Module 4: Urban Geography: Urbanization, Definitions, and Concepts

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in urban geography, including definitions of urbanization, urban areas, urban ecology, and urbanism.

Urbanization

The spread & growth of cities; an increasing proportion of a population living in urban areas (cities & towns) (Mercier 2024).

2007 Global Population Milestone

The point in history when the world's urban population exceeded the rural population for the first time.

Multidimensional Urbanization

view that urbanization is not just about people moving to urban areas, but involves:

• changes in culture & tradition

• centers of economic growth

• lots of contributing factors

Urban Area

The physical, built-up footprint of a city and its surrounding built-up regions.

• How it's measured: Usually determined by high population density and what kind of jobs residents have (non-agricultural work).

Dichotomous Separation of Space

The classification of geographic areas into:

• rural

• urban

• which can be difficult to define and varies culturally.

Midtown Manhattan

The most densely populated of New York City's five boroughs and the workplace of over two million people from the entire metropolitan area.

Urban Ecology

The social & demographic composition of city neighbourhoods (districts)

• looks at who lives where, and how different groups populate parts of a city

Urbanism

The unique "urban way of life" shaped by a city's size, population density, and diversity (heterogeneity).

As cities grow denser and more complex:

• social and economic organizations get more intricate

• often leading to a more fast-paced lifestyle and a declining sense of close-knit community.

MDW Urbanization (Past & Present)

• Driven by Industrial Revolution & rural-to-urban migration (more labor). ~80% urbanized.

• Current trend: De-urbanization (COVID/remote work pushing people out for space/cheaper housing).

LDW Urbanization (Key Patterns)

• Later/quicker start (mid-20th c.)

• Driven by rural poverty

• high birth rates

• rapid rural-to-urban migration.

• Results in megacities (>10M people)

• primate cities (dominant economic/political centers).