AP HUG: Unit 6 Vocabulary

Urban

relating to cities and densely populated areas

Rural

relating to sparsely populated countryside areas

Urbanization

increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas

Suburbanization

population movement from urban cores to surrounding suburbs

Reurbanization

revitalization and population return to urban centers

Exurbanization

movement of population beyond suburbs into rural

Megacity

urban area with more than 10 million inhabitants

Metacity

urban area with more than 20 million inhabitants

Boomburb

rapidly growing suburban community

Edge city

suburban center of business and commerce outside a traditional CBD

Exurb

rural area beyond suburbs with commuting ties to a city

Satellite city

smaller city near a larger metropolitan area with economic independence

World city

city integrated into global economic and financial systems

Urban hierarchy

ranking of cities based on size, influence, and services

Forward capital

planned relocation of a capital city to promote development

Gateway city

city that serves as an entry point for migrants and goods

Gravity model

model predicting interaction based on population size and distance

Central place theory

theory explaining distribution of cities and services based on market areas

Hinterland

surrounding area economically tied to a central city

Rank size rule

pattern where city size is inversely proportional to rank

Primate city

largest city that dominates a country’s economy and culture

Urban network

interconnected system of cities

Concentric Zone Model

urban model describing cities in ring shaped zones

Sector Model

urban model showing development in wedge shaped sectors

Multiple Nuclei Model

model showing cities with multiple centers of activity

Galactic City Model

model describing decentralized suburban development

Latin American City Model

urban structure reflecting colonial and modern influences

Sub Saharan African City Model

model reflecting colonial cores and informal settlements

Southeast Asian City Model

model reflecting hybrid urban development patterns

Central Business District

commercial and economic core of a city

Density gradient

decrease in population density moving outward from city center

Zoning

regulation of land use within urban areas

Mixed land use

integration of residential, commercial, and industrial uses

Infill development

development of unused or abandoned land within cities

Urban sprawl

unplanned outward expansion of urban areas

Smart growth

planning approach promoting sustainable urban development

New Urbanism

urban design promoting walkable, mixed use communities

Transit oriented development

development focused around public transportation access

Infrastructure

basic physical systems such as transportation and utilities

Transportation networks

interconnected systems for movement of people and goods

Walkability

measure of how friendly an area is to walking

Greenbelt

protected open space surrounding urban areas

Urban growth boundary

policy limiting outward expansion of cities

Gentrification

process of wealthier residents displacing lower income residents

Redlining

discriminatory lending practice denying services to certain areas

Blockbusting

practice of inducing panic selling of homes in neighborhoods

Filtering

process where housing decreases in value and is occupied by lower income groups

Urban renewal

redevelopment of urban areas often replacing older structures

Disamenity zone

area of environmental or social disadvantage within a city

Squatter settlements

informal housing areas lacking legal ownership

Brownfields

abandoned or contaminated industrial sites

Residential segregation

spatial separation of groups by socioeconomic or ethnic characteristics

Sustainability

development that meets present needs without compromising future needs

Ecological footprint

measure of human demand on Earth’s ecosystems

Remediation

cleanup and restoration of polluted environments

Smart growth policies

policies promoting efficient land use and reduced sprawl

Slow growth cities

cities that intentionally limit expansion

Bid rent curve

graph showing relationship between land value and distance from CBD

Commercialization

transformation of space for business use

Public transit systems

shared transportation systems such as buses and rail