AP Human Geography Vocabulary - Unit 6 - Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes

Urbanization

The process of developing towns and cities, an ongoing process that does not end once a city is formed.

Example: Changes in transportation and communication networks that drive the development of cities.

Site

The characteristics at the immediate location—for example, physical features, climate, labor force, and human structures.

Example: Cincinnati's location on the north bank of the Ohio River in a valley surrounded by hills with a temperate climate and fertile soil.

Situation

The location of a place relative to its surroundings and its connectivity to other places.

Example: Cincinnati emerging as a river port after 1811, where river commerce reached its height in 1852, stimulated steamboat building and industry. On a gold mine, near a river, near a highway

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

A region consisting of a city of at least 50,000 people, the county in which it is located, and adjacent counties that have a high degree of social and economic integration, or connection, with the urban core.

Example: Highly educated people living in urban areas near telecommunication hubs within a metro region.

Borchert's Transportation Model

A framework developed to describe urban growth based on transportation technology, divided into distinct historical epochs.

Example: The "Sail-Wagon Epoch" (1790-1830), where early cities were clustered within sixty miles of the Atlantic sea coast.

Suburbanization

The process of people moving, usually from cities, to residential areas on the outskirts of cities.

Example: After WWII, the GI Bill and increased automobile ownership led to the rapid growth of neighborhoods like Western Bowl & Lawrence.

Boomburbs

Rapidly growing communities (over 10 percent per 10 years) that have a total population of over 100,000 people and are not the largest city in the metro area.

Example: Suburbs that have grown rapidly into large and sprawling cities that "feel" suburban but more closely resemble an urban city in population.

Edge Cities

Nodes of economic activity that have developed in the periphery of large cities, typically featuring tall office buildings, a concentration of retail shops, and relatively few residences.

Example: Tysons Corner, a community on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. with commercial centers and office space.

Megacities

Urban areas that have a population of more than 10 million people.

Example: Tokyo, Seoul, Mumbai, and Mexico City.

Metacities

Areas defined either as a continuous urban area with a population greater than 20 million people or as attributes of a network of urban areas that have grown together to form a larger interconnected urban system.

Example: Tokyo, Japan, with a current population of over 37 million.

Megalopolis

A chain of connected cities.

Example: The "Bos-Wash Corridor" continuously developed from Boston through New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore to Washington, DC.

Conurbation

An uninterrupted urban area made of towns, suburbs, and cities.

Example: The continuously developed string of cities from Boston to Washington, DC.

Exurbs

The prosperous residential districts beyond the suburbs.

Example: Low-density residential communities on the outside edge of traditional suburbs, such as those in rural counties of Georgia.

Deurbanization (Counter-urbanization)

The counter-flow of urban residents leaving cities.

Example: People moving to prosperous residential districts beyond the suburbs to seek tranquility and privacy while working remotely via technology.

World Cities

Global cities such as New York, London, Tokyo, and Paris that exert influence far beyond their national boundaries.

Example: London and New York, which rank as top global cities due to their power to attract people, capital, and businesses.

Urban Hierarchy

A ranking of systems of cities based on influence or population size.

Example: A tiered system ranging from small Hamlets and Villages up to Regional and Global Cities.

Rank Size Rule

A rule stating that the nth largest city in any region will be 1/n the size of the largest city.

Example: A scenario where the largest city has 1 million people and the second-largest has 500,000.

Primate City

The largest city in an urban system that is more than twice as large as the next largest city and is disproportionately more developed and powerful.

Example: Paris, France, with 9.6 million people compared to Marseilles with 1.3 million. Mexico City 21 million and smth else

Gravity Model

A model stating that larger and closer places will have more interactions than places that are smaller and farther from each other.

Example: The high level of interaction and flow of people, trade, and communication between New York City, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati.

Central Place Theory

A framework proposed to explain the distribution of cities of different sizes across a region based on consumer behavior related to purchasing goods and services.

Example: A large city that provides the most goods and services for the surrounding areas.

Threshold

The size of population necessary for any particular service to exist and remain profitable.

Example: The number of people needed to support the nine museums in the Cincinnati area.

Range

The distance people will travel to obtain specific goods or services.

Example: The long distance someone is willing to travel for a unique high-order service like a specialty doctor or sports arena. Ms. Perry travels farther for Trader Joes rather than Publix

High-order Services

Usually expensive offerings that need a large number of people to support and are only occasionally utilized.

Example: Sports arenas, universities, specialty doctors, and concerts. "Oncologists, Amusement Parks, and Performing Arts Center*

Low-order Services

Usually less expensive offerings that require a small population to support and are used on a daily or weekly basis.

Example: Grocery stores, hair salons, barber shops, and gas stations.

Hexagonal Hinterlands

Market areas depicted as six-sided shapes because this shape was a compromise between a square and a circle.

Example: Nesting hexagons that assure no surface area is left out or overlapped.

Concentric Zone Model

A framework that describes a city as a series of rings that surrounds a central business district.

Example: Burgess's model based on the development of Chicago in the 1920s.

Hoyt Sector Model

A framework describing how different types of land use and housing grow outward from the central business district in wedges rather than rings.

Example: Low-income housing developing in a wedge surrounding industrial zones and transportation routes.

Multiple Nuclei Model

A framework suggesting that functional zonation occurred around multiple centers, or nodes.

Example: Similar businesses locating near each other to take advantage of labor pools, suppliers, and communication.

Galactic City Model

A framework where an original central business district became surrounded by a system of smaller nodes that mimicked its function as suburbs grew.

Example: A modern city structure featuring edge cities, shopping malls, and industrial areas along beltways.

Squatter Zones

Densely populated informal settlements on the periphery of cities that often lack sufficient public services for electricity, water, and sewage.

Example: Kibera in Kenya, which is the largest slum in Africa.

Disamenity Zones

Areas not connected to city services and under the control of criminals, often located in physically unsafe locations.

Example: Favelas in Brazil located on steep, dangerous terrain without city services. The location of Favelas and Barrios

Traditional CBD

A commercial district existing before European colonization characterized by small shops clustered along narrow, twisting streets.

Example: An open-air market in Ghana characterized by traditional commerce.

Colonial CBD

A commercial district characterized by broad, straight avenues and large homes, parks, and administrative centers built during European colonization.

Example: Government House in Lagos, Nigeria, reflecting European architectural styles. Pounce City Market

Latin American City Model

A framework that places a two-part central business district—a traditional market center and a modern high-rise center—at the core of the city.

Example: A city layout featuring a commercial "spine" connected to a secondary mall center.

African City Model

A framework of urban structure that can include a traditional central business district, a colonial central business district, and an informal economy zone.

Example: A model reflecting the influence of colonialism with three distinct commercial districts.

Southeast Asian City Model

A framework describing urban land use where the focus of the modern city is often a former colonial port zone with no formal central business district.

Example: A city centered around a port zone with an "Alien commercial zone" and no formal central business district.

Infilling/Urban Infill

The process of increasing the residential density of an area by replacing open space and vacant housing with residences.

Example: Longworth Hall in Cincinnati, a former warehouse converted into mixed-use development including offices and a wedding venue.

Zoning Ordinances

Regulations that define how property in specific geographic regions may be used, such as residential, commercial, or industrial.

Example: Regulations that determine if a skyscraper apartment or a factory can be built in a specific location.

Urban Planning

A process of promoting growth and controlling change in land use.

Example: Using specific zoning categories to manage residential, commercial, and industrial areas within a city.

Infrastructure

The facilities and systems that serve the population, including transportation, communications, and distribution systems.

Example: Basic support systems such as power stations, schools, hospitals, wifi, and sewage systems.

Municipal

Relating to the local government of a city or town and the services it provides.

Example: A mayor and city council providing services like local water supply to the community.

Municipality

A local entity that is all under the same jurisdiction.

Example: Local cities and counties within the Metro Atlanta map.

Sustainability

Using the earth's resources while not causing permanent damage to the environment.

Example: Focusing on "Eco Friendly" city designs that improve livability and reduce environmental impact.

Greenbelts

Areas of undeveloped land around an urban area created to limit a city's growth and preserve farmland.

Example: Large areas of green space in Great Britain used to protect wildlife habitats and limit pollution.

New Urban Design

A set of strategies to put smart growth into action within communities by creating human-scale and mixed-use neighborhoods.

Example: Strategies used to increase residential housing density and create walkable communities.

Mixed-Use Development

Planned urban development that includes multiple uses such as retail, residential, educational, recreational and businesses.

Example: Condos and apartments located directly above retail and business space to increase density and reduce commute times.

Smart Growth Policies

Policies developed to combat urban sprawl and create a new vision for cities that are more sustainable and equitable.

Example: Initiatives promoting walkability, mixed land use, and transportation-oriented development.

Slow Growth Policies

Policies adopted to slow the outward spread of urban areas and place limits on building permits in order to encourage a denser, more compact city.

Example: Cities like Boulder, Colorado and Portland, Oregon that restrict land development to protect natural landscapes.

Quantitative Data

Information that can be counted, measured, or sequenced by numeric value.

Example: Population statistics and Census charts showing New York City's population growth over time.

Qualitative Data

Information based primarily on surveys, field studies, photos, video, and interviews from people who provide personal perceptions and meaningful descriptions.

Example: Personal narratives from residents like Dolores Wilson regarding the emotional impact of the demolition of the Cabrini-Green housing project.

Redlining

The process by which banks refuse loans to those who want to purchase and improve properties in certain urban areas.

Example: A 1930s map identifying neighborhoods primarily made up of African-American residents as "poor investment" areas.

Blockbusting

When people of an ethnic group sold their homes upon learning that members of another ethnic group were moving into the neighborhood.

Example: A practice that, along with redlining, was used to reinforce segregation before being made illegal.

Inclusionary Zoning

Practices that offer incentives for developers to set aside a percentage of housing for low-income renters or buyers.

Example: Effort to provide more affordable housing by requiring city projects to include low- and medium-income options.

Zones of Abandonment

Areas of a city that have been deserted by their owners for either economic or environmental reasons.

Example: Locations deserted due to a lack of jobs or falling demand, such as abandoned factory sites in Detroit.

Urban Renewal

A policy allowing governments to clear out blighted inner-city slums, which usually displaced the residents, and build new development projects.

Example: The demolition and redevelopment of neighborhoods in Cincinnati's West End to build schools, hospitals, and highways.

Eminent Domain

A legal concept that allows the government to claim private property from individuals, pay them for it, and then use the land for the public good.

Example: The displacement of over 6,700 families in Cincinnati for renewal and highway projects.

Gentrification

The process of converting an urban inner-city neighborhood from a mostly low-income, renter-occupied area to a predominately wealthier, owner-occupied area.

Example: Developers buying buildings in "blighted" areas at low cost to renovate and resell them at higher prices.

Informal Settlements

Densely populated areas built without coordinated planning and without sufficient public services for electricity, water, and sewage.

Example: Kibera in Kenya, the largest slum in Africa, built with found materials on undesirable land.

Suburban Sprawl

The rapid spread of development outward from the inner city.

Example: Commercial and residential developments expanding outward from the city core due to automobile and road access.

Ecological footprint

The impact of human activity on the environment.

Example: Measuring how fast humans consume resources and generate waste compared to how fast nature can absorb it.

Brownfields

Dilapidated buildings and polluted or contaminated soils left behind when manufacturing moves away from a city.

Example: Abandoned industrial sites like the Crosley Radio Building in Cincinnati, formerly used as a factory.

Urban Redevelopment

The process of renovating a site within a city by removing the existing landscape and rebuilding from the ground up.

Example: The Riverfront Project in Detroit, MI, which involved removing the existing landscape to rebuild the area.

Micropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

An urbanized area of between 10,000 and 50,000 inhabitants.