Demise of the small town

Why have small towns declined?
- People are attracted to city areas by the prospect of better health care, schools, jobs, and quality of life.
- The involvement of large corporations in farming and agriculture has forced many small, family owned farms to cease operation.

Impacts of decline of small towns and rural areas:
- Decline in population leads to reduced educational and health services.
- Increasingly aged population (with reliance on private motor vehicles)
- Formation of regional groups to tackle issues such as resource management, marketing, tourism, infrastructure.
- State Governments have restructured local governments and merged smaller councils into regional councils.
- Many towns have changed from being around industry to being tourism -based

In the UK:
Rural decline threatens "ghost town Britain".

Changes in rural areas in MEDC (More Economically Developed Countries)

Rural Decline: case study

London "draining life" from rest of UK economy.

London's ecological footprint

City Limits: Londoners running up a massive debt on the Earth's resources

Looking for a challenging read?
London's ecological footprint: A review