Social Risk and Vulnerabilities: Allegany County and Baltimore City - Research Paper Example

 Social Risks and Vulnerabilities Part ALLEGANY COUNTY Allegany County is a suburban county situated along the Southern Tier of Upstate New York. Allegany County occupies an area of 1, 030 square miles. The county’s projected 2005 United States Census population, 50,602, remained fundamentally constant from the early 1970’s, with a somewhat estimated raise of 675 from the 49, 927. Allegany is ranked 49th out of 62 counties per square population. The population mass is 48.47% per square mile. But as of 2010 census, the population was 75, 087. The western section of Maryland was initially part of Prince George’s County when Maryland was formed 1696. Allegany County was created in 1789 by the division of Washington County. During this time it the westernmost county in Maryland, however the divide in 1872 formed Garrett County, the present westernmost county. Before 1789, the Virginia Commonwealth claimed the region of the current day Garrett and Allegheny Counties, of Maryland. A 1771 to1780 map of Virginia’s counties, indicates Hampshire County, however the Virginia State frontier has Hampshire outside that boundary line. When carrying out geographical research, it is probable to establish tax records for Hampshire County, Virginia included in Maryland documentations, and Maryland records in Hampshire County. Conversely, Hampshire County was created in 1758 by the Virginia Commonwealth and its creation, included the current day counties of Garrett and Allegheny Counties in Maryland, and Hardy, Grant, Mineral Counties in what is in present day West Virginia County map of 1771-1780 (Allegany County Demographic Profile, n.d.) Despite the fact that Allegany County is a suburban county it promotes a range of cultural opportunities. The developing Allegany Arts Association is committed to offering quality for the county’s young citizens via a range of exceptional activities. Year around, Allegany County provides original cultural experiences ranging from weekend tour of twenty to thirty artist studios, to performing arts, to unique exhibits and extravaganzas. The many public libraries and the historical communities are an endowed and plentiful resource for those seeking to delve into regional history or geography. Furthermore, there are landmark buildings and areas of interest to please even those with the most discriminatory preferences (Allegany County, n.d.). According to Holcomb (2008) there are various areas more decent in atmosphere or more exquisite in scenic locations than Allegany County. It is crossed from north by a succession of tree-donned mountains, whilst the intervening valleys are lined with thriving far. Along with its complete length from west to east the Potomac rivers wandering via a striking valley, partly bordered by an extensive, alluvial floodplain that affords rich farming lands, however more restricted by a cavernous, narrow canyon that denotes the wildest of mountain landscape. The economic resources of Albany County are very far ranging, the yearly output aggregating various million dollars in value. Amid the developed and underdeveloped resources are coal, fire-clay, cement rock, mineral waters, amid many others. To these must be included a great range of soils with the potential of creating diversified crops. Allegany County has from a previous phase possessed extraordinary services for the transportation of its resources. The building of the Cumberland Turnpike Road by private early on in the century, and its extension westward to Ohio by the collective government as a National thoroughfare, brought Allegany County an early day into close communication with the areas both to the east and the west of the Alleghenies. With the development in techniques of transportation Allegany County early benefitted, as the period of internal growth brought towards the middle of the century. Its valuable coal had virtually to some degree reached its market by way of rafts floated down the Potomac River. As Allegany County borders the two of the subdivisions of the Appalachian Province, it might be split into relative, well demarcated topographic districts, including the Plateau District, as its section of the Allegany Plateau sub-province and the Ridge District. The topography of the Plateau District is plain in contrast to that of some other parts of Maryland, such like Piedmont Province. It comprises of a raised region resting between two long equal mountain crests, and might be most expediently split into the collective upland. On the other hand, the landscape of the Ridge District is much more different that is that of the Plateau District. The most distinguishing aspects of the landscape are the sets of long, equal sharp-crested ridges and narrow intervening valley. The crest-shapes of the ridges are generally very meaningful of the internal configuration of the attitude of the strata which make them (Holcomb, 2008). Allegany County continues to provide plentiful, accessible labor, below market real estate charges, and advancing technology education resources. The county has created a sequence of business parks designed to an extensive economy including IT, biotechnology and enhanced manufacturing. Allegany County has eight current industrial sites situated in and around the Cumberland and Frostburg regions. The sites accessible in these parks provide a wide range of alternatives including some with rail and newly added fiber optic lines. Allegany County has a protracted history as a prime place for typical industries. Previously understood as a transportation heart, then as home to both key and small manufacturers, the county prides itself in the understanding of the challenges conventional business and industries face as they compete in present marketplace. The local labor is another aspect to be regarded in favor of conventional business and industries. The labor force here invites the challenges that face industries operating in the extremely competitive business market. Committed and with robust work ethic, the local labor force is an asset to the industries situated in Allegany County. For enterprises that require unique coaching for their employee, Allegany County of Maryland offers personalized training programs for individual firms through the Allegany College Continuing Education Department. Lastly, Allegany County provides a great range of real estate alternatives, eight industrial parks situated across the county, a flourishing incubator at Frostburg State University, conventional and non-conventional structures that be custom-made to personal desires and other land alternatives (Allegany County Department of Economic & Community Development n.d.). According to 2000 United States census demonstrated the mean age of Allegany County citizens to be 35 years, with the male to female at a little less than 1:1. Census information as well demonstrates that 30.3 percent of the population is 19 years of age or younger. From 1970 to currently, there has been meager changes in the constitution of this age cohort. Slightly over 55.6 percent of the population is age 20-64 and 14.1 percent is age 65 or older. Residence setting by age classification shows those 65 and older population regions along Interstate 86 and in the city of Wellsville. This is persistent for health and human amenity provisions; hospital, physicians, social amenity, and long-haul care services. Given the Allegany County Office for the Aging, 2005 Annual Report, housing alternatives fundamentally affect an elder’s capacity to sustain self-reliance. 82 percent of Allegany County elder’s posses their own domiciles, while 6 percent live in group quarters, and 11 percent live alone. Unlike the aging populace, children under 5 years of age are not classified under geographic setting. This will be a crucial aspect when examining maternal/child health signs, and morbidity and mortality rates, that is, transportation hindrances, childcare concerns and isolations. Population trends offers a theory of future population transformations founded on supervising population movements over time. In other words, population trends show that the population is steady, but with slight growth. The information also demonstrates that the county’s population is living longer (Allegany County Demographic Profile, n.d.). BALTIMORE CITY According to Mitchell and Alexander (2011) Baltimore is the biggest township in the United States state of Maryland. It is hailed as the 26th biggest city, in the county. It situated in the central region of the state beside part of the Patapsco River. The independent city is commonly known as Baltimore City to different it from adjacent Baltimore County. Formed in 1729, Baltimore is the second biggest harbor in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. and is located next to Midwestern markets than any other key harbor on the East Coast. Most of the region connect the river is utilized for industrial function. Downtown Baltimore that rests on the Patapsco’s Norwest Harbor, is centrally situated. Residential places spread out to the north, east, and west. Streets in the central region create a rectangular network. In another places they follow no regular pattern. Many of the older avenues are bordered by virtually standardized row houses. Baltimore is chiefly an industrial and commercial hub directly connected with the greatest seaport. Amid the foremost manufacturing activities in the region are the making and fabricating of steel, shipbuilding, sugar refining, amid other many manufacturing activities. Furthermore, Baltimore is also an essential financial, wholesale, and retail hub. Military installations and various administration services offer much employment. Various institutions of higher learning are located in the Baltimore region. Amid the private schools include the famous Johns Hopkins University, Loyola, et cetera. On the other hand, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, numerous railways, a subways, three Interstate highways contribute positively to the economic growth of Baltimore (Scharf, 2000). Baltimore, the vibrant diverse city that is Maryland’s biggest city and economic heart, is famous for its exquisite port, original distinct neighborhoods, exceptional museums and the world prominent Johns Hopkins Hospital situated in the east and the University of Maryland Medical Center. As key maritime and trading society, Baltimore played an essential function in events that formed the country’s history, including the American Revolution (Mitchell and Alexander, 2011). Affected by taxes and trade controls that the British tried to enforce, outraged traders signed documents in favor not to do business with Britain. Leaders immigrated to the city to add reinforcement to the battle, hence amounting to losses for British traders, which spurred on the development in Baltimore. The populace grew between 1776 and 1790. Baltimore was one time the second foremost port of entry for Europeans migrants. The Revolutionary War also increased the number of African American citizens as the British offered liberation to escaped slaves who remains in the township after the war. Even though slavery was lawful in Baltimore, the city had more liberated individuals of color than any other southern township. The city faced tremendous expansion after the war. Dynamic foreign commerce returned, particularly in flour. Baltimore served as an essential shipbuilding and supply shipping hub during World Wars I and II. The township lost a lot in populace and trade it became as fiscally miserable as it had been during the Depression. With hundreds of quirky neighborhoods, Baltimore has been nicknamed as the “Charm City.” Baltimore’s legacy as a strategically situated East Coast port is given a lot of attention by its developers these days. The city’s rekindled downtown and central setting amid the key East Coast townships has made it ever more appealing to new or growing businesses. Development in high-technology market in fields such like electronics, IT, and telecommunications has generated new job opportunities. Baltimore is a successful hub of medicine, hospitality, entertainment, maritime business and health. Year round, Greater Baltimore lines along with the country’s top twenty marketplaces in major retail clusters. Tourism, fueled by starting or development of downtown appeals, has boosted building and the accomplishment of the Inner Harbor revamping has attracted township citizens back downtown. Tourism is Baltimore came with growing revenues from, with enlarged hotel occupancy levels, conference-connected spending, and general aero travel to the city, amid many other things (Steiding, 2001). Sixty-eight percent of the populace over twenty-five has a high school diploma and 19 percent has a bachelor’s degree or other. Baltimore’s employment rate has grown in the country’s metro regions. Education and health facilities, fiscal activities, and vacation and hospitality were the primary industries experiencing job benefits. The biggest job lay-offs were in the IT and manufacturing segments. The major shipper of goods in the region is the seaport of Baltimore. Since the port has closer miles to central Midwestern marketplaces than any other Atlantic Coast harbor, it has the cheapest transportation charges between its marine depots and inland ports of cargo. Baltimore welcomes tourists with its lively Inner Harbor, pulsating maritime legacy and high-end sports amenities, but at its hub, this city is all about the arts. From Mount Vernon, the township’s cultural heart, to Fell’s Point and wherever in the meantime. Exquisite museums, eclectic performance venues, spots of motivating historical important and sites of ethnic and multicultural significance envelop you in Baltimore from the conventional to the unanticipated. Baltimore is famous for its virtually ubiquitous row houses. Row houses have been an element of Baltimore architecture since 1790s. Older buildings may preserve some of their initial traits, such as marble door steeps, extensively regarded to be Baltimore icon themselves. Even though the city is highly culturally assorted, the prevailing image of Baltimoreans appears to be the “Hon” culture demonstrated most noticeably by the longer successful families and citizens of the Canton, Hampden, amid other neighborhoods. On the other hand, Baltimore’s most lasting music heritage should be in the paradigm of the old school jazz where several natives made the while moving to New York. Next Baltimore has come to be the heart and soul for city movies and television sitcoms. Furthermore, Baltimore is the home to the Maryland Film Festival. Conversely, the most famous example of Baltimore’s distinguishing flavor is the township’s close relationship with blue crabs. This is a characteristic that Baltimore shares with the rest of the state of Maryland. The aforementioned things are various facets of the distinctive aspects of Baltimore’s culture (Visit Baltimore, n.d.). The present population of the Baltimore City is projected to approximately 621, 342, which is raise of roughly 0.3 percent the past record of the population. This township is the biggest city in the state of Maryland and the 24th biggest city in the whole U.S. Founded on the sum land region and the sum population of the city, the population mass of Baltimore is about 7, 672 individuals per square mile. About 7 percent of the population is under the age of 5 years, whilst approximately 12 percent of the population is 65 years and older. Furthermore, approximately 52.9 percent of the population is female, whereas the other 47.1 percent of the population is male. The biggest ethnic demographic in the city of Baltimore is African American group, which consists roughly 64 percent of the population. The subsequent biggest demographic is the white group, which consists approximately 28 percent of the population. The Hispanic and/or Latino population consists roughly 2.5 percent of the whole population. Approximately 79 percent of the population ages 25 years and older has at least high school diploma. Nevertheless, around 26 percent of the population ages 25 years and older has at least their bachelor’s degree from a particular college or university. Over the course of the last couple of decades, the population of Baltimore has persistently reduced. There a couple years where the populace has grown by little over 1000 people, but besides, the population is decreasing (Steiding, 2001). The Social Vulnerability Index for Each County ID State County SoVI Score (06-10) Nat'l Percentile (06-10) 1194 Maryland Allegany County 1.876046 79.03 % 1217 Maryland Baltimore city 2.49234 84.70 % References Allegany County Demographic Profile. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.alleganyplanning.com/pdfs/III.%20Demographic%20Profile.pdf Allegany County Department of Economic & Community Development. (n.d.). Traditional Industries. Retrieved from http://www.alleganyworks.org/index.php/industry-sectors/traditional- industries/ Allegany County. (n.d.). Development. Retrieved fromhttp://www.alleganyco.com/default.asp?show=btn_development/dev_services/life Baltimore. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.airtranmagazine.com/city-guides/baltimore Brief Economic Facts. (n.d.). Allegany County Maryland. Retrieved from http://www.choosemaryland.org/factsstats/Documents/briefeconomicfacts/AlleganyBef12.pdf Hazard and Vulnerability Research Institute. (n.d.). the Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI®) for the United States-2006-10 Data. Retrieved from http://webra.cas.sc.edu/hvri/products/sovi2010_data.aspx Holcomb, E.L. (2008). The City as Suburb: A History of Northeast Baltimore since 1660. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Maryland Little America. (n.d.). Allegany County Tourism. Retrieved from http://maryland.ettractions.com/Allegany-County-Tourism/attractions/7636/ Mitchell,V. & Alexendar, D. (2011). Baltimore Then and Now. Michigan: Thunder Bay Press. Scharf, J.T. (2000). History of Baltimore City and County. London: Butterworth Publishers Steiding, C.A. (2001). History of Allegany County, Maryland. Michigan: Thunder Press. Visit Baltimore. (n.d.). Baltimore Arts & Culture. Retrieved from http://baltimore.org/arts-and-culture World Population Statistics. (2013, September 12). “Baltimore Population Statistics.” Retrieved from http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/baltimore-population-2013/ Read More