AP HuG U6 Cities & Urban Land-Use

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to urban geography.

Suburbs

Land areas around central cities where population density lessens and land costs less than central city land.

Fall Line

A narrow strip marking the geological boundary between upland regions and plains, where early settlements arose.

Urban Areas

Areas (cities) with high concentrations of people.

Rural Areas

Areas with low concentrations of people, such as farms, villages, and hamlets.

Urbanization

The process of developing towns and cities.

Urban Hearths

The first areas that developed cities, including regions like Mesopotamia and the Nile River Valley.

City-State

Sovereign, often walled cities that developed from prosperous agricultural settlements.

Settlement Hierarchy

The categorization of settlements based on size and services available.

Isolated Dwelling

A small residential structure, often far from shops or other services.

Hamlet

A very small settlement with few, if any, services or shops.

Village

A small but larger than hamlet, with a few services and shops.

Town

Larger than a village and generally having at least one market and various services.

City

The largest category of clustered settlement, with a variety of markets, shops, and services.

Metropolitan Area

A city and its surrounding communities linked socially and economically.

Megacity

A city with a population of more than 10 million people.

Metacity

A city with a population of more than 20 million people.

World City

A city with a disproportionate influence over global events and markets.

Megalopolis

An urban complex formed by several densely populated metropolitan areas.

Edge City

Cities that develop on the outskirts of larger cities, with mixed features including residential and office spaces.

Exurb

A prosperous community that has grown beyond the suburbs, remaining connected to the central city.

Infill

The redevelopment of vacant lots in urban areas.

Mixed-Use Zoning

Zoning that allows for both residential and commercial space in one building.

Boomburg

A rapidly growing suburb with over 100,000 residents.

Tract Housing

Multiple similar homes built on the same tract and subdivided into lots.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas.

Zoning

The process of dividing an urban area into zones for different types of land use.

Traditional Zoning

Zoning that restricts land use to one type of activity.

Inclusionary Zoning Laws

Laws that require affordable housing in residential developments.

New Urbanism

An approach to urban planning that promotes sustainable growth and community.

Transportation-Oriented Development

Urban development designed to maximize access to public transport.

Infrastructure

Physical and organizational systems that improve living standards for communities.

Greenbelt

A reserved area of undeveloped land surrounding urban areas.

Smart-Growth Policies

Policies aimed at preserving open spaces and curbing urban sprawl.

Culture of Poverty

A concept explaining how poverty conditions perpetuate across generations.

Zones of Abandonment

Urban areas with severe decline leading to empty buildings and relocation of residents.

Regional Planning

Planning that occurs above the municipal level for efficient infrastructure and growth.

De Facto Segregation

Residential separation occurring not by law but due to social or economic factors.

Gated Communities

Planned neighborhoods with limited access and security.

Filtering

The process of declining property use from single-family homes to multi-family units.

Redlining

The refusal of banks to lend in certain urban areas deemed high-risk.

Blockbusting

A practice that pressures homeowners to sell low when an ethnic minority moves in.

White Flight

The migration of white residents from urban areas to suburbs.

Gentrification

The influx of wealthier people into a neighborhood causing displacement of poorer residents.

Eminent Domain

The government's right to take private property for public use with compensation.

Ghetto

An area of poverty predominantly occupied by minority groups.

Squatter Settlement

An area lacking basic infrastructure, often made from unsafe materials.

Disamenity Zone

An urban area characterized by high poverty and undesirable conditions.

Basic Industry

Main employment sectors that shape a city's economy.

Environmental Injustice

The disproportionate burden of environmental hazards on communities of color and the poor.

Urban Renewal

Efforts to rebuild crumbling neighborhoods through federal grants.

Revitalization

Initiatives aimed at reorganizing and improving economically declining urban areas.

Urban Canyon

Streets lined with tall buildings that influence wind and sunlight.

Urban Heat Island

An urban area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding areas.

Brownfield

Abandoned sites in urban areas that are polluted or undesirable.

Food Desert

An area with limited access to fresh and healthy food.

Secondary Industry

Industries that support basic industries and develop in urban areas.

Bid-Rent Theory

A theory that relates land cost to its intended use, highest near the CBD.

Gravity Model

A model predicting interaction between cities based on size and proximity.

Rank-Size Rule

A rule predicting the size distribution of cities within a country.

Concentric Zone Model

A model describing urban social structures with five zones around a central business district.

Primate Cities

One city that is significantly larger than all others in a country.

Central Place Theory

A theory explaining the distribution of cities based on the supply of goods and services.

Hoyt Sector Model

A model illustrating that cities develop in sectors rather than concentric rings.

Multiple Nuclei Model

A model stating that cities can have multiple centers of development.

Galactic Model

An urban model illustrating a decentralization of the CBD surrounded by suburban areas.

Urban Realms Model

A model describing the separation of functions and networks in parts of growing cities.

Latin American Model

Describes urban structure in Latin America, featuring a spine from the CBD with surrounding zones.

Sub-Saharan African Model

Structure of urban areas in Sub-Saharan Africa with multiple CBDs and mixed neighborhoods.

Southeast Asian Model

An urban model based around a port zone, with organized commercial and residential areas.