Cities and Urban Land Use Patterns and Processes

Flashcards covering vocabulary related to cities and urban land use patterns, capturing key concepts and definitions.

Urbanization

The movement of people to towns and cities and the resulting expansion of the rural countryside.

Site

The actual physical qualities of the place that a city occupies, influencing its origin, function, and growth.

Situation

The relative location of a city, influencing its origin, function, and growth; for example, proximity to shipping routes.

Megacity

A large city with over 10 million people, often found in the periphery and semi-periphery.

Meta-city

A city with over 20 million people, typically located in the periphery and semi-periphery.

Suburbanization

The transformation of large areas of rural land to urban uses.

Edge City

A concentration of residential and economic activity located in the suburbs.

Exurb

A residential area beyond the suburbs, often more rural in character.

World City

A city that functions as a service center of the world economy, driving globalization.

Urban Hierarchy

Settlements ranked by population, number of services, and sphere of influence.

Primate City

A country's largest city that is at least twice as large as the next largest city and represents national culture.

Threshold

The minimum number of people needed for a business to prosper.

Range

The maximum distance people are willing to travel to purchase goods and services.

Disamenity Zone

An area within the city characterized by slums and the homeless, often controlled by gangs or drug lords.

Squatter Settlement

Residential areas characterized by extreme poverty, often constructed of found materials and lacking services.

Gentrification

The restoration of deteriorated urban areas by wealthier people, leading to both positive and negative consequences.

New Urbanism

Urban planning policy that creates walkable, mixed land use neighborhoods.

Bid-Rent Theory

Shows what various land users are willing and able to pay for access to the center market (CBD).

Affordable Housing

Residential units that are economical for individuals whose income is below the median household income.

Redlining

A discriminatory practice where banks deny loans to people in 'risky' neighborhoods, often affecting minority groups.

Sprawl

Unrestricted suburban growth and development spreading out from a city.

Sustainable Development

Meeting human development goals while sustaining the natural systems that provide resources upon which the economy and society depend.