•Illustrates the difference between strict city proper definitions and broader urban agglomerations.

•To define urbanized areas, the U.S. Census Bureau uses the term Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) or Consolidated MSA (CMSA) if two of them overlap.

Megalopolis & Conurbations

• Megalopolis – large coalescing supercities that are forming in diverse parts of the world (like Boston to Washington, DC)

• Conurbation – a continuous, extended urban area formed by the growing together of several formerly separate, expanding cities (like Raleigh to Atlanta)

BosNYWash

• Agglomeration – the spatial group of people or activities for mutual benefit (business park at highway access point)

City Hierarchies

• Map of city specialties

City Hierarchies• Map classification of tier of US cities

City Hierarchies

• Map classification of tier of world cities

Moving in and out of cities

• Urbanization – transformation of a population from rural to urban status; the process of city formation and expansion

• Counterurbanization- the net loss of population from cities to smaller towns and rural areas

Moving in and out of cities

• Reurbanization – the growth of population in metropolitan central cores, following a period of absolute or relative decline in population

• Gentrification – invasion of older, centrally located working-class neighborhood by higher-income households seeking the character and convenience of less expensive and well-located residences

• Redlining – lenders identified risky neighborhoods in cities, refuse to offer loans to those in the districts

• Blockbusting – realtors would sell a house in the neighborhood to a minority, then encourage the white owners to sell, produced white flight

• Racial steering – realtors directing clients to buy homes in neighborhoods of like ethnicity

• McMansions – supersized and all alike

• Gated communities

• The basic sector activities of a city’s economy include production of goods and services for

a. Resident of the city itself

b. Areas outside the city

c. The poorest people in the city

d. Basic needs, such as housing and food

e. People and businesses in the CBD only

The Economic Base

• Inside – producing goods & services for those inside the city– This one circulates money but is

revenue neutral

• Outside – producing goods & services to export– This one brings money into the city

The Economic Base

• Basic Sector – the combined export economic activities

• Service (nonbasic) Sector – recirculation activities– Crucial to continual operation of the city– Professional Offices– City Government– Local Transit Systems– Schools

• Basic/Nonbasic Ratios – similar for urban units of similar size– As settlement inc., the number of nonbasic personel

grows faster than the number of basic. With a pop. of 1 mil. – 2 non/1 basic

• The multiplier works both ways – growth & decline– The size of the multiplier effect is determined by the

community’s basic/nonbasic ration

• The basic sector activities of a city’s economy include production of goods and services for

a. Resident of the city itself

b. Areas outside the city

c. The poorest people in the city

d. Basic needs, such as housing and food

e. People and businesses in the CBD only

• The basic sector activities of a city’s economy include production of goods and services for

a. Resident of the city itself

b. Areas outside the city

c. The poorest people in the city

d. Basic needs, such as housing and food

e. People and businesses in the CBD only

Controls

• Market

• Nonmarket– Building Codes – Health regulations– Zoning

• Sometimes exclusionary• Asia – no zoning

• Functional Zonation