Advantages and Disadvantages of Urbanization vs Rural Life

What is Urbanization?

This is the exodus of people from rural areas to a more developed city or urban area in the pursuit of a better life.

Advantages of Urbanization

The cities in the urban areas offer a wider range of employment opportunities that you will not find in a rural area. Most of the jobs in the urban areas are white-collar jobs with much better numerations and provide a better standard of living.

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The urban areas offer a solid transportation system with navigational road networks and different means of transportation from a high-speed rail system for passengers and cargo rails for moving goods from and to the city. The city boast of a taxi and bus system with bus-stops strategically located at different points around the city for ease of movement.

The city boast of well-secured points of access such as the harbors, Seaports, and Airports for both domestic and international travel and cargo trades and freight.

The urban areas offer state of the art technology and infrastructures such as good electricity grid infrastructure, an efficient communication system, and high-speed internet broadband, all this impacting positively the economic growth of the city.

The city is a beehive of activities with a myriad of well-structured entertainment arenas such as Theme parks,  Hotels, Event Centers, Sporting arena, Movie theaters, Gyms, museums, and Clubs. Also, they feature traditional recreational parks where people can ride, jog and walk their dogs.

The cities also provide access to diverse service centers such as big Medical Centers, a comprehensive School system (Elementary to College), and, a variety of public social services.

The social construct of the urban area is always rapidly evolving especially with a diverse population as its occupant.  Lifestyle in the city is a continuous buzz.

Disadvantage of Urbanization

As a result of the mass migration of people to urban areas, the workforce in rural areas is negatively impacted. Farming and food production that originates from rural areas is reduced.

There is overcrowding as everyone moves to the city, which impacts the cost of living and makes housing not easily accessible or too expensive when available.

The congestion in the city is responsible for a lot of health concerns. Personal hygiene is a problem as there is pressure on the limited infrastructure available in the urban area.

Waste disposal and treatment is a major issue due to congestion. The landfills mostly on the outskirts of the cities generate too many fumes that pollute the environ of the city's perimeter. These fumes if not properly disposed of can result in health concerns for the occupant of the city.

Although, the city boast of a structured transportation system, moving around could be a pain as overcrowding has resulted in heavy vehicular traffic that could impact when you get to your destination. This can invariably impact productivity.

Lastly, there is a high crime rate in the urban area because of the congestion and unemployment due to too many people chasing the same limited job opportunities. Also, the Police are stretched to the limit trying to cover a highly congested metropolis.

Advantages of Rural life

I believe life in the rural area is better than the urban area for the following reasons;

Community

The rural area is a picture-perfect of a classic "Hallmark movie" where everyone knows each other’s "business" in the community. Most of the people in town are small business owners such as the coffee shop,  the hardware store and town doctor so are interdependent on each other. You typically have everyone looking out for everyone else as a result of their small population.  

Housing

You hardly find a homeless person in the rural area because houses are more affordable and spacious compared to the small and expensive ones in the city.

Sanitation

The rural area offers a much cleaner environment with better routes for waste to the river unlike the pressured system in the urban area due to overcrowding and inadequate passageway for waste treatment.

Access

Although the rural area can not boast of a structured transportation system, driving around is much easier as there is no traffic and the environment is much pollution-free and offers better scenery

Recreationation

Although the rural area does not have the bulk of all the recreational facilities available in the big city, it does offer traditional recreational activities like out-door fairs, the Circus, the town dance party, special parades, and fishing and rivers side activities.

Health

There is a low rate of terminal diseases in the rural area mainly due to the lack of pollution and because they eat healthier as the food is fresh and more hygienic than what you will find in an urban area where the freshness is lost during transfer.

Conclusion

Rural life, though lacking in some highly desired infrastructure like high-speed internet and big essential social service centers. It does compensate for this by guaranteeing a much simpler, quieter and healthier lifestyle.

Resources

• ("Social Problems: Continuity and Change," n.d.)
• Url: htttps://www.mba-lectures.com/economics/790/rural-life-is-better-than-urban-life.html
• Url: https://www.conservationinstitute.org/what-is-urbanization/