| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| communication | Systems and technologies for exchanging information, which influence patterns of urbanization and economic development. |
| economic development | The process of improving the economic well-being, productivity, and standard of living in a region or country. |
| government policies | Official decisions and regulations established by government that shape urbanization patterns and urban growth. |
| migration | The movement of people from one place to another, either within a country or across international borders. |
| population growth | The increase in the number of people in a given area, which drives demand for urban development and services. |
| site | The specific physical location and local characteristics of a place, including its physical features, resources, and natural attributes. |
| situation | The relative location of a place in relation to other places, including its accessibility, connections to transportation networks, and proximity to other cities or resources. |
| suburbanization | The process of population and economic activity spreading outward from central cities to surrounding suburban areas. |
| transportation | The movement of goods and materials, including shipping containers and infrastructure, that affects manufacturing location decisions. |
| urbanization | The process by which populations become increasingly concentrated in cities and urban areas, involving the growth and expansion of urban settlements. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| blockbusting | A discriminatory real estate practice where agents encourage white property owners to sell by warning of neighborhood racial change, then sell properties to Black buyers at inflated prices. |
| disamenity zones | Urban areas characterized by undesirable conditions such as pollution, crime, or deteriorated infrastructure that discourage residence and investment. |
| environmental injustice | The disproportionate exposure of low-income and minority communities to environmental hazards, pollution, and lack of environmental benefits. |
| functional fragmentation | The division of government responsibilities and services across multiple agencies and institutions at different administrative levels. |
| gentrification | The process of neighborhood change where wealthier residents move into lower-income areas, leading to rising property values and displacement of original residents. |
| geographic fragmentation | The spatial separation and dispersal of government agencies and institutions across state, county, city, and neighborhood levels. |
| housing discrimination | Unfair treatment in housing access, pricing, or services based on protected characteristics such as race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. |
| inclusionary zoning | A zoning policy requiring or encouraging developers to include affordable housing units in new residential developments. |
| land tenure | The legal rights and arrangements governing ownership, use, and control of land. |
| local food movements | Community-based initiatives promoting the production, distribution, and consumption of food from local sources to address food access and sustainability. |
| redlining | A discriminatory practice where lenders or insurers deny services to residents of certain neighborhoods based on racial or ethnic composition, typically marked by red lines on maps. |
| squatter settlements | Informal residential areas where people occupy land or buildings without legal ownership or permission, often lacking basic services and infrastructure. |
| urban renewal | Government-sponsored programs to redevelop deteriorated urban areas through demolition, reconstruction, and revitalization of neighborhoods. |
| zones of abandonment | Urban areas where properties are abandoned due to disinvestment, declining property values, and lack of economic opportunity. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| brownfields | Previously developed or industrial land that is abandoned or underutilized and may be contaminated, targeted for remediation and redevelopment. |
| ecological footprint | The amount of land and water resources required to support the consumption patterns and waste production of a city or population. |
| farmland protection policies | Government measures designed to preserve agricultural land from urban development and conversion to other uses. |
| regional planning | Coordinated land use and development strategies across multiple municipalities to address urban challenges at a broader scale. |
| sanitation | Systems and practices for managing waste disposal and maintaining clean water and living conditions in urban areas. |
| sprawl | The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural or undeveloped land, characterized by low-density development. |
| urban growth boundaries | Regulatory limits placed around cities to restrict sprawl and direct development toward existing urban areas. |
| urban sustainability | The ability of cities to meet present needs for resources and livability while preserving the environment for future generations. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| boomburbs | Rapidly growing suburban cities that have experienced explosive population growth and development. |
| decentralization | The process of dispersing population, economic activity, and services away from central urban cores toward outlying areas. |
| edge cities | Urban centers that develop on the periphery of major metropolitan areas, often characterized by office parks, shopping centers, and residential development. |
| exurbs | Prosperous communities located beyond the suburbs, characterized by low-density residential development and rural character. |
| megacities | Extremely large metropolitan areas, typically defined as cities with populations exceeding 10 million people. |
| metacities | Vast urban regions consisting of multiple interconnected megacities and metropolitan areas functioning as a single integrated system. |
| periphery | Less developed countries and regions on the outer edges of the global economic system with lower levels of industrialization and wealth. |
| semiperiphery | Countries and regions with intermediate levels of development, positioned between the core and periphery in the global economic system. |
| sprawl | The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural or undeveloped land, characterized by low-density development. |
| suburbanization | The process of population and economic activity spreading outward from central cities to surrounding suburban areas. |
| urbanization | The process by which populations become increasingly concentrated in cities and urban areas, involving the growth and expansion of urban settlements. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| global linkages | Connections between cities and places that enable the exchange of resources, ideas, and influence on a worldwide scale. |
| global networks | Systems of interconnected cities and regions that facilitate the flow of goods, capital, information, and people across international boundaries. |
| global processes | Large-scale phenomena such as trade, migration, cultural diffusion, and economic integration that operate across multiple countries and regions. |
| globalization | The process of increasing interconnection and integration of people, economies, and cultures across the world through trade, technology, and communication. |
| urban hierarchy | A classification system that ranks cities based on their size, importance, and functions within a region or country. |
| world cities | Major cities that function at the top of the global urban hierarchy and serve as centers for international business, finance, and cultural exchange. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Christaller's central place theory | A geographic theory explaining how cities of different sizes are distributed and organized in a hierarchical system based on the goods and services they provide. |
| gravity model | A principle explaining the interaction between cities based on their size and the distance between them, where larger cities and closer distances increase interaction. |
| interdependence | The mutual reliance of countries on each other for goods, services, and economic stability in the global economy. |
| primate city | A city that is disproportionately larger than other cities in a country or region, often dominating the urban system. |
| rank-size rule | A principle stating that the population of a city is inversely proportional to its rank in the urban hierarchy, where the second-largest city is approximately half the size of the largest city. |
| relative size | The comparative magnitude of cities in relation to one another within an urban system. |
| spacing | The geographic distance and distribution patterns between cities in a region. |
| urban hierarchy | A classification system that ranks cities based on their size, importance, and functions within a region or country. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| bid-rent theory | An economic theory explaining how land use is distributed within cities based on the ability of different land uses to pay rent at various distances from the central business district. |
| Burgess concentric-zone model | An urban model that describes city structure as a series of concentric rings or zones, each with distinct land uses and characteristics radiating outward from the central business district. |
| galactic city model | An urban model describing modern cities as dispersed, polycentric metropolitan areas with multiple centers of economic activity spread across a wide geographic area. |
| Harris and Ullman multiple-nuclei model | An urban model proposing that cities develop around multiple centers or nuclei rather than a single central business district, with different land uses concentrated in different nodes. |
| Hoyt sector model | An urban model that explains city structure as pie-shaped sectors radiating from the central business district, with similar land uses and socioeconomic characteristics clustered in each sector. |
| internal structure of cities | The spatial organization and arrangement of different land uses, zones, and functional areas within urban areas. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| cycles of development | Recurring patterns of urban growth, decline, and renewal that shape how cities evolve and change over time. |
| high-density housing | Residential development characterized by many housing units per unit area, typically featuring multi-story apartment buildings or condominiums. |
| infilling | The development of vacant or underutilized land within existing urban areas, typically involving construction of new buildings on previously developed sites. |
| low-density housing | Residential development characterized by fewer housing units per unit area, typically featuring single-family homes with larger lots and more open space. |
| medium-density housing | Residential development with a moderate number of housing units per unit area, often including townhouses, duplexes, or small apartment buildings. |
| residential land use | The allocation and use of land primarily for housing and residential purposes within urban and suburban areas. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| economic development | The process of improving the economic well-being, productivity, and standard of living in a region or country. |
| infrastructure | The basic physical systems and facilities needed for a city to function, including transportation networks, utilities, and public services. |
| social development | The process of improving social conditions, institutions, and quality of life within a community or society. |
| spatial patterns | The geographic distribution and arrangement of phenomena across a landscape or urban area. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| de facto segregation | Residential or social separation based on economic factors, housing costs, or market forces rather than explicit legal requirements. |
| greenbelts | Protected areas of undeveloped land surrounding urban areas designed to prevent sprawl and preserve green space. |
| livability | The overall quality of life in an urban area, including factors such as safety, access to services, environmental quality, and community engagement. |
| mixed land use | Urban design practice that combines residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in the same area to reduce travel distances and promote walkability. |
| New Urbanism | An urban design movement that emphasizes walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use development, and reduced automobile dependency. |
| place character | The distinctive physical, cultural, and historical qualities that give a location its unique identity and sense of community. |
| slow-growth cities | Urban areas that implement policies to limit rapid development and population growth to maintain quality of life and environmental sustainability. |
| smart-growth policies | Urban planning strategies that promote compact, efficient development while preserving open space and protecting the environment. |
| sprawl | The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural or undeveloped land, characterized by low-density development. |
| sustainable design initiatives | Urban planning and architectural approaches designed to minimize environmental impact and promote long-term livability. |
| sustainable options | Urban practices and infrastructure designed to meet present needs while minimizing negative environmental and social impacts for future generations. |
| transportation-oriented development | Urban design strategy that concentrates residential and commercial development near public transportation hubs to reduce car dependency. |
| urban design initiatives | Planned interventions and projects designed to improve the physical layout, functionality, and sustainability of urban areas. |
| walkability | The degree to which an urban area is designed to be pedestrian-friendly, allowing people to accomplish errands on foot and access amenities within walking distance. |
| zoning practices | Regulations that designate how land in different areas can be used, such as residential, commercial, or industrial purposes. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| census data | Statistical information collected about populations, including demographics and characteristics used for planning and policy decisions. |
| field studies | Direct observational research conducted in urban areas to gather qualitative information about how people experience and perceive urban change. |
| geographic change | Transformations in the physical, social, economic, or cultural characteristics of urban areas over time. |
| population composition | The characteristics of a population, including age structure, gender distribution, ethnicity, and other demographic features. |
| qualitative data | Non-numerical information collected through methods like field studies and narratives that describe individual attitudes and experiences related to urban change. |
| quantitative data | Numerical information collected through census and survey data that measures changes in population composition and size in urban areas. |
| survey data | Information gathered by asking questions to a sample of people, used to understand changes in urban population composition and size. |