GEO2: NEW YORK

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THE DEVELOPMENT OF A METROPOLITAN AREA

New York Metropolitan area

This is the most common and developed metropolitan area in USA and it’s the fourth in the world after Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico city. The area includes: New York, Long island, New Jersey, Comedian, Pennsylvania. The major cities in this region include: New York, Jersey city, New York city, Yonkers Paterson. This area had got a total area of 17,405kq² with population of 19 million.

DEVELOPMENT OF NEW YORK CITY 

New York city is found in New York state, however, it is not the capital city of New York state. New York is the largest city in USA and it was initially located on Manhattan highlands it covering the total are of 830 sq.km with a population of 8.2 million people.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 

New York begun as a Dutch settlement in 1684. They came from Holland in search of land for settlement and wealth. When they reached this city they named it New Amsterdam.

In 1664, it was taken over by the British settlers who named it New York. The population continued to grow due to the immigrants who were attracted to this area. This led to expansion of the city into other islands. It is now made up of several administration cities or boroughs and these include: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island.

The major Islands on which New York is sited include:

• Staten Island
• Manhattan Island
• Bronx Island
• Queens island
• Brooklyn Island

A SKETCH MAP OF THE SITES OF NEW YORK CITY

The site of New York 

The term site means the physical characteristics of the actual ground on which the town is located i.e. the natural environment on which the town exists.

Advantages of the site of New York

1. The island has fresh water as a result of rivers around it for both domestic and industrial use
2. Being an island, it was easy to defend against enemies
3. The island had fertile soils derived from river erosion for agricultural practices
4. Her flat nature made construction of roads and railways easy
5. It had hard metamorphic rocks which supported construction of infrastructure such as sky scrappers
6. It has deep waters surrounding the port which enables big ships to sail hence handling a large bulk of cargo.

Disadvantages of New York site

1. Its flat nature has encouraged floods and swamps especially in the north of Manhattan island

1. Rivers and bays hinder movement from one part of the city to another
2. Its location attracts many people in the city leading to congestion of both traffic and people.

FACTORS THAT ATTRACTED EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT AND AGRICULTURE

1. Presence of the warm climate conditions which were favourable for settlement and agriculture.
2. Presence of fertile soils especially along the river, it supported agriculture.
3. The presence of good Natural harbors that enable easy Navigation.
4. The strategic position of New York favored European settlement since it could be easily defended against external attacks.
5. The existence of the hostile Indians that acted as obstacle for the European immigrates from the interior.

FACTORS FOR THE RAPID GROWTH OF NEW YORK CITY

1. Presence of a sheltered natural harbor which is not affected by strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean
2. Its strategic location on the eastern coast of North America gave it easy accessibility to handle water traffic from Africa, Europe and South America.
3. The presence of a rich and productive hinterland provided a variety of goods to be handled both agricultural and industrial.
4. The generally flat relief provided ideal conditions for the construction of sky scrapers and other infrastructure.
5. The existence of hard basement rocks provided a strong foundation for construction of tunnels and sky scrapers
6. She experiences ice-free conditions which enable the port to function all year round
7. It has a low tidal range allowing port activities to be carried out through out without disturbance by waves
8. She has deep water harbours allowing anchorage of large vessels near the shore throughout the year
9. It also has wide rivers giving large space for docks and quays (a long structure where boats are tied for loading and off-loading of goods)
10. There are also numerous islands like long island, Staten, Queens giving ample space for the expansion of the city
11. Its location at the southern end of the Hudson Mohawk gap gave it accessibility to the interior Great Lakes region, and the Prairies which are rich in agricultural products and mineral resources
12. New York had a diversity of functions such as being the headquarters of the united nations making it politically stable
13. The presence of advanced technology allowed construction of modern bridges and tunnels to connect the various islands making up the city
14. The presence of a variety of transport means like air, water and railways gave it easy accessibility to its hinterland
15. Historically, the coming of the early settlers, the Dutch and later the British founded the city and led to its development
16. The favorable government policy of providing a large capital base for developing the city further led to its growth
17. The availability of highly skilled labour to construct the infrastructure in the city also favored its growth.

FUNCTIONS OF NEW YORK CITY

• The city of New York plays an Administrative role e.g Has the headquarters of United Nations (UN).
• New York as a communication centre. This is import because many of the roads and railways convey in New York.
• It has a number of small ports which handle National and International cargo ant it also has the major sea port that handles a number of Vessels.
• New York as a commercial centre. New York is one of the world’s business centers i.e one of the centre of the world’s biggest centre is located on Manhattan. It also has several stock exchange e.g the New York wall street, Advertising Agencies. There are also a number of Banks and other financial institutions.
• New York as a recreational centre. It has several recreation facilities and entertainment centers for example Night Clubs, Cinema halls, Restaurants, etc.
• As a Centre of Social Services. These include Hospitals, Research Institution, Churches/Religious centres, etc.
• New York as an Educational centre. There several education facilities and centres and these include the Universities, Collages, Public libraries, etc.
• New York as a port. It is one of the biggest ports in the world. It handles half of the entire North America’s trade.
• As a residential. Several people reside in New York, however there are different classes of people in New York staying in different areas.

Factors which led to a large population size in New York 

• Location of New York on the Eastern sea board of U.S.A which has a very large population concentration of over 200 people km².
• The presence of a natural harbor which made New York as a large entre port.
• There was intense rural- urban migration in search for employment opportunities.
• Existence of a variety of functions in New York for example administration, commercial, recreation, communication attracted many people.
• Efficient transport and communication made it possible to access by roads, water and air.
• The presence of a rich hinterland, agriculturally and industrially productive attracted large populations.
• Manhattan Island with a strong basement rock suitable for construction of tall buildings adequate for accommodation.
• New York hosts the head-quarters of international organizations of U.N which attract populations and employment.
• Favourable government policy (liberal migration laws) like the green card system which allows free settlement in New York.
• A relatively flat land favoring construction of infrastructure.
• Political stability for free movement to the city.
• Improved health facilities which have reduced death rates.
• Historical factors because of early settlement of the British and Dutch.

Sky scrappers; These are very expensive residential areas mainly found in Manhattan and are mainly occupied by the high income groups.

Suburbs; They are found outside the city centre and are mainly occupied by normal people.

Slums; These are mainly occupied by the low income groups of people who are unemployed. They include: Bronx, Harlem and Tenement.

NEW YORK AS A PORT

What is a port?

This is a place next to navigable water with facilities of docking of ships or water vessels. It also involves loading and off loading of goods and passengers.

What is a Dock?

This is a place enclosed with water at the top that is used for loading of goods or for repairing ships.

What is a dry lock?

This is an area from which water is emptied for use.

What is a harbor?

This is a sheltered stretch of water at the coast where ships can shelter and obtain for protection of storms, ocean current and tidal waves.

FACTORS THAT HAVE FAVOURED THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW YORK AS A HARBOUR/PORT

New York has deep waters for example the channels on the eastern side of the Hudson river is 14 m deep and these has enabled large ships to sail through.

It has ice free conditions i.e the waters of New York do not freeze during winter hence navigation is carried out through out the year.

New York has a low tidal range (is the difference in the height of the water at the coast). It could be low and high. The tidal range is less than 2 m and this enables the activities to be carried out through out the year.

Presence of hard rocks which provides a firm foundation for a dock yard construction.

Presence of sheltered water. New York port is sheltered from the strong winds by low islands.

The entrance of the harbour is free from coral reefs.

Exports handled by the Port.

Machinery, textiles chemicals, wheat, electronics, timber, canned food, automobiles

Imports handled by the Port.

Coffee, cotton, tea, cocoa, iron ore, copper, diamonds, oil, coal, uranium, gold.

PROBLEMS NEW YORK FACES

Environmental problems facing New York (Port/ City)

1. A lot of pollution of air, water and land by poor disposal of wastes, vehicle fumes, chemicals and gases degrading the environment
2. Traffic congestion especially during rush hours leads to accidents and delays
3. There is overcrowding of the city leading to shortage of space for settlement
4. There is destruction of vegetation for land for settlement and industrialization leading to environmental degradation
5. There are high rates of unemployment due to high population
6. There is a problem of poor sanitation leading to easy spread of diseases
7. There are inadequate housing facilities leading to the development of slums or ghettos and their associated problems like theft, prostitution.
8. They are faced with smog which leads to poor visibility resulting into accidents losing lives and property
9. They are faced with high rates of crime due to unemployment
10. There is limited land for expansion due to high population in the city
11. They are faced with high costs of living due to high demand for goods and services
12. There is racial discrimination especially among the whites and Negros causing insecurity
13. Over expansion (urban sprawl) has limited land for other activities such as recreation, creation of Green parks etc.
14. There are high levels of moral decay like drug abuse and prostitution

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

1. Construction of underground tunnels flyovers and subways to ease the congestion on the road.
2. Bridges have also been constructed to connect the different islands e.g. Verrazono Bridge families have been encountered to reduce on the number of vehicles owned and have also been urged to use buses and trains as they go to work.
3. Traffic lights and policemen have also been enforced to solve the problem of traffic jam.
4. Slums have been abolished and better houses have been built. This is what is referred to urban renewal.
5. Sky scuppers have been setup and suburbs have been extended.
6. Works in Manhattan have been encouraged to commute from the main land
7. Reclamation of marsh land.
8. Industries are encouraged to treat their waste before disposal.
9. Laws have been posed to protect environment.
10. Vehicle in dangerous conditions have been discouraged.
11. Research has also been carried out in order to produce wastes that don’t pollute the environment.
12. To minimise the effect of over population, urban-rural migrations been set aside to provide more social service.
13. To solve the problem of unemployment, the government has taken steps to create market for American foods and this will lead to increased production in order to expand job opportunities.
14. To solve crime; the polices force has been strengthened through the provision of the necessary equipment by the sheriff and FBI. In additions, laws have been enforced to deal with the criminals.
15. Anti racist laws have been passed to minimise the problem of racism
16. The problem of limited space for expansion has been solved by building sky scraps and the radiation of swampy lands

Disadvantage of New York City

• New York being located on island means that there is limited space for expansion.
• It is sited on many islands which require the building of many bridges. In order to connect other islands this may be very expensive.
• Additionally, it is sited on marsh land which requires radiation and this is very expensive.
• Furthermore, the area can be sited on Manhattan Island which is believed to be to be shrinking because of the heavy buildings that were put there.

Containerisation, This is the parking of goods in large standard metallic boxes that are then stilled and then places of origin and remain unchanged are sealed and then exported to their final destination.

Advantages

1. They protect goods against the theft
2. Protects goods from danger of pests and insects.
3. They protect against bad weather.
4. It makes it easy for offloading of goods.
5. It is time saving i.e it takes a shorter time to load on the containers.
6. The containers have enough space and thus many goods can be transported in container.

Disadvantages

1. It is very expensive to acquire the container and other facilities like the cranes.
2. It is also uneconomical to use these container especially when you have small amounts of goods.
3. The containers are bulky and they occupy a lot of space leading to over crowding at the port.
4. It leads to unemployment of people who could lead the goods and offload them.

Problems faced by the transport sector in New York City

1. Traffic congestion leading to delays in movements especially during peak hours.
2. There are narrow bridges which slow down traffic causing delays.
3. Transshipment from ferry to land is costly and time consuming.
4. There is a problem of fog leading to poor visibility causing accidents.
5. There is a problem of slow ferry movement leading to delays.
6. It is also associated with accidents and deaths caused by traffic congestion.
7. They are also faced with high transport fares due to high demand for means of transport
8. They also experience high construction costs of bridges and tunnels.

Effects of the transport sector on the environment in New York  

There are both positive and negative effects of transport on the environment. The following are the positive effects;

1. It facilitates the development of trade and commerce by connecting to various markets centres
2. It has led to urbanization because of easy movement of people
3. It has led to industrial development because of easy transportation of goods to market centres and raw materials to industrials
4. It provided employment opportunities in form of engineers, mechanics, drivers
5. It has facilitated the movement of people and goods
6. It has facilitated the growth of the tourist industry by easing movement while the subways and magnificent bridges form tourist attractions
7. It facilitated the development of regional and international co-operation by linking different countries.

Negatively

1. There is pollution caused by vehicles emitting fumes.
2. Creation of barren land where rocks have been excavated.
3. There is loss of aquatic life due to oil spillage.
4. There is loss of bio-diversity where animals and birds migrate due to noise pollution.
5. It has led to global warming due to gases emitted in the atmosphere.
6. Smog in the atmosphere causes poor visibility leading to accidents.

INDUSTRIALIZATION IN NEW YORK  

There are two types of industries in New York i.e.

1. Light industries
2. Heavy industries

Light industries

• Printing and publishing; mainly found in central Manhattan and they deal in paper production and book printing
• Textiles; concentrated in the jersey area and specialize in production of women clothing and carpets
• Food processing; dealing in brewing soft drinks and processing tea, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tobacco, meat.
• Shoe making and furniture industries;

Most of the light industries are located in the suburbs of New York and on long island due to ample space

Heavy industries

1. Ship building; deals in ship repairing and building
2. Engineering; deals in production of engines, motor vehicles etc.
3. Chemical industries; are bases on oil as their raw material and produce goods such as plastics, detergents, cosmetics, industrial acids etc.
4. Oil refining

Factors that have favored the growth of industries in New York    

1. The presence of relatively flat relief enabled easy construction of industries
2. The presence of abundant raw materials for industries such as iron ore used in the iron and steel industries
3. Presence of abundant power supply to run machinery and for lighting in form of oil, coal and hydro electricity

4. The strategic location of New York on the eastern sea board gives it easy access to the imported raw materials like cotton, copper, coffee etc.
5. The presence of well-developed transport and communication network like roads, railways, water and air used to transport raw materials to industrial centers and finished products to market centers
6. Presence of adequate capital to buy industrial raw materials, machinery and for paying off workers
7. Presence of advanced technology where much of the work is automated leading to high quality and quantity output
8. Presence of abundant supply of skilled labor force to work in the industries as engineers, technicians, managers etc.
9. Presence of a large domestic and foreign market for the manufactured goods Political stability attracted both foreign and local investors in the industrial sector.
10. A positive government policy of encouraging and promoting industrialization in New York
11. The availability of vast land for establishing and expanding industrial establishments

Contributions/importance of industries in New York 

• It is a source of employment opportunities to the people earning income with which they have improved their standards of living
• It has led to the development of infrastructure such as roads hospitals etc.
• It is a source of government revenue in form of taxes and this is used to develop other sectors of the economy like agriculture
• It has helped to develop skills among workers like technicians improving their efficiency
• It has led to international relationships with countries that import her goods increasing international trade
• It promotes urbanization in New York due to infrastructural development in the town centers attracting big populations
• It is a source of foreign exchange obtained after exportation of industrial goods used to develop other sectors like transport network
• It has helped to promote mineral exploitation in the USA encouraging the development of the mining and industrial sectors
• It has helped in the economic diversification of USA through the booming trade activities
• It has helped to improve the agricultural sector by providing ready market for their goods
• It has encouraged the growth of the tourist sector where the various industries are an attraction as well as a source of the needed industrial goods.
• It has promoted research which has resulted into greater innovations and inventions.

Problems faced due to industrial development in New York

1. Pollution of air, water and land due to poor industrial waste disposal and emission of poisonous fumes endangering human life
2. There is increased population causing overcrowding and its related problems like poor sanitation
3. There is shortage of accommodation facilities leading to slum development and associated problems like theft high crime rate
4. There is a problem of land shortage due to increased industrial growth
5. There are high crime rates due to wide spread unemployment such as drug abuse, theft prostitution etc.
6. Exhaustion of resources especially minerals which are used by the industries
7. There are high levels of unemployment due to increased populations attracted by the industries in the area so
8. Traffic congestion is common especially on the roads where is movement of goods to market centres and raw materials to industries
9. There are inadequate social services like health centres, recreational centres etc. because priority is given to industrial establishments

Solutions to the problems above

1. Underground tunnels and subways are built for vehicles and trains to reduce congestion
2. Encouraging treating industrial wastes, gases and chemicals before dumping to reduce pollution
3. Expanding the city both horizontally by extending to nearby islands and vertically by construction of sky scrapers to solve the problem of land shortage
4. Reclaiming of more land for settlement to reduce over crowding
5. Training more policemen to reduce the crime rates
6. Importation of raw materials to solve the problem of exhaustion of particularly minerals
7. Construction of more industries to create more jobs in order to solve the unemployment problem.

Effects of the development of New York port on the physical environment

1. There is pollution of the environment through emission of toxic gasses in the atmosphere and disposal of wastes in water and on land.
2. They are faced with smog or fog due to industrial pollution leading to poor visibility hence accidents.
3. Development of slums leading to poor sanitation and spread of diseases.
4. High prices of land due to competition among land uses leading to land shortage Destruction of marginal lands or swamps leading to loss of natural beauty and floods.
5. There is land shortage leading to high costs.
6. Extension of concrete surface increases surface run off resulting in floods.
7. There is traffic congestion between Long Island, Newark and Manhattan leading to delays in movement.

Steps being taken to improve New York port

• Continuous dredging to remove silt allowing the harbor to remain deep.
• Increase the construction of bridges and ferries connecting Manhattan to the surrounding areas.
• Construction of alternative means of transport such as airways, subways, flyovers to reduce on congestion.
• Construction of more skyscrapers such as The Trump Tower to reduce on shortage of land.
• Recycling or treatment of industrial wastes before dumping and proper disposal of wastes.
• Containerization to reduce on handling time and space.
• Time tabling of voyages to reduce congestion.
• Carry out urban renewal to solve the problem of slums.
• Encourage opening up of inland ports on the mainland to reduce congestion at the port.
• Use of radar system or flood lights to improve on visibility.

COMPARISON BETWEEN NEW YORK AND MOMBASA PORT

DIFFERENCES

QUESTION

Everyday between 7 am to 10 am several people enter Manhattan in the table.

Draw a pie chart and represent the information in the table

THIS VIDEO EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN IN NEW YORK CITY