Urbanization and Urban Models - Lecture Notes

Flashcards focusing on key vocabulary and concepts related to urbanization and urban models covered in the lecture.

Urbanization

The process through which cities grow, and higher percentages of the population comes to live in urban areas.

Central Business District (CBD)

The downtown area of a city that is the primary location for commercial and business activities. It typically contains a high concentration of services.

Urban Cluster

An urban area containing between 2,500 and 50,000 inhabitants.

Micropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)

An area that includes an urbanized area with a population of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 and its contiguous census tracts.

Bid-Rent Theory

A geographical economic theory that explains how the price and demand for real estate change as the distance from the Central Business District increases.

Gentrification

The process where urban neighborhoods are transformed by the influx of new, often more affluent residents, which can lead to the displacement of poorer residents.

Concentric Zone Model

A model that explains urban social structures as layers radiating outward from a central point, typically depicting socio-economic patterns.

Sector Model

A model proposing that cities develop in sectors or wedges, with different types of land use spreading out from the center along transportation routes.

Multiple Nuclei Model

A model suggesting that cities are composed of multiple centers of activity rather than a single nucleus.

Megalopolis

A large urban area that encompasses multiple, densely populated cities and their suburbs, often interconnected through transportation.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into the surrounding rural land, often leading to environmental and infrastructural issues.

Public Housing

Housing that is provided by government authorities for low-income residents, often criticized for poor living conditions and lack of maintenance.

Filtering

The process by which larger homes are divided into smaller, affordable rental units, often leading to neighborhood decline.

Redlining

The discriminatory practice where banks refuse to offer loans or insurance to residents in certain areas, effectively segregating neighborhoods.

Primate City

A city that is significantly larger than any other city in the country and serves as an economic, political, and cultural hub.

Smart Growth

Urban planning that emphasizes environmentally sustainable practices, compact building design, and efficient public transportation to limit urban sprawl.

New Urbanism

An urban design movement promoting walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use development, and a focus on sustainable practices.

Suburban Segregation

The phenomenon where suburban areas are separated by economic or social class, leading to inequality in access to services and amenities.

Density Gradient

The change in residential density in an urban area as one moves away from the city center, typically decreasing in density.