Urban areas in MEDCs have experienced a range of problems in recent years. These include:

• Traffic problems. Car ownership and commuting means an increase in congestion and pollution.
• Decline in industry. As older manufacturing industries have closed they have left empty, derelict buildings towards the centre of the city. Modern industries need more space so tend to locate on the edge of the city.
• High unemployment in inner city areas (where the old industries were once located) leads to social problems.
• Changes in shopping have also caused problems. City centre locations are no longer favoured. There has been a recent growth in out of town shopping centres, which has led to the decline of many CBDs (central business districts).