AP Human Geography - Test Prep

Central Business District (CBD)

The area of a city where retail and office activities are clustered

Megalopolis

A continuous urban complex in the northeastern US

Metropolitan Statistical Area

In the US, and urbanized area of at least 50,000 population, the county within which the city is located, and adjacent counties meeting one of several tests indicating a functional connection to the central city.

Vertical Geography

Higher land price leads to taller buildings and underground cities (parking garages, electrical lines, etc.)

Suburb

A residential or commercial area situated within an urban area but outside the central city

Sprawl

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

Density Gradient

The change in density in an urban area from the center to the periphery

Smart Growth

Legislation and regulations to limit suburban sprawl and preserve farmland

Annexation

Legally adding land area to a city in the U.S

Public Transportation

Forms of transportation meant to fit more people than a car, such as a train, or bus.

Borcherts Transportation Epochs

5 big changes in transportation in communication. Sail Wagon (1790-1830), Iron Horse (1830-1870), Steel Rail (1870-1920), Auto-Air-Amenity (1920-1970), Satellite-Jet Propulsion (1970-current).

Sail Wagon Epoch (1790-1830)

Urban areas were clustered along the Atlantic Coast. Communication was primarily by wind-powered ships floating up and down the U.S. coast.

Iron Horse Epoch (1830-1870)

Steam-powered railroads provided transport from outlying areas into cities. Canals connected newly founded inland cities with existing urban centers on the East Coast.

Steel Rail Epoch (1870-1920)

Long-haul rail lines connected urban areas around the country. Travel time between cities was greatly reduced.

Auto-Air-Amenity Epoch (1920-1970)

The gasoline engine made it possible for motor vehicles to become the dominant transport within and between urban areas. Gasoline powered airplanes facilitated travel between distant urban centers.

Satellite-Electronic-Jet propulsion Epoch (1970-current)

The current era is characterized by the ability to communicate electronically, as well as to control transport systems electronically.

Zoning Ordinance

Protect housing homogeneity and may mandate: house size, lot size, and price of homes. Ordinances discourage lower income families entry by pricing homes high.

Census Tract

An area delineated by the U.S. Bureau of the Census for which statistics are published; in urban areas, census tracts correspond roughly to neighborhoods

Urban area

A dense core of census tracts, densely settled suburbs, and low-density land that links the dense suburbs with the core

Urbanized area

In the United States, an urban area with at least 50,000 inhabitants

Commercial Spine

An extension of the CBD, and houses many commercial and industrial applications.

Concentric Zone Model - MDC

City grows outward from CBD in rings. Newer housing is found at the outer rings

Concentric Zone Model - LDC

One of three different types of CBD’s: Colonial, Traditional or Periodic Market. CBD’s are surrounded by informal or squatter settlements. Common in Africa

Sector Model - MDC

Specific types of development expand out from the CBD in corridors or wedges. Sectors are organized by income of residents.

Sector Model - LDC

CBD has both modern and traditional elements. Traditional elements include commercial spines t, and a disamenity sector. Found in Latin America

Multiple Nuclei Model - MDC

Cities grow around nodes of activity, and different ethnicities prefer different kinds of nodes.

Multiple Nuclei Model - LDC

Main node is a port, and there is no true CBD. Government, Western, and Alien zones appear. Found in South Eastern Asia.

Comparison of US and European cities (13.2)

Residences move into CBD’s, and consumer and public services are advanced, and more common. European cities choose to build less skyscrapers to preserve it’s ancient history.

Social Analysis

Statistical analysis used to identify where people of similar living standards, ethnic background, and lifestyle live within an urban area.

Edge City

A node of office, development, or retail activities on the edge of an urban area

Informal (Squatter) settlements

An area within a city in a less developed country in which people illegally establish residences on land they do not own or rent and erect homemade structures

Underclass

People trapped in a cycle of poverty in a inner city.

Filtering

Older homes are turned into apartments, property maintenance is hard, and value declines

Public housing

Government-owned housing rented to low-income people (Pruitt-Igoe project)

Urban Renewal

Demolition of older neighborhoods, typically low income areas

Gentrification

Renovating an area of an inner city to meet the tastes of middle class civilians.

New Urbanism

Development that creates neighborhoods that promotes a sense of community. Includes a central shopping district surrounded by residential areas that support diversity.

Redlining

Racism in banking system. Banks draw lines that restrict minority movement

Blockbusting

Unscrupulous real estate encourage white homeowner to sell property

Real Estate Covenants

Provision or promise contained in the deed to land. Many covenants prohibit the sale of property to a person of color.

White Flight

As African Americans move from southern cities to northern cities, whites move to suburbs.

Central City

An urban settlement that has been legally incorporated into an independent, self-governing unit (or municipality)

Disamenity

Sector with no city services (plumbing, sewage system), possibly controlled by gangs. Common in Latin America.

Galactic/Peripheral model

CBD is surrounded by large suburbs and is encompassed by a ring road. Suburbs along the road are called edge cities. Different ethnicities gravitate to different nodes.

Market Segmentation

People that live in the same area want the same product

Inner City social issues

Unemployment, crime, drug use, poor access to services, less and less government assistance

Inner City physical issues

Filtering, Urban renewal, Gentrification

Congestion Charge

Motorists are forced to pay a fee when driving into a central area. Found in London and Stockholm

Tolls

Motorists are charged for using a highway or freeway. Found in California, Illinois, and Toronto

Permits

Motorists must buy a license to drive down the busiest roads. Found in Singapore, and some Chinese cities plan to incorporate this in the future

Bans

Vehicles are banned from certain portions of the city at a certain time of day. Found in Copenhagen, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, and Haarlem

Who developed the Concentric Zone Model?

Ernest Burgess in 1923

Who developed the Sector Model?

Homer Hoyt in 1939

Who developed the Multiple Nuclei Model?

Chauncey Harris and Edward Ullman in 1945

Who developed the Galactic Model?

Chauncey Harris in 1960

Who applied the Concentric Zone Model to Developing Countries?

Harm deBlij

Who applied the Sector Model to Developing Countries?

Ernest Griffin and Larry Ford

Who applied the Multiple Nuclei Model to Developing Countries?

T.G. McGee

What are other names for Informal Settlements in the Concentric Zone Model (LDC)?

Barriadas, Favelas, Bidonvilles, Bastees, Gecekondu, Kampongs, and Barong-Barong

Which MDC model is highly influenced by transportation patterns?

Sector Model

What is the sector called where rich people live in LDC’s?

Elite Sector

Why are factories, departments stores, and other “big box” retailers not found in the CBD?

They followed the population out to the suburbs

What are examples of regional problems that council governments address?

Solid waste and sewer disposal, construction of affordable housing, and traffic management.