AP Human Geo. Unit 6 vocab

City

large settlement whose population is engaged in secondary and tertiary activity

central city

urban settlement that has been incorporated into an independent, self governing unit. (EX Tampa)

MSA (metropolitan statistical area)

the county that the central city is located in and its surrounding areas that are socioeconomically tied to the urban core (ex Hillsborough)

forward capitals

cities that are deliberately located in a country to promote development in less populated areas. These capitals are intended to further economic growth, political influence, and cultural significance.

site

the actual location of a city or settlement, characterized by its physical attributes and resources.

situation

the location of a city relative to its surrounding environment, including other cities and natural features.

urbanization

the process by which cities grow as populations increase, leading to the expansion of urban areas and changes in land use.

suburbanization

movement of the upper/middle class of people from urban areas to the surrounding outskirts

boomburbs

rapidly growing suburban cities that represent a new metropolitan form.

urban sprawl

unrestricted growth in urban areas

megacity

city of 10 million or more residents

metacity

city of over 20 million or more residents

edge city

economic center on the edge of a city with very large infrastructure that is located off the side of a major highway or road.

exurb

residential districts that are located beyond the suburbs.

world city

a very influential city that’s name is very recognizable and functions at the very top of the worlds hierarchy (ex: Tokyo, New York, London)

megalopolis

when multiple large and expanding cities overlap with other nearby cities creating even larger urban areas.

primate cities

when the largest city in a country is more than twice the size of the second largest city in that country.

rank size rule

the “nth” largest city in a country should be “1/n” the size of the largest city

gravity model

predicts the degree of interaction between 2 places —— as distance increases there will be less movement between them

central place theory

Central place theory is a concept that explains how cities and towns are organized. It suggests that larger cities provide more services and goods than smaller towns, acting as central hubs for surrounding areas.

threshold

the amount of people and traffic needed to keep an area alive and open.

range

the distance that people will travel for a certain experience or service. ( bigger and scarcer places often have a much larger range)

CBD (Central business district)

the “downtown” of a city

zoning

local regulations that dictate how land can be used (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.), influencing urban development patterns and density

concentric model

sector model

multiple nuclei model

peripheral model

African city model

southeast Asian city model

Latin America ciyt model

greeenbelt

designated areas of open land surrounding urban areas, often used to restrict development, preserve natural habitats, and enhance the quality of life for residents

bid rent theroy

explains how land prices and demand change as the distance from a city's central business district (CBD) increases

high density areas

areas with high density (ex: CBD’s have a high density because everybody is stacked on top of each other)

medium density areas

duh (ex condos or towns homes, people are squished but not on top of each other)

low density areas

duh…(suburbs)

density gradient

the decrease in population density as you move away from the CBD

smart growth

developmental approach that [prioritizes walkability by keeping everything located very close to one another. (EX: Midtown)

New Urbanism

a planning and design philosophy that aims to create sustainable, walkable communities

mass transportation

Busses, trains, subways, metros

Mixed-Use Development

an area providing more than one poupous within a shared building area.

urban design initiative

the focus on creating sustainable, livable and resilient cities

quantitative data

deals with #’s

qualitative data

deals with characteristics and qualities

blockbusting

A process by which real estate agents convince white property owners to sell their houses at low prices because of fear that persons of color will soon move into the neighborhood.

redlining

the discriminatory practice of denying or limiting financial services like mortgages and loans to certain neighborhoods, often based on their racial or ethnic composition

white flight

the historical phenomenon of white residents, particularly middle and upper-class families, moving from urban areas to suburban or outlying areas, often in response to increasing racial diversity and perceived social unrest

ghetto

a spatially confined area where a single ethnoracial group is involuntarily clustered together, often due to extreme racial oppression or other forms of discrimination, leading to unfavorable conditions

restrictive covenant

legally binding agreements that restrict or prohibit certain uses of property, often used historically to enforce racial segregation or other forms of discrimination in housing

food desert

A food desert is characterized by limited access to affordable and nutritious foods, often due to a lack of supermarkets or grocery stores offering healthy options. 

Disamenity zone

an area with lots of undesirable features

urban renewal

the clearing out of deserted areas in the inner city to build opportunities for the upper class. Housing, Businesses and more

in-filling

rededication of land in an urban environment to new construction.

gentrification

the act of upper/ middle class people into lower-class urban areas an fixing it up

squatter settlements

illegal housing that springs up on the outskirts of cities

inclusionary zoning

when you designate a couple places to be cheaper to buy than the rest making it more affordable for the poor.

urban gardens

gardens located in the middle of the CBD that help people get access to foods

local food movement

promotes consuming more locally grown foods

“NIMBY”

“Not in my backyard” when people don’t want something located near them.

suburban sprawl

when the suburbs grow massively

ecological footprint

impact of a pero]son or community on the environment

slow growth cities

prioritize sustainable, equitable development over rapid population and economic growth, often focusing on community-specific attributes like small businesses and local initiatives. br

brownfields

a former industrial or
commercial site where future use is affected by
real or perceived environmental contamination

urban growth boundaries

boundaries that limit the growth of the suburbs

farmland protection policies

minimizes the extent to which federal activities lead to the conversion of farm and ranch land to non-agricultural uses