study guide urbanization in devil world

false urbanization

city’s population grows rapidly, but its infrastructure, economy, and social services do not develop at the same pace. Population growth without development. Unemployment and poverty. Pressure on infrastructure.

planned capital city

specifically designed and built to serve as the capital of a country. Political neutrality. Balanced development. Brazila

4 traditions in geography

Spatial Tradition, Area Studies (Regional) Tradition, Human–Environment Tradition (Man–Land), Earth Science Tradition

human geography

branch of geography that studies how humans interact with the Earth how people shape, organize, and influence space and place.

physical geography

studies the natural features and processes of the Earth

urbanization

which an increasing number of people move from rural areas to cities and towns, leading to the growth and expansion of urban areas

urbanization location

where urban growth happens Coastal areas Industrial regions

urbanization extent 

how much of a country’s or region’s population lives in urban areas — basically, the degree or level of urban growth

urbanization more developed countries

High income levels Industrial and service-based economie High literacy and education rates

urbanization less developed countries

Low income levels Agriculture-based economies Low literacy and education rates

urbanization curve

how the percentage of people living in urban areas changes over time as a country develops

false urbanization 

Rapid population growth without development Lack of economic opportunities Growth of slums and informal settlements Unequal development

colonial cities

established or significantly transformed during a period of colonization, typically by European powers (

gateway cities

connect one region or country to another — they serve as hubs for trade, migration, and communication between different areas

urban area

region with a high population density and a large amount of human-built structures, such as buildings, roads, and other infrastructure

site 

refers to the exact physical location where a city or settlement is built

situation

situation refers to a city’s location in relation to other places and its surroundings, how it connects to nearby regions, trade routes, and other settlements

metropolis 

metropolis is a large, important city that serves as the economic, political, and cultural center of a region or country.

metropolitan area

metropolitan area is a large urban region that includes a main city (the metropolis) and its surrounding suburbs, towns, and smaller cities that are economically and socially connected to it

megalopolis

very large urban region formed when multiple metropolitan areas grow and merge into a continuous, heavily populated corridor.

megacities

megacity is a very large city with a population of 10 million or more people. Megacities are often centers of economic, political, and cultural activity and face unique challenges due to their size

capital city 

capital city is the official city where a country’s government is based. It usually hosts the main government offices, legislature, courts, and official residences of leaders.

megacity

megacity is a very large city with a population of 10 million or more people

specialized cities

specialized city is a city that focuses on one main industry, function, or economic activity, rather than having a wide range of economic sectors

world cities

world city (also called a global city) is a city that has significant influence on the global economy, politics, culture, and communication

urbanism

Urbanism refers to the way cities are planned, built, and lived in, as well as the social, cultural, and economic life of urban areas

industrial city

industrial city is a city whose economy and growth are largely based on manufacturing, industry, and production

post industrial city

post-industrial city is a city that has moved away from manufacturing and heavy industry and instead focuses on services, technology, finance, education, and culture as the main sources of economic growth

urban hierarchy

concept in geography that describes the ranking of cities based on their size, population, and functions

urban sprawl 

refers to the unplanned, uncontrolled expansion of cities into surrounding rural or natural areas, often characterized by low-density housing, heavy car dependency, and inefficient land use

urban morphology

study of the physical form and structure of cities — how they are laid out, organized, and shaped over time

rank size rule

Pr​=rP1​​ Pr​ = population of the city of rank rr P1​ = population of the largest city rr = rank of the city (1 for largest, 2 for second-largest, etc.)

bid rent curves

concept in urban geography that shows how the price of land and the demand for it change with distance from the city center (usually the Central Business District, CBD)

primate city 

city that is much larger and more important than any other city in the country. It dominates the economy, politics, culture, and population of the country, often serving as the main hub for services, trade, and decision-making

primacy ratio how to calculate it

Primacy Ratio=Population of Second-Largest City (P2)Population of Largest City (P1)​

what does primacy ratio mean

basically tells you how much bigger and more important the largest city is than the next biggest city in a country

Chicago school

urban geography is a theory that studies how cities grow, develop, and organize themselves, using real-world examples from Chicago in the early 20th century

concentric zone theory

urban geography model that explains how cities grow and are organized in rings around a central point, usually the Central Business District (CBD

invasion-succesion

concept in urban geography that explains how urban neighborhoods change over time when one group of people moves in and gradually replaces another

sector theory

urban geography model that explains how cities grow and organize themselves in sectors or wedges, rather than in concentric rings

multiple nuclei theory

urban geography model that explains how modern cities grow around several centers (nuclei) rather than just one CBD.

filtering processes

filtering process is a concept in urban geography that explains how housing and neighborhoods change over time as people move in and out, and how older housing becomes available to lower-income households

vacancy chain

concept in urban geography that explains how one person or household moving out of a home creates a chain of housing opportunities for others

inverse concentric zone theory

urban geography model that describes the structure of some developing-world cities, where the traditional Concentric Zone Model is “flipped” compared to cities in developed countries

arithmetic density

way to measure how populated an area is by calculating the average number of people per unit of land

physiological density 

measure of population that takes into account the amount of arable (farmable) land instead of total land

spread of culture

refers to how beliefs, customs, technologies, languages, and other cultural traits move from one group or place to anothe

cultural diffusion 

spread of cultural traits, ideas, customs, and technologies from one group or region to anothe

primary economic sector

part of the economy that extracts or harvests natural resources directly from the Earth

secondary economic sector

part of the economy that processes raw materials from the primary sector into finished goods or products

services economic sector

part of the economy that provides services rather than goods

specialized economies 

which a country or region focuses on producing a limited range of goods or services

diviersified economies

many different industries and sources of income, instead of depending on just on

informal sector

economic activities that are not regulated, taxed, or monitored by the government

formal sector

includes all legal, regulated, and officially recognized jobs and businesses within a country’s economy

soft power 

country’s ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than force or coercion

Chinese development aid

inancial, technical, and infrastructure assistance that China provides to other countries

demography

scientific study of human populations, focusing on their size, structure, distribution, and changes over tim

demographic equation

• P₁ = initial population

• P₂ = population at the end of the period

• B = births

• D = deaths

• I = immigrants (people moving in)

• E = emigrants (people moving out) P₂=P₁+(B−D)+(I−E)

demographic translation 

shows the shift from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates

population pyramid

graph that shows the age and sex structure of a country’s population. It’s one of the most useful tools in demography for understanding how a population is changing over time

gdp

total value of all goods and services produced within a country over a specific period

gdp per capita

gross Domestic Product divided by the total population of a country

gdp ppp

Gross Domestic Product at Purchasing Power Parity

income inequality

uneven distribution of income among individuals or groups within a society

gini coefficient

statistical measure of income inequality within a country

social indicators

statistics or measures that describe the well-being and quality of life of a population

economic indicators 

statistics that show the health and performance of an economy. They help governments, businesses, and investors understand economic trends and make decisions

equity indicators

measures that show how fairly resources, opportunities, and outcomes are distributed within a societ

human development report

Human Development Report (HDR) is an annual report published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that measures and compares human development across countries

human development index

Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic used to measure a country’s overall human development. Unlike GDP, it focuses on people’s well-being, not just economic output

system d

describe the informal sector of the economy, especially in developing countries

case study Brasilia

• Monumental Axis: Government buildings, ministries, and national monuments.

• Residential Superblocks: Organized housing areas for residents.

• Commercial Zones: Shops, services, and office

• Separation of land uses: Residential, commercial, and governmental areas are distinct.

• Wide roads and highways designed for cars, not pedestrians.

• Low population density compared to older Brazilian cities

• Brasília was designed for government workers and elites, leading to social segregation.

• Built to promote inland development and reduce overcrowding in coastal cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo

case study Bangladesh

• Rapid rural-to-urban migration driven by:

  • Economic opportunities in cities

  • Natural disasters in rural areas (floods, cyclones)

• Dhaka is a prime example:

  • Mega-city with slums and informal settlements

  • Severe traffic congestion and overcrowding

  • Specialized economy: Focus on textile and garment industry (major global exporter)

High population density → pressure on housing, healthcare, education

case study kinshasa

• Kinshasa is an unplanned, rapidly growing city.

• Informal settlements (slums) dominate, especially for migrants seeking work.

• Infrastructure struggles: roads, electricity, water supply, and sanitation often fail to meet the population’s needs.

• Urban sprawl: City has expanded into surrounding rural areas with little planning.

Informal sector dominates: Street vendors, small workshops, and day laborers provide most employment (System D)

normal sector is limited: Government, administration, and some mining-related businesses.

Economic challenges: Poverty is widespread; many rely on informal trade and subsistence living.

Overcrowding → poor housing conditions

case study system d

economic activities that operate outside formal regulation, where people find creative ways to earn a living, often without official contracts, licenses, or taxes Informal and unregulated: Not controlled or taxed by the government. Self-reliant and resourceful: Workers improvise to survive economically. Cash-based: Payments often in cash, without formal payrolls. Street food vendors or market sellers Unregistered taxi or delivery drivers Home-based businesses (tailoring, repairs) Provides employment where formal jobs are scarce