Los Angeles - Megacity

LA
1. 2nd largest city in the USA.
2. Population of over 16.37 million.
3. Also a world city as well as a megacity.
Growth of the City
1. In 1876 a railway was built, half a million people arrived in LA in 40 years.
2. Opening of manufacturing industries - Ford car plant.
3. Discovery of oil meant it continued to grow.
4. Good weather enabled military and civil test aviation flights to take place - became a dominant industry.
5. Hollywood in 1920s & 1930s meant the film industry could grow.
Main Problems
1. Pollution
  1. High pressure is pushing down, trapping the pollution. The cool sea air traps the smog against the mountains, not allowing it to move out of the basin.
  2. Congested freeways.
2. Suburban Sprawl
  1. Became a problem in 1920s & 1930s when improvements in transport meant people live further away from work and have their own land.
Other Problems
1. Housing shortages due to migration.
2. Urban tension due to ethnic differences.
3. Deindustrialisation due to a decline in the second industry.
4. Water shortages - the water is piped from 217miles away, disputes with neighbouring countries and states.
5. There is up to 50,000 tonnes of waste per day.
6. Many migrants are excluded from health care and education as they can't afford to pay.
7. Only 30% of people use public transport and there are 10million vehicles on the road, usually results in congestion.
8. Massive energy usage.

Resource summary

	Created by bethlewis almost 10 years ago