Unit 6 Chapters 4-5

Urban System

A network of interdependent cities across a region or country.

Urban Hierarchy

A ranking of cities based on size and functional complexity.

Rank-Size Rule

A pattern where the second-largest city has half the population of the largest, the third one-third, etc.

Primate City

A city that is disproportionately large and dominant over others in a country.

Central Place Theory

A model that explains the spatial distribution of cities based on the availability of goods and services.

Threshold

The minimum number of people needed to support a service.

Range

The maximum distance people are willing to travel for a service.

Gravity Model

The concept that interaction between two places decreases as distance increases but increases with population size.

Concentric Zone Model

A model showing city growth in rings outward from the CBD.

Sector Model

A model that shows cities growing in wedges along transport routes.

Multiple-Nuclei Model

A model suggesting cities grow from multiple centers or nodes.

Galactic City Model

A post-industrial model showing cities with decentralized edge cities and car-dependent areas.

Bid-Rent Theory

Theory stating that land value and rent decrease the further from the CBD.

Central Business District (CBD)

The commercial and business center of a city.

Hinterland

The area surrounding a city where it influences economic activity.

Edge Cities

Suburban downtowns that develop around major highways and are typically characterized by business, retail, and entertainment.

Deindustrialization

The process of economic change involving the decline of industrial activity in a region.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into the surrounding rural land.

Suburbanization

The process of population movement from within cities to the outskirts.

Gentrification

The process of renovating and improving a neighborhood to attract more affluent residents.

Smart Growth

Urban planning and transportation theory that focuses on sustainable development.

Land Use Patterns

The classification of how land in a given area is used or developed.

Economic Functions of Cities

The roles cities play in production, trade, and services.

Political Functions of Cities

How cities serve as centers of governance and political activities.

Cultural Functions of Cities

The roles cities play in the arts, education, and community interactions.

Transportation Corridors

Designated routes used for transportation, critical in urban planning.