Unit 6 Vocab AP Human Geo

Rank-size rule

A model that describes the relationship between the size of a city and its rank in the hierarchy of cities.

Central place theory

A spatial theory in urban geography that seeks to explain the size, number, and location of human settlements.

Range

The maximum distance consumers are willing to travel to purchase a good or service.

Threshold

The minimum market size needed to support a particular good or service.

Megacity

An extremely large city, typically with a population of over 10 million people.

Burgess Concentric Zone Model

A model that divides the city into five concentric zones, illustrating urban social structures.

Hoyt’s model

A model that proposes the city develops in sectors radiating from the CBD, focused on transportation routes.

Multiple nuclei model

A model that suggests cities have multiple centers (nuclei) that develop independently.

Favelas

Informal settlements in Brazil, typically characterized by poor infrastructure and housing.

Squatter settlements

Areas inhabited by people who occupy land illegally, often lacking proper infrastructure.

Edge cities

Suburban business districts that emerge on the outskirts of larger cities.

Zoning Ordinance

A law that defines how property in specific geographic zones can be used.

Gated communities

Residential areas with restricted access, often characterized by security measures.

Brownfields

Previously developed land that is not currently in use and may be contaminated.

Urban redlining

The discriminatory practice of denying services to residents based on the location of their neighborhood.

Gentrification

A process of urban renewal that can result in the displacement of lower-income residents.

Food deserts

Areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Urban sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into suburban and rural land.

Greenbelts

Areas of open space that are preserved from urban development.

New Urbanism

An urban design movement promoting walkable neighborhoods and mixed-use communities.

Galactic city

A model of urban development characterized by dispersed urban areas surrounding a central city.

Primate Cities

Cities that are disproportionately larger than any other city in the same country, often serving as the political, economic, and cultural capital.

Quantitative data

Data that can be measured and expressed numerically.

Qualitative data

Data that is descriptive and cannot be measured numerically.