A metropolitan area is a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing.
Consider metropolitan areas like solar systems. The sun (urban core) is surrounded by planets and asteroids (suburbs and smaller towns), all connected by gravity (economic, social, and infrastructural ties).
Urban Sprawl: The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas.
Suburb: An outlying district of a city, especially a residential one.
Commuter Town: A town whose residents normally work elsewhere but in which they live, eat and sleep.
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