Unit 6 vocab all

Site - the physical characteristics of a place, including its topography, climate, soil, and natural resources

1. Ex. The Grand Canyon is an example of site, since the big canyons and layers of rock shapes the place

Situation - the location of a place in relation to other places and features (relative location)

1. Ex. Factors of situation is how close an area is to a service and the accessibility of an area

Patterns of Development - the observable spatial trends and variations in economic growth, urbanization, and social well-being across different regions of the world

1. Ex. Suburban sprawl is a pattern where cities expand outward, creating more residential areas.

Connectivity - The degree of economic, social, or political connection between different places.

1. Ex. New York City has high connectivity due to its extensive transport and communication networks.

Accessibility - the ease of reaching a location or obtaining a service, influenced by transportation, infrastructure, and technology

1. Ex. A city with well-connected highways and public transit like Tokyo has high accessibility, making it easy for people to commute and access services.

Service - any activity that fulfills a human want or need and returns money to those who provide it.

1. Ex. The three services include consumer, business, and public services.

Consumer Services - The principal purpose is to provide services to individual consumers who desire them and can afford to pay for them.

1. Ex. The four main types of consumer services are retail, education, health, and leisure.

Business Services - The principal purpose is to facilitate the activities of other businesses.

1. Ex. The four main types of business services are professional, financial, information, and transportation.

Public Services - The purpose is to provide security and protection for citizens and businesses.

1. Ex. The police, fire services, and paramedics are examples of public services.

Agglomeration - the clustering of businesses and industries in a specific area

1. Ex. Silicon Valley, where many tech companies cluster together, benefiting from shared resources, talent, and innovation.

Globalization - the expansion of economic, political, and cultural processes to the point where it becomes global in scale and impact)

1. Ex. Technology has been globalized rapidly.

World Cities - an urban center that is a major player in the global economy and is connected to a network of other global cities through economic, cultural, and political linkages.

1. Ex. World cities are the dominant cities in leading globalization

Global City - a major center for the provision of services in the global economy

1. Ex. To some, London, New York City, Paris, and Tokyo have been traditionally considered the “big four” global cities

Settlement - a permanent collection of buildings where people reside, work, and obtain services.

1. Ex. A city or town is an example of a settlement.

Christaller’s Central Place Theory - a theory that explains how the most profitable location can be identified.

1. Ex. Settlements that provide more goods and services than do other places are called higher-order central places such as jewelry and large shopping malls

Market Area/Hinterland - the area surrounding a service from which customers are attracted

1. Ex. Market areas are often nodal areas because this is where a characteristic is most intense

Brownfields - a property that is potentially contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants

1. Ex. landfills, vehicle repair shops, gas stations, and dry cleaners are examples of brownfields

Range - The maximum distance people are willing to travel to use a service

1. Ex. People travel short distances for daily consumer services but travel further for events such as concerts.

Threshold - The minimum number of people needed to support a service

1. Ex. larger populations require a higher threshold to operate and make economic endeavor profitable

Retailers High Threshold - businesses that require a large number of customers to be profitable, often located in areas with high foot traffic.

1. Ex. Shopping malls and department stores like Macy’s need a high customer base, so they are usually found in large urban centers.

Retailers High Range - businesses that sell goods or services that people are willing to travel long distances for.

1. Ex. Luxury brand stores like Gucci or Rolex attract customers from far away because their products are unique and not commonly available.

Size and Distribution - the spatial arrangement and relative size of settlements, businesses, or populations across an area.

1. Ex. In the rank-size rule, larger cities are fewer but more spaced out, while smaller towns are more numerous and closely distributed.

Rank-Size Rule  - The order of the largest city is proportional to its size

1. Ex. The second largest city is one half the size of the largest city

Primate City Rule - A pattern of settlements in a country such that the largest settlement has more than twice as many people as second-ranking settlement

1. Ex. Mexico is an example of a country that follows the primate city rule distribution

Primate City - The largest settlement in a country, if it has more than twice as many people as the second-ranking settlement

1. Ex. The primate city in Japan is Tokyo

Gravity Model - A model that holds that the potential use of a service at a particular location is directly related to the number of people in a location and inversely related to the distance people must travel to reach the service

1. Ex. a country can be closer to a country compared to another country but have a lower population so it has less interaction.

Periodic Market - A collection of individual vendors who come together to offer foods and services in a location on specified days

1. Ex. A farmers market is a form of periodic market found in many developed countries

Local Food Movement/Locavore - a movement which aims to connect food producers and food consumers in the same geographic region; in order to develop more self-reliant and resilient food networks, improve local economies, or for health, environmental, community, or social impact.

1. Ex. The organization, Green America, is an example of a local food movement because their goal is to empower individuals to make purchasing and investing choices to build a sustainable world.

Economic Base - a community's collection of basic businesses

1. Ex. In the capitals of Canada and Australia, the economic base consists of public sector jobs.

Clustered Rural Settlement - A rural settlement in which the houses and farm buildings of each family are situated close to each other, with fields surrounding the settlement

1. Ex. Kraal village in Kenya is an example of a clustered circular rural settlement

Dispersed rural settlement - A rural settlement pattern characterized by isolated farms rather than clustered villages

1. Ex. Harvesting corn in southeastern Wisconsin is an example of dispersed rural settlement in the United States

Mixed Land Use - cities that blend a use of residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial uses.

1. Ex. The most common types of mixed use developments include residential and office spaces or residential and other types of commercial spaces.

Urbanization - The movement of people to, and the clustering of people in, towns and cities.

1. Ex. Urbanization is a major force in every geographic realm today

Suburbanization - the growth of cities outside of an urban area.

1. Ex. Suburbanization has become extremely prominent, with majority living in suburban areas

Migration - groups of people or animals moving from one region or country to another.

1. Ex. Migration grows cities

Megacity - An urban settlement with a total population in excess of 10 million people

1. Ex. Tokyo (Japan) is currently the largest 'megacity' in the world with 37.4 million inhabitants

Metacity - An urban settlement with a total population in excess of 20 million people

1. Ex. Shanghai is a metacity.

Periphery - countries that have a very low standard of living and low levels of industrial productivity.

1. Ex. Periphery areas are those on the outside of models

Semi Periphery - countries that have a standard of living lower than those in the “core,” but much higher than those in the “periphery.” 

1. Ex. Semi periphery areas are near the core of the CBD

Core - the most developed, economically dominant, and influential area within a region or country.

1. Ex. New York City is a core city in the U.S. because of its economic power, global influence, and high population density.

Decentralization - the tendency of people or businesses and industry to locate outside the central city. 

1. Ex. A decentralized business is a hotel

Edge Cities - an urban area with a large suburban residential and business area surrounding it.

1. Ex. Edge cities developed rapidly in Midwest areas because of people looking for jobs

Exurbs - an area outside the typically denser inner suburban area, at the edge of a metropolitan area, which has some economic and commuting connection to the metro area, low housing density, and growth.

1. Ex. Exurbs are usually rural areas

Suburban Sprawl - the spreading of urban developments on undeveloped land near a city.

1. Ex. Examples of suburban sprawl are houses and shopping centers.

Sprawl - Development of new housing sites at relatively low density and at locations that are not contiguous to the existing built-up area

1. Ex. Sprawl is fostered by the desire of some families to win large tracts of land

Boomburbs - A place with more than 100,000 residents that is not a core city in a metropolitan area.

1. Ex. Even as boomburbs grow, they remain suburban areas

Infilling- The building of new retail, business, or residential spaces on vacant or underused parcels in already-developed areas.

1. Ex. Development on empty land like parking lots.

Infill Housing - the development of new homes on vacant or underutilized land within existing urban areas to maximize space efficiency.

1. Ex. Building townhouses on an empty lot in a densely populated city like Chicago is an example of infill housing.

Central City - An urban settlement that has been legally incorporated into an independent, self-governing unit

1. Ex. Cleveland is a central city, though its population has been declining rapidly

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) - In the United States, an urbanized area of at least 50,000 population, the county within which the city is located, and adjacent counties meeting one of several tests indicating a functional connection to the central city

1. Ex. New York is an example of a metropolitan statistical area

Micropolitan Statistical Areas (μSAs) - An urbanized area of between 10,000 and 50,000 inhabitants, the county in which it is located, and adjacent countries tied to the city

1. Ex. Amsterdam, NY is an example of a micropolitan statistical area

Core-based Statistical Area (CBSA) - In the United States, the collection of all metropolitan statistical areas and micropolitan statistical areas 

1. Ex. There were 938 CBSA’s in 2018

Combined Statistical Area (CSA) - In the United States, two or more contiguous core-based statistical areas tied together by commuting patterns

1. Ex. There were 175 CSA’s in 2018

Urban Area - A dense core of census tracts, densely settled suburbs, and low-density land that links the dense suburbs with the core

1. Ex. an urban cluster is a type of urban area

Urban Cluster - In the United States, an urban area with between 2,500 and 50,000 inhabitants

1. Ex. There were 3,087 urban clusters in the United States in 2010.

Megalopolis - A continuous urban complex in the northeastern United States

1. Ex. Megalopolis extends more than 700 km between North of Boston and South of Washington

Central Business District (CBD) - The area of a city where retail and office activities are clustered

1. Ex. Mobile, Alabama is a central business district (CBD)

Burgess Concentric-zone Model - A model of the internal structure of cities in which social groups are spatially arranged in a series of rings

1. Ex. For example, downtown is the business area or on the 'outskirts of town' might be the 'suburbs’.

Hoyt Sector Model - A model of the internal structure of cities in which social groups are arranged around a series of sectors, or wedges, radiating out of the central business district

1. Ex. major highway to a nearby city may result in business development to develop parallel to the major highway

Harris and Ullman Multiple Nuclei Model - A model of the internal structure of cities in which social groups are arranged around a collection of nodes of activities

1. Ex. Los Angeles, with its many distinct neighborhoods, is an example of a city that can be represented by this model

Galactic/Peripheral City Model - A model of North American urban areas consisting of an inner city surrounded by large suburban residential and business areas tied together by a beltway or ring road

1. Ex. The city of Detroit in the United States of America with an aerial view of the city that showcases a central business district with high rise buildings and the urban sprawl that surrounds the central area of the city.

Bid Rent Theory/Curve - a geographical economic theory that refers to how the price and demand for real estate change as the distance from the central business district (CBD) increases.

1. Ex. The bid rent theory applies because land near CBD is more expensive

Latin America Urban Model - combines elements of Latin American Culture and globalization by combining radial sectors and concentric zones. 

1. Ex. The Latin America Model has a thriving CBD with a high income spine

Southeast Asia Urban Model - Model in that they each feature high-class residential zones that stem from the center, middle-class residential zones that occur in inner-city areas, and low-income squatter settlements that occur in the periphery.

1. Ex. Higher income areas are near CBD while squatter settlements are in periphery

Africa Urban Model - a generalized diagram of an urban area in sub-Saharan Africa that contains pre-colonial, European colonial, and post-colonial elements and is or was segregated by race. 

1. Ex. Africa urban models are made up of manufacturing zones and ethnic neighborhoods

New Urbanism - seeks to encourage local community development and sustainable growth in an urban area.

1. Ex. New urbanism is prominent in less developed countries

Greenbelts - when many contemporary cities have enacted measures to prevent the continuous urban sprawl that results from their ever-growing populations. They reserve a portion of land for farms, parks, forests, and other such things.

1. Ex. An example of greenbelts is any place with natural or undeveloped land

Quantitative - measures using numerical facts. Quantitative data has become more and more important in geographic inquiry because it leads to more objective, less personally motivated, conclusions.

1. Ex. The number of services in a city is a quantitative observation

Qualitative - the collection of information about human behavior and perception.

1. Ex. The type of services in a city is a qualitative observation

Blockbusting - real estate agents convince white homeowners living near a black area to sell their houses at low prices, preying on their fears of black families.

1. Ex. changed white neighborhoods into black ones

Redlining - a process by which financial institutions draw red-colored lines on a map and refuse to lend money for people to purchase or improve property within the lines.

1. Ex. Redlining has been harmful to our environment

Disamenity Zones - the very poorest parts of cities that in extreme cases are not connected to city services (amenities) and are controlled by gangs and drugs 

1. Ex. Most zones of abandonment in Los Angeles could be prominently found in the outer districts of the inner city.

Squatter Settlements - areas where people illegally occupy land or property without the right to do so, typically in urban regions, and often lack proper infrastructure and basic services.

1. Ex. squatter settlements and camps are often referred to as informal settlements 

Informal Settlements - (also known as barriadas and favelas) residential areas where housing is built without legal permits, proper infrastructure, or government regulation, often due to rapid urbanization and poverty.

1. Ex. Favelas in Brazil are informal settlements where people construct homes without official approval, often lacking basic services like sanitation and electricity.

Walkability - The extent to which the built environment is friendly to the presence of people living, shopping, visiting, enjoying or spending time in an area

1. Ex. New urbanism promotes walkability

Sustainable Design - economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources

1. Ex. Climate crisis in the modern day has resulted in many countries seeking ways to help shape the future for the better by using sustainable development rules. 

Census Tracts - An area delineated by the U.S.  Bureau of the Census for which statistics are published; in urban areas, census tracts correspond roughly to  neighborhoods

1. Ex. Most census tracts will be entirely within one city, but some cross over city limits and include rural land.

Census Data - the collection of demographic information from a population, typically gathered through a formal survey conducted by the government or a relevant authority at regular intervals. It includes details about the population's size, age, gender, ethnicity, occupation, education, and housing.

1. Ex. The U.S. Census collects data on population size, age, and housing every ten years to help with government planning.

Annexation - Legally adding land area to a city in the United States

1. Ex. Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845 and became the 28th state

Sustainability - the ability to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, often focusing on environmental, economic, and social balance.

1. Ex. Using renewable energy sources like solar and wind power is a sustainable practice, as it reduces reliance on non-renewable resources and helps protect the environment for future generation

Density - the number of people, animals, or things within a given area, typically measured per square unit.

1. Ex. New York City has a high population density, with thousands of people living in each square mile.

Density Gradient - the change in density in an urban area from the center to the periphery 

1. Ex. according to the density gradient the number of houses per unit of land diminishes as distance from the center increases

Smart Growth - an overall approach of development and conservation strategies that can help protect our health and natural environment and make our communities more attractive, economically stronger, socially diverse, and resilient to climate change.

1. Ex. smart growth helps preserve agricultural land

Slow Growth Cities - urban areas that prioritize sustainable, equitable, and people-centered development over rapid population and economic growth.

1. Ex. Slow growth cities are more sustainable for the environment

Sustainable Development - the practice of meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, focusing on balancing environmental, economic, and social goals.

1. Ex. Building eco-friendly buildings that use renewable materials and energy-efficient systems is an example of sustainable development because it minimizes environmental impact while promoting long-term viability.

Transportation Oriented Development - a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport.

1. Ex. New urbanism promotes transportation oriented development by maximizing the amount of walkability.

Zoning Ordinance - a rule that defines how property in specific geographic zones can be used.

1. Ex. zoning ordinances typically identify districts designed for single-family houses, apartments, industry, or commerce

Zoning - the process of dividing land into areas with specific regulations on how the land can be used, such as residential, commercial, or industrial.

1. Ex. A city might have a residential zoning area where only houses can be built and a commercial zoning area where businesses like stores and restaurants are allowed.

Rush/Peak Hour - The four consecutive 15-minute periods in the morning and evening with the heaviest volumes of traffic

1. Ex. rush hour is the heaviest flow of commutes into the CBD in the morning and out in the evening

Underclass - A group prevented from participating in the material benefits of a more developed society because of a variety of social and economic challenges.

1. Ex. Poverty can lead to food insecurity.

Gentrification - A process of converting an urban neighborhood from a predominantly low-income, renter-occupied area to a predominantly middle-class, owner-occupied area

1. Ex. San Francisco-Oakland tops the list of most gentrified cities in the United States.

Public Housing - Government-owned housing rented to low-income people 

1. Ex. Homeless shelters, group homes, halfway houses and similar social service establishments are examples of public housing

Growth Poles - A location where research, development, and/or innovation (e.g., new product or process) generate new products and/or services.

1. Ex. An example of a growth pole is the development of a new transportation hub.