AP Human Geography Unit 6

Urbanization

The process by which towns and cities are formed and grow as more people live and work in central areas.

Site

The physical characteristics of a place, including topography, vegetation, and water resources.

Situation

The location of a place relative to other places and human activities.

Megacity

A city with over 10 million inhabitants.

Meta-City

A conurbation containing more than 20 million people.

Suburbanization

The process by which areas outside cities become urbanized as people and businesses move outward.

Suburb

A residential area located on the outskirts of a city.

Suburban Sprawl

The expansion of urban populations into low-density, car-dependent communities.

Edge City

A concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional city center.

Exurb

A region beyond the suburbs that is not directly connected to a central city.

Boomburb

A rapidly growing suburban city with a large population.

World City

A major global center for finance, trade, culture, and political activity.

Network

A set of interconnected nodes without a central point.

Globalization

The process of increasing international economic, cultural, and political connections.

Urban Hierarchy

The ranking of cities based on size and function.

Rank-Size Rule

A pattern where the nth largest city is 1/n the size of the largest city.

Primate City

A country's largest city that is disproportionately larger than others.

Gravity Model

A model predicting interaction between places based on population and distance.

Christaller's Central Place Theory

A theory explaining the size, number, and distribution of settlements.

Low Order Goods

Inexpensive goods purchased frequently and located nearby.

High Order Goods

Expensive goods purchased infrequently, requiring travel.

Urban Models

Simplified representations of city structure.

Burgess Concentric Zone Model

A model where cities develop in rings outward from the center.

Hoyt Sector Model

A model where cities grow in sectors along transportation routes.

Harris and Ullman Multiple Nuclei Model

A model where cities have multiple centers of activity.

Galactic City Model (Peripheral Model)

A model showing decentralized, automobile-dependent urban areas.

Bid-Rent Theory

A theory that land closer to the CBD is more valuable.

Latin American City Model

A model featuring a central spine of development from the CBD.

Southeast Asian City Model

A model with mixed land use and high-density areas near the CBD.

Sub-Saharan African City Model

A model with traditional, colonial, and informal sectors.

Housing Discrimination

Unequal housing practices based on race, religion, or other factors.

Redlining

The denial of services like loans based on location.

Blockbusting

Encouraging homeowners to sell due to fear of demographic changes.

Affordable Housing

Housing that is reasonably priced for median-income households.

Access to Services

The ability to obtain healthcare and other essential services.

High Crime Rates

Areas with frequent criminal activity.

Environmental Injustice

Unequal environmental burdens placed on disadvantaged groups.

Disamenity Zone

Areas lacking services and often controlled by informal or criminal groups.

Zones of Abandonment

Urban areas that have been deserted due to economic or environmental decline.

Squatter Settlements (Slum/Favela/Barrio/Shantytown)

Informal settlements where people build homes without legal rights to the land.

Land Tenure

The legal ownership of land.

Inclusionary Zoning

Policies requiring affordable housing in new developments.

Local Food Movements

Efforts to support locally produced food systems.

Urban Renewal

The redevelopment of urban areas through renovation or rebuilding.

Gentrification

The process of wealthier residents moving into and renovating poorer neighborhoods.

Functional Fragmentation of Government

Multiple local governments with divided authority.

Urban Sustainability

Designing cities to reduce environmental impact and rely on renewable resources.

Low Density Housing

Housing with few units per area.

Medium Density Housing

Housing such as townhouses and small apartments.

High Density Housing

Housing with many units per area, common in cities.

Residential Buildings and Patterns of Land Use

The distribution of housing types and land uses in an area.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets present needs without harming future generations.

Zoning

Laws dividing land into areas with specific uses.

Mixed Land Use

Development combining residential, commercial, and other uses.

Walkability

How friendly an area is for walking.

Transportation-Oriented Development

Development focused around public transit access.

Smart Growth Policies

Policies that limit urban sprawl and promote dense development.

New Urbanism

An urban design movement promoting walkable, mixed-use communities.

Green Belt

Protected land around a city where development is restricted.

Slow Growth Cities

Cities that intentionally limit growth to manage resources and density.