Urban Hierarchies (Unit 18)

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What is an urban hierarchy?

The ranking of urban settlements according to their population size, physical size, number of functions, and level of importance or specialisation.

What is a hierarchy?

A series of levels or ranks where each level performs similar functions but at different levels of importance.

What is a settlement hierarchy?

The ordering of settlements from the smallest to the largest according to size, functions and importance.

What is a central place?

A settlement that provides goods and services to the surrounding population and surrounding settlements.

What is Central Place Theory?

A theory developed by Walter Christaller (1933) explaining how settlements are distributed to provide goods and services efficiently to surrounding areas.

Who developed Central Place Theory?

Walter Christaller (1933).

What is a threshold population?

The minimum number of people needed to support a business or service so that it remains profitable.

What is range (of goods or services)?

The maximum distance people are prepared to travel to obtain a particular good or service.

What is a sphere of influence?

The area from which a settlement or business attracts its customers.

What are low-order goods?

Cheap convenience goods that people buy frequently and travel only short distances to obtain.

What are high-order goods?

Expensive specialised goods that people buy infrequently and are willing to travel further to obtain.

What are convenience goods?

Goods required regularly or daily, such as bread and milk.

What are low-order functions?

Basic services required frequently that are found in almost all settlements.

What are high-order functions?

Specialised services that occur mainly in larger settlements and are used less frequently.

What is a low-order centre?

A small settlement providing mainly basic goods and services to a small surrounding population.

What is a high-order centre?

A large settlement providing both basic and specialised goods and services to a large surrounding population.

What is a market area?

Another term for the sphere of influence of a settlement.

What is an anomaly?

A settlement that does not fit the normal settlement hierarchy.

What is a primate city?

The largest and most dominant city in a country that is significantly larger than the others.

What is a metropolitan area?

A large urban area consisting of a city and its surrounding suburbs.

What is a major metropolitan area?

A very large metropolitan area with millions of people and many specialised functions.

What is a country town?

A medium-sized town providing services to surrounding rural areas.

What is a local service centre?

A small settlement providing basic services to nearby communities.

What is a service?

An activity provided to satisfy people's needs, such as education, banking or healthcare.

What is a function?

An economic or social activity performed by a settlement.

What is a specialised service?

A service that requires specialised skills or equipment and is usually found only in larger settlements.

What is accessibility?

The ease with which people can reach goods, services or places.

Why is accessibility important?

It influences where businesses locate and how successful they are.

What is a trade area?

The area served by a particular settlement or business.

Why are hexagons used in Central Place Theory?

Hexagons cover an area completely without gaps or overlaps, unlike circles.

Why are circles not used in Central Place Theory?

Circles leave gaps or overlap, resulting in areas being under-served or over-served.

What is a settlement?

Any place where people live permanently or temporarily.

What is an urban settlement?

A densely populated settlement with mainly secondary and tertiary economic activities.

What is a rural settlement?

A sparsely populated settlement where primary activities dominate.

What is a settlement function?

The role performed by a settlement through the goods and services it provides.

What is specialisation?

The concentration of particular functions or services within a settlement.

What is population size?

The total number of people living in a settlement.

What is physical size?

The actual land area occupied by a settlement.

What is settlement importance?

The influence a settlement has because of its size, functions and services.

What determines a settlement's position in the hierarchy?

Its population size, number of functions, degree of specialisation, physical size and importance.

Why do urban settlements form a hierarchy?

Because they differ in population size, number of functions, degree of specialisation and importance.

What shape does the settlement hierarchy form?

A pyramid.

Why does the settlement hierarchy form a pyramid?

There are many small settlements but only a few very large settlements.

As settlement size increases, what happens to the number of settlements?

The number decreases.

As settlement size increases, what happens to the number of functions?

The number increases.

As settlement size increases, what happens to the degree of specialisation?

It increases.

As settlement size increases, what happens to the sphere of influence?

It becomes larger.

As settlement size increases, what happens to the threshold population?

It increases.

As settlement size increases, what happens to the range?

It increases.

As settlement size increases, what happens to population?

Population increases.

Which settlements are most numerous?

Low-order settlements.

Which settlements are least numerous?

High-order settlements.

Which settlements provide the greatest variety of goods and services?

High-order settlements.

Which settlements provide mainly basic services?

Low-order settlements.

Which settlements have the highest threshold population?

High-order centres.

Which settlements have the smallest threshold population?

Low-order centres.

Which settlements have the largest sphere of influence?

High-order centres.

Which settlements have the smallest sphere of influence?

Low-order centres.

Which settlements have the widest range?

High-order centres.

Which settlements have the shortest range?

Low-order centres.

Why do high-order centres need larger populations?

Because specialised services require many customers to remain profitable.

Why do low-order centres occur close together?

People require daily goods close to where they live.

Why are high-order centres spaced further apart?

Their large spheres of influence overlap less because people travel further for specialised goods.

Which settlement usually has banks, universities and specialist hospitals?

A high-order centre.

Which settlement usually has a clinic, grocery shop and primary school?

A low-order centre.

Why are there fewer high-order centres?

Each serves a much larger market area.

Why are there many low-order centres?

People need everyday goods close to home.

Which type of goods has a high threshold population?

High-order goods.

Which type of goods has a low threshold population?

Low-order goods.

Which goods usually have a short range?

Convenience goods.

Which goods usually have a long range?

Luxury and specialised goods.

What relationship exists between threshold population and settlement size?

Larger settlements support higher threshold populations.

What relationship exists between sphere of influence and settlement size?

Larger settlements have larger spheres of influence.

What relationship exists between range and order of goods?

Higher-order goods have larger ranges.

What relationship exists between number of services and population?

More people can support more services.

What relationship exists between settlement order and specialisation?

Higher-order settlements have more specialised functions.

What relationship exists between settlement order and spacing?

Higher-order settlements are further apart.

What relationship exists between settlement order and frequency?

Low-order settlements occur more frequently.

Which settlement provides both low-order and high-order goods?

A high-order centre.

Which settlement mainly provides low-order goods?

A low-order centre.

Why are there many low-order centres?

People need everyday goods and services close to where they live.

Why are there fewer high-order centres?

Each serves a much larger population and sphere of influence.

Describe the population of a low-order centre.

It has a relatively small population.

Describe the population of a high-order centre.

It has a large population.

Compare the number of services in low-order and high-order centres.

Low-order centres provide few basic services, while high-order centres provide many basic and specialised services.

Compare the threshold population of low-order and high-order centres.

Low-order centres have a low threshold population, while high-order centres have a high threshold population.

Compare the sphere of influence of low-order and high-order centres.

Low-order centres have a small sphere of influence, while high-order centres have a large sphere of influence.

Compare the range of low-order and high-order centres.

Low-order centres have a short range, while high-order centres have a long range.

Why do high-order centres have a larger sphere of influence?

They provide specialised goods and services that are not available everywhere.

Why do low-order centres have a smaller sphere of influence?

People can obtain basic goods nearby and do not need to travel far.

Which order of centre is usually closer to neighbouring settlements?

Low-order centres.

Which order of centre is usually further apart?

High-order centres.

Why are low-order centres closely spaced?

To ensure convenient access to everyday goods and services.

Why are high-order centres widely spaced?

People are prepared to travel further for specialised goods and services.

Which order of centre provides the greatest variety of goods?

High-order centres.

Which order of centre mainly provides convenience goods?

Low-order centres.

Which order of centre usually contains specialist hospitals?

High-order centres.

Which order of centre usually contains universities?

High-order centres.

Which order of centre usually contains banks and major financial institutions?

High-order centres.

Which order of centre usually contains primary schools and clinics?

Low-order centres (although they are also found in larger settlements).