EXTRA TERMS Unit 6: Urbanization

rural

Areas characterized by low population density and large open spaces.

urban

Areas characterized by high population density and vast human-built features.

suburbs

Residential areas located on the outskirts of a city.

settlement

A community where people live, which can vary in size and complexity.

site

The physical characteristics of a place, such as its landforms and resources.

situation

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

city-state

A sovereign state that consists of a city and its dependent territories.

urban hearth

The areas where the first cities began to develop.

urban area

A region surrounding a city, characterized by high population density and infrastructure.

metropolitan area (metro area)

A region that includes a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories.

micropolitan statistical area

An urban area with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000.

nodal region

An area organized around a node or focal point.

social heterogeneity

The diversity of social groups within a given area.

time-space compression

The process by which the world feels smaller due to advancements in transportation and communication.

pedestrian cities

Cities designed primarily for walking rather than for vehicles.

ecumene

The inhabited or habitable portions of the Earth.

counter-urbanization

The movement of people from urban areas to rural areas.

megalopolis

A large urban region formed by the merging of several metropolitan areas.

nodal city

A city that serves as a focal point for economic and social activities.

urban system

A network of cities and their interconnections.

higher-order services

Services that are less frequently needed and typically found in larger cities.

lower-order services

Services that are frequently needed and typically found in smaller towns.

residential zones

Areas designated for housing and living purposes.

market area

The region from which a business draws its customers.

hexagonal hinterlands

The area surrounding a central place that is served by it.

threshold

The minimum market size needed to support a service.

range

The maximum distance people are willing to travel to purchase a good or service.

functional zone

An area within a city that serves a specific purpose.

central business district (CBD)

The commercial and business center of a city.

traditional CBD

The original commercial center of a city, often characterized by older buildings.

colonial CBD

The central business district established during colonial times.

commercial spine

A linear area of commercial development along a major road.

shantytown

A settlement of improvised housing, often lacking basic services.

favela (barrio)

A Brazilian term for a slum or informal settlement.

zoning ordinances

Laws that regulate land use and development.

urban planning

The process of designing and regulating the use of land in urban areas.

inner city

The older, central part of a city, often associated with social and economic challenges.

residential density gradient

The change in population density as one moves away from the city center.

suburbanization of business

The movement of businesses from urban centers to suburban areas.

municipal

Relating to a city or town or its local government.

municipality

A political unit with its own government, typically a city or town.

incorporation

The process of legally declaring a corporate entity as separate from its owners.

unincorporated areas

Regions that are not governed by a local municipal corporation.

census tracts

Small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county.

census block

The smallest geographic unit used by the U.S. Census Bureau.

qualitative data

Information that is descriptive and conceptual, often collected through interviews or surveys.

racial segregation

The separation of people into different racial or ethnic groups.

ghettos

Urban areas where a minority group lives, often due to social or economic pressures.

urban renewal

The process of redeveloping and revitalizing urban areas.

eminent domain

The right of a government to take private property for public use.

informal settlements

Communities that are not officially recognized and often lack basic services.

land tenure

The legal regime in which land is owned and used.

suburban sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land.

urban redevelopment

The process of improving and revitalizing urban areas.