Geography of Industry, Settlements, and Urban Patterns

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to the geography of industry, settlements, and urban patterns.

Agglomeration industries

Industries that benefit from being close to each other to reduce costs and enhance efficiency.

Assembly line

A manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner to create a finished product.

Break-of-bulk

A location where goods are transferred from one mode of transport to another.

Brownfield

A previously developed land that may be contaminated but is available for redevelopment.

Bulk-gaining industry

An industry where the final product weighs more than the raw materials used to create it.

Bulk-reducing industry

An industry where the final product weighs less than the raw materials used.

Capital

Wealth in the form of money or assets used to generate income.

Complementarity

The relationship between two places where one produces something the other needs.

Cottage industry

A small-scale manufacturing operation, often home-based, using little labor.

Deindustrialization

The process of reducing industrial activity or capacity in a region.

Export processing zone

Areas in developing countries that provide favorable conditions for foreign businesses.

Footloose industry

Industries that can be located anywhere due to their minimal resource requirements.

Fordism

A system of mass production that uses assembly lines and standardized products.

Growth pole

A geographic area where economic development is focused, leading to growth.

Industrial inertia

Resistance to change in industrial structures or locations.

Industrial Revolution

The major technological and economic change that began in the late 18th century.

Infrastructure

The fundamental facilities and systems serving a country or region.

Economies of scale

Cost advantages gained by increasing production levels.

Labor-intensive

Industries that require a large amount of labor to produce goods.

Weber’s least-cost theory

A model that explains the location of industries based on minimizing costs.

Location theory

The study of the geographic factors that influence where businesses establish operations.

Manufacturing region

An area where industrial production is concentrated.

Market orientation

A business approach focusing on the needs and preferences of customers.

Mass production

The process of producing large quantities of goods efficiently.

Outsourcing

The practice of obtaining goods or services from an outside supplier.

Primary industry

The sector of the economy focused on extracting natural resources.

Raw material orientation

Industries that are located close to their raw materials.

Site characteristics

Specific local features that impact the location of industries.

Situation characteristics

Relative location of an industry in relation to other places.

Secondary industry

The sector of the economy that transforms raw materials into finished goods.

Special economic zone

Geographic areas with economic regulations that differ from the rest of the country.

Central place theory

A spatial theory in urban geography that explains the size and distribution of human settlements.

CBD

Central Business District, the commercial and business center of a city.

Concentric zone model

A model that describes urban land use in concentric circles.

Density gradient

The change in density of population as one moves away from the center of a city.

Edge city

A large nodal concentration of retail and office space situated on the outer fringes of a city.

Gentrification

The process of transforming a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents.

Greenbelts

Areas of open land around a city that limits suburban sprawl.

Megalopolis

A large, densely populated urban area that includes multiple cities and suburbs.

Multiple nuclei model

A model that suggests cities develop around several distinct areas or nuclei.

New urbanism

A movement advocating for walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use developments, and sustainable urban design.

Public housing project

Government-funded housing developments intended for low-income residents.

Redlining

The practice of denying services or limiting them to certain neighborhoods based on racial or ethnic composition.

Squatter settlement

Informal housing areas where residents have no legal claim to the land.

Urban renewal

The process of redeveloping urban areas to improve infrastructure and living conditions.

Zoning

Regulatory framework governing land use and building regulations in a municipality.