Unit 2 Geography Vocab: Urban Environments

bid rent theory

land closer to the city center is more expensive because more people want to be their

central business district

downtown area with the most shops, offices, and activity

centrifugal movement

people moving out from city center to suburbs

centripetal movement

people moving into city center from outside

counter urbanization

people moving from cities to rural areas

deindustrialization

factories close down & manufacturing jobs decrease

family cycle model

different stages people go through affecting where they live

formal economy 

legal jobs that are taxed and regulated

gentrification

richer people moving into poor areas

informal economy

unregulated jobs that are not taxed

infrastructure

basic systems a city needs

megacity

a city with over 10 million

microclimate 

small areas with different climate conditions than the surrounding areas

re-urbanization and urban renewal

reviving old/abandoned urban areas to attract people back

rural-urban migration

people moving from coutnryside into cities

settlement hierarchy

ranking places from smallest to biggest

slum clearance

removing poor-quality housing to rebuild or redevelop

suburbanization

growth of areas just outside the city

urban heat island

cities being warmer than nearby rural areas becuase of buildings and pavement

urban planning

designing and organizing how a city will grow

urban sprawl

cities spreading outward into rural areas

urbanization

growth in the percentage of people living in cities