Intro. To Urban Intro. To Urban GeographyGeography

DefinitionsDefinitionscity: a multifunctional (residential and non) nucleated settlement with a central business district (CBD)

town: a smaller nucleated settlement with a CBD

central city: main urban node

metropolitan area: a large-scale functional entity containing several urbanized areas (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale)

suburb: an outlying area of a larger urban region

“Urbanization”: the growth of cities & towns

A. The CityA. The City

1. Urbanization in the last 200 years has strengthened globalization

– “urban explosion” has gone hand in hand with the industrial revolution

– World’s urban population doubled from 1950-2000

– Just over 50% of population live in cities

B. Urban B. Urban GeographyGeography

1. Studies the functions of cities & their economic role

2. Compares urbanization in different parts of the world

3. Analyzes the internal geography of cities:

- distribution of housing, industry, commerce

C. URBAN HIERARCHYC. URBAN HIERARCHY

• “layers within layers” in the urban system

• scale from global to regional

D. The First CitiesD. The First Cities1. Social changes that led to urbanization:

- generation of agricultural surplus - a stratified social system

Urban DiffusionUrban Diffusion

- - cities protected by wallscities protected by walls- temples dominated landscape- temples dominated landscape- poorest on outskirts- poorest on outskirts- no waste disposal- no waste disposal

Mesopotamia--

- have had worldwide influence- have had worldwide influence- structures built on high point of city- structures built on high point of city- public spaces for trade and - public spaces for trade and discoursediscourse- network of cities connected by - network of cities connected by tradetrade

Greek Cities--

Roman Cities--Roman Cities--

- diffused city life across the Empire

- military camps

- linked by transportation networks over road, river, and sea

TehranTehran

The Islamic City

The Renaissance City

The Industrial City

• Suburbanization and urban sprawlSuburbanization and urban sprawlThe “Modern” City

NYNY

or or Tokyo?Tokyo?

The “Post”-Modern City

Where are Where are you??you??