Unit 3 - Main Vocabulary - 2022
2022 Human Geography Unit 3 - Main Vocabulary
\ Human Development Index (HDI) HDI - A numerical way of measuring the development of a country that looks at demographic, social and economic factors
\ More Developed Countries (MDCs) has progressed further along the UN HDI continuum (.8-1.0)
\ Less Developed Countries (LDCs) has made some progress along the UN HDI continuum but its progress is less compared to developed nations (0-.6)
\ Urbanization The process in which people move from rural areas to those with higher population densities
\ Central Business District (CBD) Symbolic center of a city for business and entertainment. Can be found by its tall and modern buildings
\ Squatter Settlements Less developed areas of a city where people live illegally - often these are for new migrants to cities who can’t afford to live anywhere else. Seen on the edges of many megacities
\ Suburbs Residential areas located around the city. People often live in the suburbs and commute to the CBD for work
\ Ethnic enclaves an area of a city or region that has a distinctive ethnic identity that is different than the surrounding areas
\ Commercial Zone Where people work and businesses are located (offices, stores)
\ Residential Zone Where things are made and factories are located (also warehouses)
\ Industrial Zone Where people live (houses, townhomes and apartments are located there)
\ Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) an area with a central city that has 50,000 people or more
\ Megacity a city that has more than 10 million (10,000,000) people in it
\ World Cities Cities that have an influence on culture or finance that is more important than their population size
\ New Urbanism a planning and development approach based on the principles of: walkable blocks and streets, housing and shopping in close proximity, and accessible public spaces.
\ Urban renewal When the government Takes old parts of a city and tears them down to build new, modern buildings (could be residential/housing) or for businesses.
\ Gentrification When private individuals or businesses take low income parts of a city and rebuild them to try to attract more high income residents.
\ Heat Islands A condition where the urban area can be warmer than the surrounding areas due to human activities
\ Placelessness Similar design styles and construction materials as well as architecture styles mean that places often look similar all over the world causes a loss of a sense of community
\ Sprawl When suburbs keep growing further and further from city centers they take up more and more rural land
\ Smart Growth city planners pass laws to design and plan for sustainable city growth
\ Zoning Laws Laws that specify what kind of development is allowed where (ex. residential, commercial, industrial)
\ Green spaces undeveloped sections within a city or on its outskirts where people can enjoy nature and relaxation
\ Commuter roads large roads, highways, or freeways that are designed to get people into and out of the city as quickly as possible (ex. Highways and freeways)
\ Grid organization Streets are arranged on a grid (usually North/South - East/West) to make finding absolute locations easier
\ Site Factors the physical characteristics of a place considered when deciding where to locate an industry
\ Situation Factors where to put an industry as it relates to nearby factors, especially transportation
\ Agglomeration When businesses locate close together to take advantage of supply networks and infrastructure to lower their transportation costs
\ Range The maximum distance a person will travel to purchase something
\ Threshold The minimum number of people to support a service