Choose exam board for KS4 Computer Science (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 English
Choose exam board for KS4 French
Choose exam board for KS4 Geography
Choose exam board for KS4 German
Choose exam board for KS4 History
Choose tier for KS4 Maths
Choose exam board for KS4 Music
Choose exam board for KS4 Physical education (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 Religious education (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 Spanish

      GIS: Visualising and analysing the growth of cities

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can use GIS to visualise and analyse the growth of cities around the world.

      Key learning points

      1. GIS can be used to visualise cities around the world.
      2. India and China now have a large number of megacities.
      3. Cities with a lower HDI often have faster growth rates than cities with a higher HDI.
      4. GIS can be used to analyse the growth of different cities around the world.

      Keywords

      • Megacity - a city with a population over 10 million

      • Human Development Index (HDI) - a composite measure of development that gives a score between 0 and 1, based on indicators of health, education, and income

      • Basemap - a background map or satellite image you can choose in GIS that lets you add other layers of information on top

      Common misconception

      Cities are growing at the same rate everywhere around the world.

      Cities are growing at different rates around the world. Often, cities in countries with a lower HDI are growing more rapidly than cities in countries with a higher HDI.

      Teacher tip

      Pupils can study the cities which are referred to in other parts of your curriculum. This will help pupils make links with other topics of study.

      Equipment

      Computers, tablets or laptops with an internet connection.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

      Loading...

      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Match the keywords to their definitions:

      Correct Answer:Urban,Related to towns and cities

      Related to towns and cities

      Correct Answer:Quality of life,General well-being and comfort of people

      General well-being and comfort of people

      Correct Answer:Services,Things provided for people, like schools

      Things provided for people, like schools

      Q2.
      In cities, like transport, schools, and hospitals are often under pressure.

      Correct Answer: services

      Q3.
      Which of the following is a challenge of city life?

      Lots of green space
      No buildings
      Everyone living on farms
      Correct answer: Overcrowding

      Q4.
      Why might people move to live in cities?

      To find more animals
      Correct answer: To find jobs or better services
      To farm the land
      To get away from everyone

      Q5.
      Which of these is likely to reduce quality of life in a city?

      Correct answer: Air pollution
      Clean water
      Green parks
      Good transport

      Q6.
      Which of these shows a misunderstanding about city life?

      Correct answer: Services always grow as fast as the population
      People live close together
      There is a mix of rich and poor areas
      Cities can be noisy and busy

      5 Questions

      Q1.
      Match the keywords to their definitions:

      Correct Answer:Megacity,A city with a population over 10 million

      A city with a population over 10 million

      Correct Answer:Human Development Index (HDI) ,Score (0–1) measuring health, education and income

      Score (0–1) measuring health, education and income

      Correct Answer:Basemap ,Background map/image used to add data layers in GIS

      Background map/image used to add data layers in GIS

      Q2.
      What is the purpose of a basemap in GIS?

      To provide a population figure
      Correct answer: To show a background layer you can add data to
      To predict the weather
      To block other layers

      Q3.
      Which of the following is not part of HDI?

      Life expectancy
      Education level
      Correct answer: Carbon footprint
      Income per person

      Q4.
      Which cities tend to grow fastest?

      Cities in high HDI countries
      Correct answer: Cities in lower HDI countries
      Cities near oceans only
      Cities with no airports

      Q5.
      Which of these shows a misunderstanding about urban growth?

      Correct answer: Cities grow at the same rate everywhere
      GIS can help us track change
      Lower HDI cities may grow quickly
      City growth varies around the world

      To help you plan your 8 geography lesson on: GIS: Visualising and analysing the growth of cities, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...