AP Human Unit 6 vocab

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in urban geography from the lecture notes.

Site

The characteristics at an immediate location (absolute location).

Situation

The location of a place relative to its surroundings and connections between other places (relative location).

Urbanization

The process of developing towns and cities.

Suburbanization

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

Forward Capital

A capital city moved for economic or tactical reasons to stimulate growth in remote areas.

Megacity

Cities with more than 10 million residents.

Metacity

Urban areas with more than 20 million residents.

Urban Sprawl

Unrestricted growth in urban areas of housing and commercial development.

Boomburbs

Rapidly growing suburban cities that represent a new metropolitan form.

Edge City

Economic centers on the fringe of a city with extensive office and retail space.

Exurbs

Prosperous residential districts beyond the suburbs.

Squatter Settlement

A residential area developed without legal claims or permissions to build.

World City

A global city with influence beyond its region.

Primate Cities

The lead cities of a country in terms of size and influence.

Rank-Size Rule

A statistical relationship between the largest city and the next largest cities based on population.

Threshold

The minimum population size needed for a service to exist and be profitable.

Range

The distance people will travel for services or goods.

Central Place Theory

Theory concerning size, number, functional characteristics, and spacing of settlements for goods and services distribution.

Infrastructure

The basic physical structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society.

Brownfields

Abandoned sites with environmental contamination.

Farmland Protection Policies

Policies to protect valuable agricultural lands from suburban sprawl and development.

Urban Growth Boundaries

Limitations on the surface area a city can occupy.

Greenbelts

Undeveloped land around an urban area that serves as boundaries to urban sprawl.

New Urbanism

City planning with an emphasis on mixed-use neighborhoods over zoning.

Gentrification

The process where wealthier people move into and improve poorly urbanized areas, displacing current residents.

Urban Sustainability

The ability of a city to meet present needs without compromising future generations' capabilities.

Concentric Zone Model

An urban model illustrating land use from the CBD outward.

Hoyt Sector Model

A model that emphasizes transport lines as the main influence on urban growth.

Multiple Nuclei Model

A model showing cities develop specialized districts for different services.

Galactic City Model

A model accounting for the decentralization of cities, emphasizing edge cities.

Latin American City Model

A model that depicts the structure of Spanish-influenced Latin American cities.

African City Model

A model recognizing the multi-CBD structure and ethnic diversity in growing African cities.

Southeast Asian City Model

A model focused on old colonial ports with sectors for diverse businesses.