Uneven Demographic & Cultural Patterns
- Rural and urban places experience cultural differences due to:
- Internal migration
- International migration
- Significant internal movement of people has created uneven demographic and cultural patterns across the UK, as it has:
- Changed the total number of people living in an area
- Altered the structure of an area’s population
The North-South drift
The UK experienced a major internal migration, known as the North-South drift
The UK’s North-South drift
- Since deindustrialisation began, an estimated three million workers have migrated toward the southern areas of the UK
- Internal migrants tend to be:
- Young, mostly under 35
- Relatively skilled and more educated e.g. university qualifications
- Seeking employment opportunities in more prosperous areas of the UK
- As most internal migrants are young, it creates a lower average age in the area they are migrating to
Suburbanisation
- Suburbanisation has also changed the demographic and cultural patterns in places
- The majority of people moving out to the suburbs and beyond are retired people and young families, who want to live in quieter, more affordable living space
- As more homes become available, the inner-city areas experience an influx of immigrant ethnic groups (some of whom arrived after the Second World War)
- A more culturally diverse population is created e.g. London has a diverse population with a mix of British, Indian, African, Chinese and Caribbean cultures
London and the south-east
- The south-east receives most of the UK’s internal migrants, who are mainly young workers
- This internal migration creates regional disparities in the UK:
- More than one in five people living in Inner London (23.1%) are between 25 and 34 years old, compared to the rest of England (12.7%) (2023)
- 59 percent of London’s working-age population held a high-level qualification (NVQ4 or higher), compared to the rest of England (43%) (2020)
- Despite over 218,000 domestic migrants moving to London in 2020, net migration was negative as more people moved away from London (320,000)
- The majority of the people leaving London were aged 25-44 years old and 0-17 years old
- Most of these people moved to the commuter belts around London, as house prices are cheaper and there is more space to raise a family
Exam Tip
You are expected to know a range of mathematical and statistical skills. Before the exam, check you can do basic calculations e.g. mean, mode, range, percentages, equations, ratios and fractions
For example, use the calculation:
Distance (km) = Speed (km/hour) x Time (hour)
Worked example
The bus timetable from Sharnford village to Leicester city centre
Mondays to Fridays
Bus stop | Bus | Bus | Bus | Bus |
Sharnford | 0945 | 1230 | 1530 | 1815 |
Sapcote | 0950 | 1235 | 1535 | 1820 |
Stoney Stanton | 0955 | 1240 | 1538 | 1825 (last stop) |
Fosse Park | 1000 | 1245 | 1545 | - |
West End | 1008 | 1253 | 1553 | - |
City centre | 1015 | 1300 | 1600 | - |
Figure 4
Using Figure 4, complete the table below by calculating the journey time and journey distance from Sharnford to Leicester city centre.
[2 marks]
Sharnford to Leicester city centre |
|
Journey time |
………………………………. hours |
Speed of journey |
34 km/hour |
Journey distance |
………………………………. km |
Answer:
Sharnford to Leicester city centre |
|
Journey time |
0.5 hours (1) |
Speed of journey |
34 km/hour |
Journey distance |
17 kms (1) |