China literacy %
China life expectancy
China GDP per capita
This is a graph showing employment in China.
What do you notice about the percentage of people working in agriculture vs industry and services since 1991?
How does this represent Urbanisation in China?
Extra: Download the data and make your own graph.
6. The impact of urbanisation on rural and urban areas.
An ageing rural population
Declining economic activity in rural areas
Demand for jobs and infrastructure in cities
Environmental costs in cities
‘Conditions for the elderly remain particularly challenging in the countryside, where many older individuals lead financially precarious lives marked by poor health and isolation’.
Shanghai Daily. 2015
