Urban Geography Concepts

housing density

• High Density= High Rise Apartments

• Medium Density= Single Family Homes

• Low Density= Townhouses

• High Density= Single Family Homes

boomburbs

• A small rural town with less than 10,000 residents

• A suburb that has grown rapidly into a large and sprawling city with more than 100,000 residents

• A city that has experienced a decline in population

• A densely populated urban area with high-rise buildings

greenbelts

• A type of urban development that promotes high-density housing

• A ring of parkland, agricultural land, or other type of open space maintained around an urban area to limit sprawl

• A government policy aimed at reducing traffic congestion

• A recreational area designed for sports and outdoor activities

threshold

• Minimum number of people needed to support a service; part of Central Place Theory

• Maximum number of people that can use a service at one time

• Average number of people who use a service daily

• Number of people required to start a business

Burgess' Concentric zone model

• A model that describes a predictable pattern of six expanding commercial, industrial, and residential zones that characterized many US urban areas

• A theory that explains the social stratification in urban areas based on income levels

• A framework for understanding the impact of transportation on urban development

• A model that illustrates the relationship between urban sprawl and environmental degradation

Favela or barrio

• Densely settled squatter settlements where poverty, homelessness, and lawlessness are common

• Luxury residential areas with high living standards

• Urban parks with recreational facilities

• Historical neighborhoods known for their architecture

Christaller's Central Place Theory

• An urban model that uses economic processes to explain hierarchical patterns of urban size and location across space.

• A theory that focuses on the social aspects of urban development.

• A model that describes the physical layout of cities based on transportation routes.

• A framework for understanding the cultural significance of urban areas.

exurbs

• A type of urban area characterized by high population density

• A typically fast-growing community outside of or on the edge of a metropolitan area where the residents and community are closely connected to the central city and suburbs

• A rural area that is completely isolated from urban influences

• A suburban area that is primarily industrial and commercial

metacity

• urban areas with over 20 million people

• small towns with less than 10,000 people

• cities with a population between 1 and 5 million

• rural areas with agricultural focus

infilling

• Redevelopment that identifies and develops vacant parcels of land within previously built areas

• A process of demolishing old buildings to make way for new ones

• The construction of new buildings in rural areas

• A method of urban planning that focuses on green spaces