AP Human Geography Unit Six Vocab List: Cities, Urban Land Use, and Globalization

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to cities, urban land use, and globalization.

barriadas

Improvised slums or shantytowns typically found in Latin American cities.

bid-rent theory

A geographic economic theory that explains the land value as a function of distance from the city center. Made by William Alonso

blockbusting

The practice of inducing panic selling in a neighborhood for profit, usually through racial or ethnic changes.

CBD

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

census tract

A small, relatively permanent statistical subdivision of a county or equivalent entity.

central-place theory

A spatial theory in urban geography that seeks to explain the size and distribution of human settlements. Made by Walter christaller

colonial city

A city that was established or developed as a result of colonialism.

commuter zone

An area surrounding a city where residents commute to work in the city.

concentric zone model

A model of urban land use that describes cities as a series of concentric rings. (Ernest W Burgees)

counterurbanization

The process of population movement from urban to rural areas.

edge city

A new urban development on the outskirts of a city, typically with its own business, shopping, and entertainment.

favela

A Brazilian shantytown or slum, often in or near major cities.

gateway city

A city that serves as a key entry point for immigrants and travelers.

gentrification

The process whereby urban neighborhoods are transformed by the influx of wealthier residents.

ghetto

A part of a city, especially a slum area, occupied by a minority group.

high-tech corridors

Areas often designated for high-tech industries that are strategically located near urban centers.

hinterland

The economic zone surrounding a city that provides resources and services.

in-filling

The process of developing vacant or under-utilized parcels within existing urban areas.

invasion and succession

A theory describing how different groups replace one another in a neighborhood over time.

lateral commuting

Commuting between two suburban areas rather than from suburb to city.

megalopolis (conurbation)

A large urban area formed by the merging of several metropolitan areas.

metropolitan statistical area

Geographic areas that represent population centers.

multiple nuclei model

A model of urban land use that describes cities as having multiple centers of activity. (Chauncey Harris and Edward ullman)

peak land value intersection

The location in a city that has the highest land value, often near the CBD.

primate city

The largest city in a country that dominates economic and political life.

rank-size rule

A pattern that describes the relationship between the sizes of cities within a country.

range

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

redlining

The practice of denying services to residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity.

restrictive covenants

Agreements that restrict the use of property, often to prevent certain races from buying homes in a neighborhood.

sector model

A model of urban land use that proposes cities develop in sectors or wedges radiating out from the CBD. (Homer Hoyt)

slum

A heavily populated urban area characterized by substandard housing and squalor.

squatter settlement

An informal housing area where residents build homes on land they do not own.

suburb

A residential area on the outskirts of a city.

threshold

The minimum market size needed for a business to survive.

underclass

A population that is marginalized socioeconomically and often politically.

urban hearth area

Regions where the earliest cities and agriculture began.

urban heat island

An urban area that experiences significantly warmer temperatures than its rural surroundings.

zoning

The practice of dividing land into zones for different uses like residential, commercial, industrial, etc.