The Difference between a City and a Metropolis

A city and its relationship to a metropolis

A city is typically described as a sizable, long-term enclave of people with an intricate network of housing, transportation, shared services, and sanitation facilities. According to Barney, a metropolis is a significant hub for a country in terms of its economic, sociocultural, and political characteristics. A metropolis is a big metropolitan area, sometimes greater than a city (2015). A metropolis serves as a crucial focal point for the country’s international and regional operations, relations, and infrastructure, even though cities typically support national activities and operations. Therefore, in this case, a large city within a given country that is part of a larger urban conurbation but is not at the center of it cannot be considered as a metropolis but rather as a part of the metropolis. It is therefore right to say that several cities that are contiguous and unified to each other and clustered around a large urban center form part of a metropolis.

Basic Patterns in the Growth of the Metropolis

The first fundamental pattern towards the growth and development of a metropolis is population change. Population change may be as a result of natural growth, immigration or emigration. Whatever case may bring about population change, it is usually a chief determinant of metropolis growth and development. Christopher (2000). Most of the metropolises experience population change in terms of increased immigration which in turn fosters economic development and growth within the urban centers. In most cases, metropolises that have high growth in regard to population are usually the fastest growing. Therefore, it makes sense that the higher the population growth of a given urban center, the faster it grows and the higher the chances of the center being part of a metropolis.

The relationship between employment and the growth of a metropolis

The other pattern that is fundamental to the growth of a metropolis is the capacity of employment to steadily grow with the growth and development of the metropolis. Employment growth as well as the economic dynamics is directly related to population growth in regards to the growth of a metropolis. There is definitely need to have steadily growing employment opportunities that will be able to be occupied by the large population. A fast growing economy is also basically part of the growth of a metropolis. Considering the fact that metropolises are usually interconnected to a whole region or at an international platform, it becomes fundamental that the economy should be growing at a steady rate.

The role of technology in the growth of a metropolis

In addition to these factors, another determining pattern of a growing metropolis is the ability of the urban center to be able to adapt to the changing world of science and technology and be able to embrace and incorporate the same into their system. Most of the rapidly growing metropolises boast of being very tech-savvy and the use of advanced technologies cannot go by unnoticed as Barney (2015) describes. Most of these technologies are visible in terms of improved and more efficient ways of transportation that are modern, fast and have little effect on the environment. Another one is bettered communication through cheaper rates and in the case of internet accessible and faster internet connection.

The impact of public policies on the growth of a metropolis

Another basic pattern of the growth of metropolises is the public policies that are put in place. While this means that the governing body within the metropolis is working, most of these policies are usually disadvantageous to the growth of the metropolis. According to Christopher (2000), most of these policies create extensive decentralization of resources within the metropolis, development of inequality in the metropolis in terms of income distribution or segregation of sorts. Other than that, there is always the disadvantage of large fiscal discrepancies within the metropolis area.

The importance of reviewing and correcting development patterns

It is therefore important to note that the development patterns in most growing metropolises are influenced by many different factors and while most of these factors remain positively inclined to the growth of the metropolis, others like the public policies have negative impacts on the their growth. It is therefore imperative that these patterns are reviewed in that they end up having a positive impact on the growth and development of the metropolises. Among the ways through which these policies can be rectified includes the introduction of policies that have a greater surface area when it comes to regional relations and operations. It is also important that the policies that are already distorted, thus affecting the growth of metropolises negatively, be corrected or scrapped off altogether.

The reasons behind migration into metropolises

Migration has led to large populations of people moving into urban centers among them cities and metropolises. Among the pull factors in the metropolises include the chances for landing better job opportunities. Employment opportunities in the metropolises are usually higher and the chances to get better jobs are also significantly higher. This therefore serves as one of the reasons why people are more attracted to urban centers. Other than the opportunities to land more lucrative jobs, there is also the fact that in these metropolises, health care is better and is more advanced than in other small towns or the countrysides. People are therefore more drawn to these facilities, as they are more effectual and advanced as compared to what they would receive in the developing towns.

Factors attracting people to metropolises

Apart from that, the fact that the metropolises offer better living standards is also a pull factor for so many people to migrate into these places. Facilities and utilities are in plenty, well accessible and life is generally fast moving in the metropolises. For many people and especially the youth this becomes a factor that pulls them into the metropolises. Most of the metropolises are areas that have developed in regard to social amenities as well as financial facilities. This therefore gives many people hope that the metropolises are the greener pastures they have been seeking. Education in these places is also advanced and the chances of getting into better schools or enrolling for better courses is seen as lying in these places.

Push factors for migrating to metropolises

While the metropolises seem to have so many amenities that attract masses of immigrants into them, the smaller towns and country sides also have several push factors that force people into moving to the larger cities with the hopes of landing a better chance at life. According to Barney (2015), one of the push factors is that the country sides and smaller towns are too overpopulated while the resources to accommodate the large populations are not enough for everyone. Most of the opportunities found in these smaller towns do not offer incomes that are as lucrative as those in bigger cities. These push factors have therefore become a major reason as to why people opt to migrate and settle in the bigger cities with the hopes that their silver lining lies somewhere in there.

The interconnectedness between a metropolis and its surrounding areas

As earlier noted, the metropolis may be linked and interconnected to a few large urban centers that may form the whole of the metropolis. The metropolis being a core representation of a country also forms the basis for the connection of that particular country to the rest of the world through communications and economic or social relations. Glaeser (1998). Within the country, it is also linked to some of the smaller towns and other parts of the country as it holds some of the major financial institutions, major schools and varsities as well as government offices. Although, most metropolises are considered to be independent on their own, the rest of the little considered urban centers support the growth and development of these metropolises.

Conclusion

As the basic patterns for the growth of metropolises continue to advance and grow, it becomes a lot easier for more urban centers to grow and develop into metropolises or form part of the metropolis. Through the combination of environmental, economic and social factors, metropolises are bound to become more evenhanded, pliant and have more appeal to people thus fostering more mass movement of the people into the metropolises. With the development of better public policies and the correction of the already existing policies, the growth of most of the metropolises may develop steadily and be able to accommodate more people.

References

Barney, C. (2015). Urbanization, City Growth and the New United Nations Development Agenda. 3(2). Cornerstone, The Official Journal of the World Coal Industry. Retrieved from http://cornerstonemag.net/urbanization-city-growth/

Christopher, W. (2000). Trends in Urbanization. Retrieved from http://www.icup.orgh.uk/reports%255CICUP601.pdf%3F

Glaeser, E. (1998). Are Cities Dying? The Journal of Economic Perspectives. 12(2). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1257%252Fjep.12.2.139