Urbanisation & Housing

Urbanisation — the movement of people from rural to urban areas — is one of the defining trends of the modern world. IELTS frequently tests this topic in Writing Task 2, Task 1 (charts showing urban vs rural populations), and Speaking. You need vocabulary that covers causes, effects, and solutions.

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Core Vocabulary

Urban Growth

Word / Phrase	Definition	Example
urbanisation	The process of population shifting from rural to urban areas	Rapid urbanisation in developing countries has created enormous infrastructure challenges.
megacity	A city with a population exceeding 10 million	The number of megacities worldwide has tripled since 1990.
urban sprawl	The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas	Urban sprawl leads to increased car dependence and loss of agricultural land.
metropolitan area	A large city and its surrounding suburbs	The greater Tokyo metropolitan area is home to over 37 million people.
rural exodus / rural-urban migration	Mass movement of people from countryside to cities	The rural exodus has left many villages with ageing, declining populations.
overpopulation	Excessive population relative to available resources	Overpopulation in cities strains public services and infrastructure.
infrastructure	Basic physical systems (roads, water, electricity)	Inadequate infrastructure is a major obstacle to sustainable urban development.
congestion	Overcrowding, especially traffic	Traffic congestion costs the economy billions in lost productivity each year.

Housing

Word / Phrase	Definition	Example
affordable housing	Housing that is within the financial means of average earners	The shortage of affordable housing is a crisis in many major cities.
housing shortage	An insufficient supply of homes	A chronic housing shortage has driven prices to record levels.
homelessness	The state of having no permanent home	Homelessness is a visible symptom of deeper economic and social failures.
social housing	Government-subsidised housing for low-income residents	Investment in social housing has declined significantly since the 1980s.
property market	The buying and selling of land and buildings	The property market has become increasingly inaccessible to first-time buyers.
gentrification	The renovation of a neighbourhood, often displacing original residents	Gentrification revitalises rundown areas but can displace vulnerable communities.
slum / informal settlement	An overcrowded area with poor living conditions	An estimated one billion people worldwide live in slums.
tenant / landlord	Person who rents / person who owns and rents out property	The relationship between tenants and landlords is often a source of conflict.

Urban Planning and Solutions