How is a city in the developed world laid out, what problems does it face, and how are they managed?
The land use zones of a city in the developed world; recent urban changes and the problems of housing, traffic and the city centre; and the management strategies used to deal with them.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on cities in the developed world, covering urban land use zones, recent changes, the problems of housing, traffic and the city centre, and the management strategies used to deal with them, with a UK city example.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to describe the land use zones of a city in the developed world, explain the recent changes and the problems of housing, traffic and the city centre, and explain the management strategies used to tackle them. You should refer to a named city, such as Glasgow.
Land use zones
Cities in the developed world grew outwards in rings, so land use changes from the centre to the edge.
Recent urban changes
Cities are always changing:
- Inner-city redevelopment - old slums and derelict factories cleared and replaced with flats, business parks and waterfront developments.
- Urban sprawl - new estates and retail parks built on the rural-urban fringe, sometimes onto green belt land.
- Out-of-town shopping - large retail parks with free parking draw shoppers away from the CBD.
- Gentrification - run-down inner-city areas improved and bought by wealthier residents.
The main problems
Three groups of problems come up most in the exam:
- Traffic - rush-hour congestion on old, narrow roads; air pollution and noise; a shortage of parking.
- Housing - shortages of affordable homes, run-down older housing, and pressure to build on green spaces.
- The city centre - the CBD loses shoppers to out-of-town retail parks, leaving empty shops.
Management strategies
City authorities tackle each problem:
- Traffic - build ring roads and bypasses; provide park-and-ride; add trams, bus lanes and cycle lanes; pedestrianise the centre; charge for parking or use low-emission zones.
- Housing - clear slums and build new flats; renovate older estates; build affordable housing; redevelop brownfield (used) land rather than green belt.
- City centre - pedestrianise and modernise the CBD, add covered shopping centres, improve public transport in and provide events to draw shoppers back.
Examples in context
Example 1. Glasgow. Inner-city tenements were cleared and replaced with new housing and waterfront regeneration along the Clyde, while the M8 and park-and-ride at rail stations tackle commuter traffic.
Example 2. London Docklands. A derelict former port area redeveloped into Canary Wharf, with offices, flats and the Docklands Light Railway, a classic example of inner-city redevelopment.
Try this
Q1. Name the land use zone at the very centre of a city. [1 mark]
- Cue. The Central Business District (CBD).
Q2. State one solution to city-centre traffic congestion. [1 mark]
- Cue. Park-and-ride (or ring roads, trams, bus lanes, pedestrianisation).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style6 marksFor a developed-world city you have studied, describe the traffic problems and explain solutions used to deal with them.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark answer wants problems described and solutions explained, so split your marks: roughly three on traffic problems and three on solutions.
Problem 1. At rush hour, large numbers of commuters drive into the city centre, causing congestion and long delays on narrow, old roads not built for heavy traffic.
Problem 2. Heavy traffic causes air pollution and noise, harming health, and there is a shortage of parking so cars block streets.
Solutions. Build a ring road and bypass to keep through-traffic out of the centre; provide park-and-ride so commuters leave cars on the edge and take buses or trams in; improve public transport with new tram, bus and rail links.
Further solutions. Pedestrianise the centre and create bus lanes and cycle lanes; charge for or restrict city-centre parking and introduce low-emission or congestion charging zones.
Markers reward each problem described clearly and each solution explained and matched to a problem. Naming a real city such as Glasgow strengthens the answer.
SQA N5 style4 marksDescribe the land use zones found in a city in the developed world.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Describe answer rewards four clearly different zones, each with what is found there.
The Central Business District (CBD) is at the centre, with shops, offices and services, tall buildings and high land values, and good transport links.
The inner city surrounds the CBD, with older terraced housing and former factories, much of it redeveloped with flats and business parks.
The suburbs lie further out, with newer, lower-density semi-detached and detached housing, gardens and local shops.
The rural-urban fringe is on the edge, with the newest housing estates, retail and business parks, and open countryside being built on. Markers reward each zone named and described in the correct order from centre to edge.
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Sources & how we know this
- National 5 Geography Course Specification (C833 75) — SQA (2025)
- National 5 Geography - Course overview and resources — SQA (2025)