Urbanisation Glossary Flashcards

Urbanisation Glossary

Key Terms and Definitions

  • Brownfield site: An area of land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes (e.g., factories) that has been redeveloped for new construction.
  • Conurbation: A large urban area formed by the merging of multiple smaller towns. Example: Greater Manchester.
  • Counter-urbanisation: The relocation of people from urban areas to rural areas.
  • De-industrialisation: The decline or loss of industry in a specific area.
  • Development: A process of change within a country aimed at improving the overall quality of life for its citizens.
  • Economy: Encompasses all business activities within a country, including production, transportation, sales, and purchasing of goods and services.
  • Farming: The cultivation of crops and raising of animals by humans, a practice that began approximately 12,000 years ago.
  • Industrialisation: The expansion and growth of industry within a region.
  • Industrial Revolution: A period (approximately 1760–1840 in Britain) marked by significant technological advancements, the invention of new machines, and the construction of factories.
  • Industry: Refers to manufacturing or service-based activities. Examples include the car industry and the tourism industry.
  • Infrastructure: The essential facilities that enable a city to function, including water and electricity supplies, waste disposal systems, and transportation networks.
  • Megacity: A city with a population exceeding 10 million people.
  • Pull factors: Reasons that attract people to move to a particular area, such as job opportunities or an improved quality of life.
  • Push factors: Reasons that compel people to leave an area, such as a lack of job opportunities or an unsafe environment.
  • Regeneration: The process of revitalizing a deteriorated area to improve its condition and bring renewed activity.
  • Rural area: Predominantly countryside, characterized by villages and small towns.
  • Rural-urban migration: The movement of people from rural areas to urban areas.
  • Settlement: A place where people reside, ranging in size from a hamlet to a city.
  • Slum: An area within a city characterized by substandard housing and poor living conditions.
  • Squatter settlement: An illegally constructed slum area on unoccupied land.
  • Suburbs: Residential areas located on the outskirts of a city.
  • Sustainable: Able to be maintained or continued long-term without negatively impacting people's quality of life, the economy, or the environment.
  • Urban area: A built-up area, such as a town or city, in contrast to a rural area.
  • Urbanisation: An increase in the percentage of the population residing in urban areas.
  • Urban sprawl: The expansion of an urban area into surrounding areas and settlements.