Urban Hierarchy
Definition
Urban hierarchy is a ranking system based on the size or importance of a city or town. This can include factors like population size, economic activity, and availability of services.
Analogy
Imagine if cities were students in school. The "valedictorian" would be the largest or most important city (like New York City), while other students would rank below based on their grades (or in this case, their size and importance).
Case Studies
case studiesImpact
Urban hierarchy influences infrastructure allocation, with top-tier cities often receiving more investment. It can affect migration patterns, drawing people towards higher-order cities for better opportunities and services. It also shapes economic development by concentrating higher functions and wealth in larger urban centers.Related terms
Central Place Theory: A geographical theory that seeks to explain the number, size and location of human settlements in an urban system.
Primate City: The largest city in its country or region which is significantly larger than any others in the urban hierarchy.
Rank-Size Rule: A pattern in which the nth largest settlement is 1/nth the size of the first.
"Urban Hierarchy" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (5)
The urban hierarchy of cities refers to the classification of cities based on their ___.
What is the term for a city that is the largest in its country or region, significantly larger than any others in the urban hierarchy?
Why might Christaller's Central Place Theory not always accurately describe urban hierarchy?
Which theory argues for an urban hierarchy where higher level services are less frequent but attract consumers from greater distances?
What does "urban hierarchy" refer to?
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