APHG Unit 6

I. Urbanization and City Growth

• Urbanization: The increase in the number of people living in cities.

• Suburbanization: Growth of areas on the outskirts of cities.

• Exurbanization: People moving from cities to rural areas while still connected to urban economies.

• Counterurbanization: Net migration from urban to rural areas.

• Urban sprawl: Uncontrolled expansion of urban areas.

• Edge cities: New urban centers on the outskirts of old cities with offices, shopping, etc.

• Boomburbs: Rapidly growing suburban cities that remain suburban in character.

• Megalopolis: Several large cities that are connected (e.g., BosWash Corridor in the U.S.).

• Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA): A city and its economically connected surrounding areas.

• Micropolitan Statistical Area: A smaller city-based urban area (10k–50k people).

II. Origins and Development of Cities

• Site: The physical characteristics of a place (e.g., rivers, harbors).

• Situation: A place’s location relative to other places.

• Urban hearths: The earliest cities (e.g., Mesopotamia, Nile Valley, Indus Valley).

Urban Hierarchy

• Hamlet → Village → Town → City → Metropolis → Megalopolis

• Rank-size rule: The nth largest city is 1/n the size of the largest.

• Primate city: A city more than twice the size of the next largest (e.g., Paris).

III. Models of Urban Structure

North American Models

• Concentric Zone Model (Burgess): Rings of land use around a CBD.

• Sector Model (Hoyt): City develops in sectors based on transportation and income.

• Multiple Nuclei Model: City grows around multiple centers or nodes.

• Peripheral Model: Suburban edge cities surround inner city (beltways).

Global Urban Models

• Latin American City Model: Wealthy live near CBD, squatter settlements on outskirts.

• Southeast Asian City Model: No CBD; focus on port zone.

• Sub-Saharan African City Model: 3 CBDs (colonial, traditional, market).

IV. Urban Infrastructure and Services

• Infrastructure: Basic services (e.g., transportation, water, electricity).

• Public transportation: Buses, subways, trains—reduces congestion and pollution.

• Zoning laws: Rules on how land can be used (residential, commercial, industrial).

• Smart growth: Urban planning to reduce sprawl and promote sustainability.

• New urbanism: Walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods.

• Greenbelts: Open land around cities to limit sprawl.

• Mixed-use development: Buildings for both residential and commercial use.

V. Urban Social and Economic Issues

• Filtering: Large homes split into smaller apartments—leads to decline.

• Redlining: Banks denying loans in minority neighborhoods (discriminatory).

• Blockbusting: Realtors scare white homeowners into selling cheap.

• Gentrification: Wealthy move into and renovate poorer neighborhoods.

• Disamenity zones: Areas lacking in services or amenities (often very poor).

• Urban renewal: Redevelopment of rundown areas.

• Housing discrimination: Unequal treatment in renting or buying.

VI. Global Urban Challenges

• Squatter settlements: Illegal housing without basic services (e.g., favelas).

• Informal economy: Unregulated, untaxed economic activity.

• Urban sustainability: City development that meets current needs without harming the future.

• Walkability: Designed for pedestrians, reducing car dependence.

• Transit-oriented development: Urban planning centered around public transit access.