AP Human Geography Unit 6 (Urbanization)

site

The physical character of a place

situation

the location of a place relative to other places

Urbanization

Movement of people from rural areas to cities

Suburbanization

Movement of people from urban core areas to the surrounding outskirts to escape pollution as well as deteriorating social conditions (perceived and actual).

Origin of Cities

the first cities arose in the hearths of early agriculture

function of cities

Cities served as centers of trade, public performance of religious rituals, and political administration for states and empires.

Megacities

cities with more than 10 million people

metacities

A new term used to describe cities that have 20 million or more people

periphery

the outermost part or boundary of a city

edge cities

clusters of large buildings and services away from the central business district

Exurbs

areas of new development beyond the suburbs that are more rural but on the fringe of urbanized areas

Boomburbs

Rapidly growing suburb cities

sprawl

Development of new housing sites at relatively low density and at locations that are not contiguous to the existing built-up area.

Decentralization

shifting of business and services out of the CBD (core) of the city to suburbs.

world cities

cities generally considered to play an important role in the global economic system

urban hierarchy

A ranking of settlements according to their size and economic functions.

globalization

the process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.

resources

all things used in producing goods and services

physical geography

the study of physical features of the earth's surface

Interdependence

the dependence of two or more people or things on each other.

Distribution

The arrangement of something across Earth's surface.

Rank-size Rule

A pattern of settlements in a country, such that the nth largest settlement is 1/n the population of the largest settlement.

primate city

The largest settlement in a country, if it has more than twice as many people as the second-ranking settlement.

Gravity model

A mathematical formula that describes the level of interaction between two places, based on the size of their populations and their distance from each other.

Central Place Theory (Christaller)

A theory that explains the distribution of services, based on the fact that settlements serve as centers of market areas for services; larger settlements are fewer and farther apart than smaller settlements and provide services for a larger number of people who are willing to travel farther.

Concentric Zone Model (Burgess)

A model of the American central city that suggests the existence of five concentric land-use rings arranged around a common center.

Sector Model (Hoyt)

A model that shows cities develop in a series of sectors radiating out from a CBD

Multiple Nuclei Model (Hans & Ullman)

A model of the internal structure of cities in which social groups are arranged around a collection of nodes of activities.

Galactic City Model (Peripheral Model)

model that represents distinct decentralization of the commercial urban landscape as the economy has to be transitioned to services as the leading form of production. Manufacturing declines significantly and becomes more specialized. There are several industrial parks.

Bid rent theory

theory that refers to how the price and demand on real estate changes as the distance towards the Central Business District (CBD) increases.

Latin American City Model

The CBD is dominant; it is divided into a market sector and a modern high-rise sector. The elite residential sector is on the extension of the CBD in the "spine". The end of the spine of elite residency is the "mall" with high-priced residencies. The further out, less wealthy it gets. The poorest are on the outer edge.

SE Asia City Model

Rapidly growing, modern city based around a port. Often a separate zone for Multinational Corporations.

Africa City Model

3 CBDs, colonial, traditional, and market zone

housing density

the number of dwelling units per unit of area

Infilling

the use of vacant land and property within a built-up area for further construction or development

Built Landscape

the part of the physical landscape that represents material culture; the buildings, roads, bridges, and similar structures large and small of the cultural landscape.

residential

Relating to an area where people live

infrastructure

the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

Urban design

A profession which falls between planning and architecture. It deals with the large-scale organization and design of the city, deciding on the best use of space to be sustainable.

Sustainable design

The idea of designing cities that will not negatively impact the environment or damage a natural resource.

Zoning

A planning tool used to separate industry and business from residential neighborhoods.

mixed land use

More than one type of zoning, such as a condominium that has residential and commercial units (Business, Industry, and Residential all together).

transportation

the moving of goods or people from one place to another

smart growth

city planning that efficiently uses and conserves land and other resources

New Urbanism

A movement in urban planning to promote mixed use commercial and residential development and pedestrian friendly, community orientated cities. This is a reaction to the sprawling, automobile centered cities of the mid twentieth century.

Green belts

Areas around cities where suburban land uses are restricted.

Slow-growth cities

cities that don't develop or grow as fast as others

Sprawl

Development of new housing sites at relatively low density and at locations that are not contiguous to the existing built-up area.

de facto segregation

Segregation resulting from economic or social conditions or personal choice.

Census

population count

Population composition

the biological and social characteristics of a population, including age, sex, race, marital status, education, occupation, income, and size of household

Field study

a research investigation carried out by observing a place.

affordability

the point at which a person can manage to buy something

housing discrimination

The illegal practice of denying an individual or group the right to buy or rent a home based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or family status.

Land tenure

refers to the way land is owned and distributed in a region (who has the right to be there as well as legal protection from eviction)

redlining

A process by which banks draw lines on a map and refuse to lend money to purchase or improve property within the boundaries.

blockbusting

A process by which real estate agents convince white property owners to sell their houses at low prices because of fear that persons of color will soon move into the neighborhood

Disamenity zones

The very poorest parts of cities that in extreme cases are not connected to regular city services and are controlled by gangs and drug lords.

zones of abandonment

areas that have been deserted in a city for economic or environmental reasons

squatter settlements

Residential developments characterized by extreme poverty that usually exist on land just outside of cities that is neither owned nor rented by its occupants (slums).

Inclusionary zoning

zoning regulations that create incentives or requirements for affordable housing development

Urban renewal

rebuilding of the poor areas of a city

Gentrification

A process of converting an urban neighborhood from a predominantly low-income renter-occupied area to a predominantly middle-class owner-occupied area.

Local food movement

Produced within a fairly limited distance from where it is consumed

Urban sustainability

a city can be organized without reliance on the surrounding countryside and power itself with renewable energy

sanitation

Disposal of waste products

water quality

used to describe the health of a water system

Regional planning

City planning done on broader geographic scales, generally involving multiple municipal governments

Brownfields

contaminated industrial or commercial sites that may require environmental cleanup before they can be redeveloped or expanded

Farmland protection policies

Governmental regulations that try to prevent sprawl and retain farmland

urban growth boundaries

place restrictions on development outside a designated area

Central Business District (CBD)

The area of a city where retail and office activities are clustered (downtown).

food desert

An area in a developed country where healthy food is difficult to obtain

Basic Industries

Industries that sell their products or services primarily to consumers outside the settlement

Non-basic industries

Industries that sell their products primarily to consumers in the community.

range

How far people are willing to travel for a good or service

threshold

minimum number of people needed for a business to operate

megalopolis

a region in which several large cities and surrounding areas grow together

market area (hinterland)

The area surrounding a central place, from which people are attracted to use the place's goods and services.

Urban Realms Model

Includes a CBD, central city, new downtown, and suburban downtown.

zone in transition

an area of mixed commercial and residential land uses surrounding the CBD