Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns & Processes

These flashcards cover essential terminology and concepts related to urbanization, city models, and land-use patterns.

African Cities Model

A theoretical framework that explains the spatial structure of cities in Africa, often characterized by multiple nuclei and urban features.

Bid-Rent Theory

An economic theory that describes how the price and demand for land varies with distance from the Central Business District (CBD).

Blockbusting

A practice where real estate agents induce panic selling in a neighborhood by implying an influx of different racial or ethnic groups.

Gravity Model

A model that predicts the interaction between two places based on their sizes and the distance between them.

Central Place Theory

A geographical theory that seeks to explain the size, number, and location of human settlements based on their economic functions.

Concentric Zone Model

A model that describes urban land use in concentric rings radiating from the CBD, where each ring has different land uses.

Disamenity zone

An area within a city that is considered undesirable, often characterized by poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of services.

Exurb

A region or community located beyond the suburbs of a city, often characterized by lower population density and more rural characteristics.

Gentrification

The process of urban renewal that results in the influx of more affluent residents, leading to rising property values and displacement of lower-income residents.

Megacity

A city with a population of over 10 million people, usually characterized by significant economic, cultural, and political influence.

Urban Heat Island

A phenomenon where urban or metropolitan areas experience higher temperatures than their surrounding rural areas due to human activities.

Smart Growth

An urban planning approach that encourages sustainable development and community-focused growth to minimize urban sprawl.

Public transportation

Systems and services that transport the general public using vehicles such as buses, trains, subways, and ferries.

Slum

A heavily populated urban area characterized by substandard housing and squalor, often lacking basic services like water and sanitation.

Urban sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into less populated regions, often leading to increased reliance on automobiles and loss of agricultural land.

Urbanization

The process by which more of a population comes to live in urban areas, often linked to industrialization and economic opportunities.

Transportation-oriented development

Urban development that maximizes access to public transport, encouraging compact and walkable communities.

Redlining

A discriminatory practice where banks and insurers refuse or limit services to residents in certain geographical areas, often based on racial or ethnic compositions.

Homelessness

The state of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing, often associated with a range of social issues.

New Urbanism

An urban design movement that promotes walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use developments, and community engagement.

Brownfield

Previously developed land that is not currently in use and may be contaminated, requiring cleanup before redevelopment.

Public housing

Housing provided by the government to individuals or families with low incomes, often at a reduced cost.

Ghetto

An area of a city where a minority group resides due to economic, social, or legal pressures.

Threshold

The minimum market size required for a business to efficiently provide goods or services.

Urban decay

The process in which a previously functioning city or part of a city falls into disrepair and abandonment.