Why do large cities tend to attract more migrants than smaller towns? Discuss in the light of conditions in developing countries. (Answer in 150 words)

Introduction

Large cities function as economic hubs where jobs, services, networks and aspirations concentrate, producing strong rural-urban and town-city migration.

Reasons for attraction

• Diverse formal and informal employment, higher wages and better prospects for social mobility.
• Universities, hospitals, transport, digital connectivity and specialised services are disproportionately concentrated.
• Existing migrant networks reduce information, housing and job-search costs.
• Metropolitan markets support construction, domestic work, delivery services and small entrepreneurship.

Developing-country conditions

• Rural underemployment, agrarian distress, climate shocks and unequal land access create push factors.
• Smaller towns may lack industrial diversity, reliable infrastructure and high-quality public services.
• However, informal settlements, congestion, pollution, insecure work and exclusion show that attraction does not guarantee welfare.

Keywords: rural-urban migration, agglomeration, informal sector, push-pull factors, social mobility.