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AP Human Geography Unit 6 Vocab

Terms in this set (84)

Site
The physical character of a place
Site Factors
Location factors related to cost of factors of production inside a plant, such as land, labor, and capital
Situation Factors
Location factors related to the transportation of materials into and from a factory
Situation
The location of a place relative to another place
Urbanization
The movement of people from rural areas to cities
Origins of Urbanization
1. Early humans were nomadic, meaning no permanent home
2. Some decided to stop and stay put in certain areas (settlements originated in Mesopotamia, part of the Fertile Crescent in Southwest Asia)
3. These areas began to grow in size and became cities as we know them today
4. Early settlements were agricultural villages that formed after humans began growing food and crops
5. Typically located in fertile river valleys (nutrient rich topsoil/silt and water source for crops)
6. Farmers were able to produce surplus crops which could feed larger population
7. Led to people being able to pursue other occupations and trades
Socioeconomic Stratification
Differentiation of society into classes based on wealth, power, production or prestige
First Urban Revolution
Agricultural and socioeconomic innovations that led to the rise of early cities
Transportation's Factor in Urbanization
Innovations in transportation have shaped and reshaped the layout and size of cities and their surrounding areas over time
Communication's Factor in Urbanization
Innovations in communication systems allowed businesses, and therefore cities, to grow
Rural to Urban's Factor in Urbanization
Movement of people (typically farmers) from rural to urban centers in search of jobs
Redevelopment's Factor in Urbanization
Set of activities intended to revitalize an area that has fallen on hard times
Megacties
10 Million inhabitants or more (Cairo, Mumbai, Beijing, Dhaka, Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto)
Metacities
20 Million inhabitants or more (Tokyo, Delhi, Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Mexico City)
Micropolitan Area
Population between 10,000 - 50,000 people. Smaller cities and surrounding towns/counties
Megalopolis
A region in which several large cities and surrounding areas grow together
Metropolitan Statistical Area
A central area of at least 50,000 people and urban areas linked to it
Suburbanization
A population shift from central urban areas into suburbs, resulting in the formation of (sub)urban sprawl. As a consequence of the movement of households and businesses out of the city centers, low-density, peripheral urban areas grow
Sprawl/Urban Sprawl
Tendency of cities to grow outward in an unchecked manner
Edge Cities
Nodes of economic activity that have developed in the periphery of large cities
Exurbs
A district outside a city, especially a prosperous area beyond the suburbs. Often found near farmland, beaches, or mountains
Boomburbs
Large, rapidly growing, incorporated communities of more than 100,000 residents that are not the biggest city in their region
World City/Global City
A city that is a control center of the global economy, in which major decisions are made about the world's commercial networks and financial markets (Tokyo, Paris, New York City)
Urban Hierarchy
Ranking urban settlements by population size and economic function (i.e. the number of services prvodided). In order of top to bottom:
1. World City
2. Megalopolis
3. Alpha City
4. Beta City
5. Gamma City
World City Hierarchy
Characteristics: Dominant city in terms of economic standing
Ex: New York, Tokyo, London
Megalopolis Hierarchy
Characteristics: An extended conurban area, consisting of several cities
Ex: BosNYWash (The area from Boston to New York City to Washington DC)
Alpha City Hierarchy
Characteristics: Primary regional nodes in the global economy (similar to world cities)
Ex: New York, London, Hong Kong, Sydney
Beta City Hierarchy
Characteristics: Secondary regional nodes in the global economy
Ex: Washington DC, Dallas, Berlin, Wuhan
Gamma City Hierarchy
Characteristics: Tertiary regional nodes in the global economy
Ex: Cleveland, St. Petersburg, Austin, St. Louis
Transportation Services' Factor in Globally Connecting Cities
Designed to assist a person in traveling from one place to another to obtain services or carry out life's activities
Communication Systems' Factor in Globally Connecting Cities
Provide immediate access to information
Business Services' Factor in Globally Connecting Cities
Serve as links to the corporate headquarters of international companies
Rank-Size Rule
The country's nth-largest settlement is 1/n the population of the largest settlement. Describes a certain statistical regularity in the city-size distributions of countries and regions (Ex: US cities)
Primate City
An urban area that dominates its country's economy, culture, and political affairs and is more than twice the population of the next largest city. They can attract international trade and business, but all the services are in one area (Ex: London, Paris, Bangkok)
Christaller's Central Place Theory
Explains how services are distributed and why a regular pattern of settlements exists
Central Place
A settlement that makes certain types of products and services available to consumers
Threshold
The number of people required to support a business
Range
The distance people will travel to acquire a good
Low-Order Central Place Functions
Used by consumers on a regular/daily basis and, as a result, people are not willing to travel far to use them (Walgreens, gas station, grocery store)
High-Order Central Place Functions
Used less frequently by consumers and, as a result, people are willing to travel further for it (baseball games, football games, hospitals)
Gravity Model
Interaction of places based on their population, sizes, and distances between them
- The greater the number of people in an area, the greater the number of potential customers for a service
- The farther people are from a particular service, the less likely they are to use it
- Spatial interactions between places increase as the size and importance of places becomes greater and decreases as the distance between them grows
Concentric-Zone Model
Urban model by Burgess; Divides the city into five concentric zones, defined by their function, centered around the CBD. Based in Chicago
Sector Model
Created by Homer Hoyt. Zones expanded outward from the city center along transportation corridors creating a wedge shape. As growth occurs, similar activities stay in the same areas and extend outward
Multiple Nuclei Model
It was created by Chauncey Harris and Edward Ullman in 1945 for developed countries and large expanding cities. The CBD is scattered into several nodes, with transportation hubs near industries and airports. Low income housing is found near workers while high income housing is found in elite districts
Galactic (peripheral) City Model
It consists of an inner city, surrounded by large suburban residential and business areas and tied together by transportation nodes (edge cities)
Latin American City Model
Model developed by Griffin and Ford attempting to generalize Latin American cities
African City Model
Created by Harm DeBlij. Fast growing cities with three CBDs: Colonial CBD, Traditional CBD, and Market CBD. The quality of residence gets poorer the farther from the CBDs. Lacks elite, middle class, or gentrification zones which shows lack of development. Ethnic neighborhoods reflect tribalism that exists throughout Africa
Southeast Asian Model
This model was developed in 1967 by T.G. McGee. McGee studied several cities in Southeast Asia and discovered that they shared certain aspects of land-use. Some similarities include: Old colonial port zone surrounded by a commercial business district, western commercial zone, alien commercial zone (dominated by Chinese merchants), no formal CBD, hybrid sectors, and zones rapidly growing new industrial parks on the outskirts of the city
The Bid-Rent Theory
A geographical economic theory that refers to how the price and demand for real estate change as the distance from the CBD increase
Low-Density Housing
Residential homes, lots of open space, the fewest people per geographic unit
Medium-Density Housing
Town homes, single unit housing
High-Density Housing
High rises, the most people per unit (cities). Land is more expensive in these areas and causes people to be more crammed into smaller apartments
Infilling
The process by which population density in an urban center is increased by building on wasteland or underused land
How a City's Infrastructure Relates to Local Politics, Society, and the Environment
- Economic development and interconnection within urban areas are dependent upon the location and quality of infrastructure (Ex: public transport, airports, roads, communication systems, water and sewer systems)
- The fastest growing cities are found in developing countries which have just recently industrialized. While residents in both NYC and Moscow have an elaborate airport, road, water, and communication systems, these rapidly growing cities are having issues keeping up with the demands of population increases
- In developing countries, modern technologies in transportation and public facilities are not very available. While all cities in developing countries are different culturally, most share a few similarities other than not being able to keep up with these public services and infrastructure. Secondly, some are ancient, but almost all have a colonial legacy, established to serve the needs of the colonizing countries
- Third, many of these cities have large numbers of migrants illegally living on the outskirts of the city, called squatter-settlements, and finally, some governments have responded by moving the national capital away from the overcrowded primate city to a new location. This action is called forward capitals
Smart Growth
Urban planning that avoids urban sprawl and focuses on long term implications with sustainable design initiatives and guides development into more convenient patterns and into areas where infrastructure allows growth to be sustained over the long term
New Urbanism
Walkable blocks and streets, housing and shopping in close proximity, and accessible public spaces
Greenbelts
Areas of underdeveloped land around an urban area. A greenbelt usually includes running and biking paths and tends to incorporate many tunnels and small gardens. Greenbelts also limit the sprawl of urban areas
Slow-Growth Cities
Slowing a city's growth to limit the problems associated with growth and improve sustainability
De Facto Segregation
Racial segregation that happens by fact rather than by legal requirement
Positives of Urban Sustainability
Reduction of sprawl, improved walkability and transportation, improved and diverse housing options, and improved liveability and promotion of sustainable options
Negatives of Urban Sustainability
Increased housing costs, possible de facto segregation, and potential loss of historical or place character
Urban Data
- Quantitative information about a city's population is provided by census and survey data and provides information about changes in population composition and size in urban areas
- With this data from the census, lawmakers can create maps to look at residential and racial segregation
- Qualitative data from field studies and narratives provide information about individual attitudes toward urban change
- Maps commonly show ethnicity of neighborhoods and other characteristics like predominant gender
Redlining
A discriminatory real estate practice in North America in which members of minority groups are prevented from obtaining money to purchase homes or property in predominantly white neighborhoods
Blockbusting
A real estate technique to encourage people to sell their property at a very low price by giving the impression that the neighborhood was changing for the worse, especially in reference to minorities moving in and led to a significant turnover in housing which benefitted real estate agents and led to the "white flight" to the suburbs
Affordable Housing
Residential units that are economical for the section of society whose income is below the median household income. Increased access to services, raised crime rates, environmental injustice, and the growth of disamenity zones or zones of abandonment
Access to Services
Measure of people's ability to pay for services without financial hardship
Rising Crime Rates
Contributing factors include lack of job availability, less access to quality schools, and a real or perceived lack of opportunity
Environmental Injustice
Disproportionate exposure to communities of color and the poor to pollution and its effects on health and the environment; includes lack of access to healthy food (food deserts), inadequate transportation, unsafe neighborhoods with poor air and water quality
Disamenity Zones
Area located within the city characterized by slums and the homeless and in extreme cases are controlled by gangs
Zones of Abandonment
Areas with lack of jobs, declining land values and falling demand that cause people to leave and businesses to close
Squatter Settlements
Residential areas characterized by extreme poverty with shelters constructed with found materials that usually exist on land outside of cities that are neither owned nor rented by its occupants with little or no access to necessary services
Zone of Abandonment (Disamenity Zone)
The very poorest sectors of cities that in extreme cases are not connected to regular city services
Land Tenure
System regulating the rights to the ownership, control, and usage of land
Inclusionary Zoning
Planning ordinances that provide affordable housing to people with low to moderate incomes
Local Food Movements
Food that is produced withing a short distance of where it was consumed, often accompanied by a social structure and supply chain different from the large-scale supermarket system
Urban Renewal
The redevelopment of areas within an urban area, typically neighborhoods in economic decline
Gentrification
The restoration of deteriorated urban areas by wealthier people who move into, renovate, and restore housing and sometimes businesses
Positives of Gentrification
New employment opportunities, improved housing, improved infrastructure, and increase inf visitors/tourism
Negatives of Gentrification
Impact to existing groups, displaces poorer residents, disregards the needs and interests of vulnerable groups, disregards the lawful rights of vulnerable groups and disproportionately improves quality of life
Urban Sustainability
The goal of improving the social and economic conditions of an increasingly urbanized population while maintaining environmental quality
Suburban Sprawl
The spreading of developments (such as housing developments and shopping centers) into suburban or rural areas
- Pollution leads to increased greenhouse gasses, acid rain, and ozone depletion
- As cities expand, particularly on suburban fringes, extensive amounts of land are developed, leaving less land for agriculture and causing loss of natural habitats and fragile landscapes that are difficult or impossible to regenerate
Brownfield
A property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant
Ecological Footprint
Measure of the human pressures on the natural environment from the consumption of nonrenewable resources
Responses to the Challenges of Urban Sustainability
Regional planning efforts, remediation and redevelopment of brownfields, establishment of urban growth boundaries, and farmland protection policies
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