Unit 6 pt.1

topic 6.1-6.7

What is urbanization?

The process where an increasing percentage of a population lives in cities rather than rural areas. Driven by industrialization, economic opportunity, and migration.

What is site factors?

Physical characteristics of a location that influence the placement of a city.

Situation Factors

The relative location of a place and its connections to other places. These influence a city's growth and economic importance.

Major Causes of Urbanization

occurs due to:

• Industrialization

• Economic development

• Population growth

• Rural-to-urban migration

• Technological advances in transportation and communication

• Government policies

Suburbanization

Movement of people, businesses, and services from central cities to surrounding suburbs.

Megacity

A metropolitan area with a population of 10 million or more.
Common in periphery and semiperiphery countries today.

Metacity

A massive urban area with 20 million or more people.

Urban Sprawl

Uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into rural land, often characterized by:

• Low-density housing

• Automobile dependency

• Separation of land uses

Edge Cities

Large business centers that develop in suburban areas, typically near major highway intersections.

Exurbs

Communities located beyond suburbs that are still connected to the city economically but are more rural.

Boomburbs

Rapidly growing suburban cities with populations over 100,000, often located near large metropolitan areas.

Differences in Global Urbanization

Cities develop differently depending on:

• Level of economic development

• Colonial history

• Political systems

• Cultural traditions

Urbanization in Developed Countries

Characteristics:

• Slower urban growth

• Well-developed infrastructure

• Suburbanization and counterurbanization trends.

Urbanization in Developing Countries

Characteristics:

• Rapid urban growth

• Megacities

• Informal housing and squatter settlements

World Cities (Global Cities)

Cities that function as major centers of the global economy and influence international trade, finance, and culture.

Urban Hierarchy

A ranking of cities based on their size and economic influence.

Higher-ranked cities provide more specialized services.

Global Networks of Cities

Cities are connected through:

• Trade

• Finance

• Transportation

• Communication

• Cultural exchange

These networks facilitate globalization.

Rank-Size Rule

A pattern where the nth largest city is 1/n the population of the largest city.

Primate City

A city that is twice as large as the second-largest city and dominates the country economically and politically.

Gravity Model

Predicts interaction between places based on:

• Population size

• Distance between them

Larger and closer cities interact more.

Central Place Theory

explaining the spatial distribution of cities.

Key ideas:

• Cities provide goods and services to surrounding areas

• Larger cities provide more specialized services

• Cities are arranged in a hierarchical hexagonal pattern

Threshold

The minimum number of people needed to support a business or service.

Range

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

Burgess Concentric Zone Model

Urban model where cities grow outward in five rings:

1. CBD

2. Zone of transition

3. Working-class housing

4. Middle-class housing

5. Commuter zone

Hoyt Sector Model

Urban growth occurs in sectors or wedges extending outward from the CBD, often along transportation routes.

Multiple Nuclei Model

Cities develop with multiple centers (nuclei) rather than a single CBD.

Airports

• Universities

• Industrial areas

Galactic City Model (Peripheral Model)

A modern urban model describing cities with:

• Edge cities

• Suburbs

• Highway systems

• Multiple business centers

Bid-Rent Theory

Explains how land prices change with distance from the CBD.

Key idea:
Land closer to the CBD is more expensive because accessibility is higher.

Global Urban Models

Cities in developing regions follow different patterns.

• Latin American city model

• Southeast Asian city model

• African city model

Residential Density

The number of housing units per unit of land.

Types:

• Low density (suburbs)

• Medium density (townhouses)

• High density (apartments)

Land Use Patterns

The spatial arrangement of different activities in a city such as:

• Residential

• Commercial

• Industrial

• Recreational

Infilling

Development of unused land within already built-up urban areas.

Helps reduce urban sprawl.

Built Landscape

Human-made structures and land-use patterns that reflect cultural values, economic conditions, and political decisions.

Infrastructure

Basic physical systems necessary for a city to function.

• Transportation networks

• Water supply

• Sewage systems

• Electricity

• Communication systems

Infrastructure and Urban Development

The location and quality of infrastructure influence:

• Economic growth

• Social inequality

• Housing development

• Accessibility

Infrastructure inequality

Differences in infrastructure quality can lead to uneven development within cities.

• Wealthy areas with better services

• Poor areas with limited transportation or sanitation