APHuG Unit 6 Overview

Urbanization

Process by which increasing percentages of people live in cities, driven by jobs and industrialization.

Suburbanization

Movement of people from urban centers to surrounding suburbs.

Rural

Low-density areas focused on agriculture or resource extraction.

Urban

High-density areas with developed infrastructure and non-agricultural jobs.

Site

Physical characteristics of a location, including climate, landforms, and water access.

Situation

Relative location compared to other places; connectivity and accessibility.

Urban Hearths

Early centers of urbanization: Mesopotamia, Nile Valley, Indus Valley, China, Mesoamerica, Andes.

City

Large, legally defined urban settlement.

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Central city plus surrounding economically integrated suburbs.

Micropolitan Statistical Area

Smaller urban area (10k–50k people) with economic ties.

Borchert Transportation Model

Stages of U.S. urban growth based on transport innovations.

Industrial Revolution

Period of rapid industrial growth leading to urban migration.

Megacity

City with population over 10 million.

Metacity

City with population over 20 million.

Suburb

Residential area outside the central city.

Urban Sprawl

Uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into rural land.

Leapfrog Development

Pattern of sprawl skipping over undeveloped land.

Boomburb

Rapidly growing suburban city (population >100k).

Edge City

Business, retail, and entertainment center outside traditional downtown.

Exurb

Residential area beyond suburbs with economic ties to city.

Counterurbanization

Movement from cities to rural areas for lifestyle reasons.

Megalopolis (Conurbation)

Large urban region formed by multiple merged cities.

World City

Major global hub of finance, culture, and politics.

Urban Hierarchy

Ranking of cities by population and services.

Higher-Order Services

Infrequent, specialized services requiring large market (e.g., brain surgery).

Lower-Order Services

Common, inexpensive services used frequently (e.g., grocery stores).

Central Place Theory

Explains city distribution based on services, threshold, and range (hexagonal patterns).

Range

Maximum distance people travel for a service.

Threshold

Minimum population to support a service.

Rank-Size Rule

City populations inversely proportional to rank in hierarchy.

Primate City

Largest and disproportionately dominant city in a country.

Gravity Model

Interaction between places based on size and distance.

Central Business District (CBD)

Commercial and business center of a city.

Zone in Transition

Area next to CBD with industry, poor housing, and social change.

Residential Zone

Housing areas that vary by income; wealth often increases with distance from CBD.

Concentric Zone Model

Urban structure in circular rings around CBD.

Sector Model

Urban structure with wedge-shaped development along transport routes.

Multiple Nuclei Model

Cities with multiple centers of activity instead of one CBD.

Galactic City Model (Peripheral)

Decentralized city with edge cities connected by highways.

Edge City Formation

Result of automobile use, suburban business growth, and demand for decentralized services.

North American City Model

Wealthy populations in suburbs; CBD focused on business.

European City Model

Wealthy populations near center; compact, older cities.

Latin American City Model (Griffin-Ford)

CBD, commercial spine, and peripheral squatter settlements.

African City Model

CBD with ethnic neighborhoods reflecting colonial influence.

Southeast Asian City Model (McGee)

Port cities with mixed land uses and no clear CBD.

Squatter Settlement

Unplanned housing lacking basic services like water and sanitation.

Zoning Ordinance

Laws regulating land use within cities.

Residential Density Gradient

Population density decreases with distance from CBD.

Filtering

Housing passes from higher-income to lower-income residents over time.

Invasion and Succession

New groups move into and replace existing neighborhood populations.

Urban Infill

Development of unused or vacant land within city limits.

Suburbanization of Business

Businesses move from CBD to suburban areas.

Infrastructure

City systems including transportation, water, sewage, and power.

Municipality

City or town with its own local government.

Annexation

City expands boundaries into surrounding areas.

Incorporation

Area becomes legally recognized as a city.

Unincorporated Area

Region without its own municipal government.

Infrastructure in Developed Countries

Well-maintained systems with reliable services.

Infrastructure in Developing Countries

Underdeveloped systems, limited access to water, transport, sanitation.

Transportation Issues

Traffic congestion, pollution, and automobile dependence.

Public Transportation

Buses, trains, subways moving large numbers efficiently.

Smart Growth

Urban planning limiting sprawl and promoting efficient land use.

Greenbelt

Protected open space to limit city expansion.

New Urbanism

Walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods.

Mixed-Use Development

Combines residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.

Transit-Oriented Development

High-density development near transit hubs.

Livability

Overall quality of life including safety, affordability, and environment.

Criticisms of Smart Growth

Increases housing costs, limits choice, difficult to implement.

Quantitative Data

Numerical data like population or income statistics.

Qualitative Data

Descriptive data from observation or interviews.

Census Tract

Small geographic areas used for population data collection.

Urban Decay

Deterioration of buildings and infrastructure in cities.

Redlining

Discriminatory denial of loans or services by race or ethnicity.

Blockbusting

Encouraging homeowners to sell cheaply due to fear of racial change.

Ghetto

Neighborhood where minority groups are concentrated.

Inclusionary Zoning

Policies requiring developers to include affordable housing.

Public Housing

Government-provided housing for low-income residents.

Scattered-Site Housing

Public housing distributed throughout a city to avoid poverty concentration.

Urban Renewal

Redevelopment of deteriorated urban areas.

Gentrification

Wealthier residents move into low-income neighborhoods, increasing property values.

Gentrification Causes

Desire for city living, proximity to jobs, investment opportunities.

Gentrification Effects

Increased property values, displacement, and neighborhood change.

Gentrification Pros

Economic growth, reduced crime, improved infrastructure.

Gentrification Cons

Displacement of low-income residents, cultural loss, rising costs.

Informal Settlements

Unplanned housing areas common in developing countries.

Environmental Injustice

Environmental hazards disproportionately affecting low-income or minority communities.

Gated Community

Residential area with restricted access for security or exclusivity.

Homelessness

Lack of stable, permanent housing.

Food Desert

Area with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Government Fragmentation

Division of metropolitan areas into many local governments, reducing coordination.

Urban Heat Island

Cities are warmer than surrounding areas due to infrastructure and activity.

Urban Canyon

Areas where tall buildings trap heat and pollution.

Pollution in Cities

Air, water, and land contamination caused by urban activities.

Wildlife Disruption

Negative effects of urbanization on habitats and animals.

Cost of Urban Sprawl

Increased infrastructure costs, traffic, environmental damage, loss of farmland.

Brownfield

Previously used industrial/commercial site requiring cleanup before reuse.

Urban Redevelopment

Improvement and rebuilding of urban areas, often including brownfield cleanup.