Rural Areas

Definition

Rural areas are regions located outside of cities and towns. They typically have low population densities and are primarily focused on agricultural activities rather than industrial or commercial pursuits.

Related terms

Agriculture: The practice of cultivating crops and raising livestock for food, fiber, medicinal plants, and other products used by humans.

Homesteading: The process through which settlers were granted land by the U.S. government under specific conditions with the aim of encouraging westward expansion during the late nineteenth century.

Dust Bowl: An environmental disaster that occurred during the 1930s in which severe drought combined with poor farming practices resulted in massive dust storms damaging agriculture across several states. This event further motivated migration from rural areas into cities.