Unit 7 Vocabulary - Cities & Urban Land-Use Patterns

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns.

Agglomeration

The clustering of people or activities in urban areas.

African city model

A model that describes the spatial structure and socio-economic features of African cities.

Blockbusting

The practice of inducing panic selling in a neighborhood by suggesting that racial or ethnic minorities are moving in.

Boomburb

A rapidly growing suburban area that maintains its own identity and economy.

Brownfields

Previously developed land that is not currently being used and may be contaminated.

Basic Industries

Industries that sell their products or services outside the local economy.

Business services

Services that primarily support the activities of businesses.

Central business district (CBD)

The commercial and business center of a city.

Central place

A settlement that provides goods and services to the surrounding area.

Central place theory (Christaller)

A geographical theory that explains the size and distribution of human settlements.

Consumer services

Services that provide for the needs and wants of consumers.

Concentric Zone Model (Burgess)

A model that describes urban land use in concentric rings radiating from a central point.

De facto segregation

Segregation that occurs without legal enforcement.

Disamenity

Areas of a city that are less desirable due to issues like crime, poverty, and decay.

Exurb

A suburban area located beyond the suburbs of a city.

Footloose industry

Industries that can be located anywhere due to low transport costs.

Gravity model

A model used to estimate the amount of interaction between two places.

Hinterland

The area surrounding a city from which it draws customers.

Nonbasic industries

Industries that sell their products primarily within the local economy.

Primate city

A city that is disproportionately larger than any other city in the country.

Primate city rule

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

Public services

Services provided by the government for the benefit of the community.

Range (of a service)

The maximum distance a consumer is willing to travel for a service.

Rank-size rule

A principle stating that the nth largest city is 1/n the size of the largest city.

Service

An activity that fulfills a human want or need.

Threshold

The minimum market size required to support a service.

Annexation

The process of legally adding land area to a city.

Bid Rent Theory

The theory that land prices decrease with distance from the city center.

Commuter zone

Zone of a city where residents travel to the city center for work.

Density Gradient

The change in density of people and structures as one moves away from the urban center.

Disamenity sector

Areas in a city that are undesirable and often lack basic services.

Edge city

A suburb with significant business and economic activity.

Entrepot

A trading post where goods are imported, stored, and transshipped.

Filtering

The process of households moving in and out of neighborhoods.

Food Desert

An area with limited access to affordable and healthy food options.

Gateway city

A city that serves as a point of entry or exit for people and goods.

Gentrification

The process of renovating neighborhoods, often displacing lower-income residents.

Greenbelt

A ring of green space surrounding urban areas to limit urban sprawl.

Latin American City Model

A model highlighting the unique structure of cities in Latin America.

New Urbanism

An urban design movement promoting walkable neighborhoods and mixed-use developments.

Megapolis/conurbation

A large urban area resulting from the merging of multiple cities.

Megacity

A city with a population over 10 million.

Metacity

A city with a population over 20 million.

Metropolitan statistical area (MSA)

A geographical region with a high population density and close economic ties.

Micropolitan statistical area

An urban area with a population of 10,000 to 50,000.

Mixed-use zoning

A zoning approach that allows different types of uses in the same area.

Mixed-use development

A development that combines residential, commercial, and other uses.

Multiple nuclei model (Harris & Ullman)

A model that describes cities developing around multiple centers.

Redlining

The practice of denying services to residents of certain areas based on race or income.

Sector Model (Hoyt)

A model that depicts urban land use in sectors rather than concentric circles.

Smart growth

Urban planning principles promoting sustainable and efficient development.

Slow growth policies

Policies aimed at controlling and managing urban growth.

Southeast Asia City Model

A model that describes the spatial organization of cities in Southeast Asia.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into rural land.

Squatter settlement

Informal housing areas where residents occupy land without legal rights.

Urbanization

The process by which more of a population becomes concentrated in urban areas.

Urban cluster

A densely populated urban area, often adjacent to a larger city.

Urbanized area

An area with a high population density that includes a central city.

Urban Realm Model

A model depicting the spatial structure and relationships of urban areas.

World Cities

Cities that have a significant impact on global economic, cultural, and political activities.