Cities Across the World - AP Human Geography
- What is the term for the economic decline of city centers?
- Urban decay. Economic decline leads to abandoned buildings and population loss.
- What is the primary function of a central business district (CBD)?
- The CBD serves as the commercial and business center of a city. Houses commercial offices, retail businesses, and financial institutions.
- What is the term for a continuous network of urban communities?
- Megalopolis. Multiple metropolitan areas merge into one continuous urban region.
- What is urban morphology?
- The study of the form and structure of urban places. Examines physical layout, building patterns, and spatial organization.
- What is meant by 'urban heat island' effect?
- Urban areas that are significantly warmer than their rural surroundings. Concrete and asphalt absorb heat, creating temperature differences.
- Which theory explains the distribution of services based on settlements?
- Central Place Theory. Created by Christaller to explain settlement patterns and service areas.
- Define 'metropolitan area' in urban geography.
- A large-scale functional area around a central city. Includes central city plus surrounding communities and suburbs.
- What is the main concern of urban geography?
- The study of cities and the processes that shape them. Focuses on urban spatial patterns and development processes.
- Identify the term for urban areas that integrate transportation and land use.
- Transit-oriented development. Concentrates development around public transportation hubs.
- What is the primary focus of new urbanism?
- Promoting walkable neighborhoods and mixed-use development. Encourages compact, pedestrian-friendly community design.
- Identify the urban model characterized by a single dominant center.
- The Concentric Zone Model. Features concentric rings radiating from a single central point.
- What is the rank-size rule in urban geography?
- A pattern where the nth largest city is 1/n the size of the largest city. Mathematical relationship describing city size distribution in countries.
- What is the term for a city with over 10 million inhabitants?
- Megacity. Population threshold defining the world's largest urban centers.
- Identify the process where urban areas merge with each other.
- Conurbation. Separate cities grow together into one continuous urban area.
- What is the function of a greenbelt in urban planning?
- To limit urban sprawl by surrounding urban areas with open land. Protected open space prevents continuous urban development.
- What is the goal of urban planning?
- To design sustainable, efficient, and livable urban environments. Coordinates land use, transportation, and infrastructure development.
- What characterizes a world city?
- A city that is a primary node in the global economic network. Major center of global finance, commerce, and cultural influence.
- Which model describes a city with sectors that radiate out from the CBD?
- The Sector Model. Different land uses extend outward in pie-shaped wedges.
- Define 'gentrification' in the context of urban geography.
- The process of renovating urban neighborhoods by affluent people. Often displaces lower-income residents through rising property values.
- Which urban model is structured around multiple nuclei?
- The Multiple Nuclei Model. Cities develop around several specialized centers, not just one CBD.
- What is the purpose of zoning in urban planning?
- To regulate land use and development. Separates incompatible land uses like industry and housing.
- Identify the concept where cities are connected by economic and social networks.
- Global city network. Cities function as nodes in worldwide economic and information flows.
- What term describes the rapid expansion of cities into rural areas?
- Urban sprawl. Low-density development spreads outward from urban cores.
- What is a primate city?
- A city that is the largest and most influential in its country. Dominates the urban system and is disproportionately large.
- Name the process of cities expanding vertically with skyscrapers.
- Vertical urbanization. Building upward rather than outward to accommodate growth.
- What is the primary concern of smart growth policies?
- Sustainable and efficient urban growth management. Controls sprawl while promoting compact, efficient development.
- Name the process by which cities grow and populations increase.
- Urbanization. Rural-to-urban migration drives city expansion and population density.
- What distinguishes a metropolitan city from a smaller city?
- Its larger size and greater economic influence. Scale and economic functions create regional dominance.
- Define 'suburbanization' in urban geography.
- The growth of areas on the fringes of cities. Population movement from cities to surrounding suburban areas.
- What is the main feature of a sustainable city?
- Efficient resource use and minimal environmental impact. Balances economic growth with environmental protection.
- Identify the type of city designed to be environmentally friendly.
- Eco-city. Integrates green technology and sustainable development principles.
- Identify the term for the decline of industrial activity in a region.
- Deindustrialization. Manufacturing decline often leads to urban population loss.
- What is an informal settlement in urban geography?
- An area where housing is not officially recognized or regulated. Often lacks basic services like water, electricity, or waste management.
- What does the term 'urban hierarchy' refer to?
- A ranking of cities based on their size and economic functions. Orders cities from largest to smallest by population and importance.
- Identify the process of redevelopment in existing urban areas.
- Urban renewal. Replaces deteriorated infrastructure with modern development.
- What is an edge city?
- A large urban area on the outskirts of a city, with its own CBD. Self-contained suburban business districts with major retail and office space.