CONSEQUENCES OF URBAN GROWTH URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS

METROPOLITAN AREA: Arise when a major city (central or

metropolis) merges with nearby cities (satellite cities).
Economic and social interactions develop: central city
provides employment and services, satellites provide labor
and space for housing, industries, airports, etc.

PARIS

MADRID

LONDON

CONSEQUENCES OF URBAN GROWTH URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS

CONURBATION: Continuous urban area formed by the parallel
growth of two or more cities of similar importance that join.

CONSEQUENCES OF URBAN GROWTH URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS

URBAN REGION: An urban agglomeration on a regional scale
formed by the growth of several cities which are separate but
close enough so the region has urban characteristics

CONSEQUENCES OF URBAN GROWTH URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS

MEGALOPOLIS: Supra-regional urban area composed of
different types of urban agglomerations

INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CITIES AND INEQUALITIES

URBAN CENTER: One of the most important areas of a city. In
Europe, this typically refers to the historic center and in the
U.S. it is referred to as downtown. Can include commercial
and business centers as well as many offices and shops.

INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CITIES AND INEQUALITIES

RESIDENTIAL AREAS: Divided into different districts or
neighborhoods; often classified according to social status of
the residents: upper, middle, or working class. Neighborhoods
lacking all amenities are known as slums or shanty towns.

INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CITIES AND INEQUALITIES

OUTSKIRTS: Outer limits of the city composed of a variety of
different areas: residential, industrial, and other services.
These regions often merge with the suburban areas.

DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES
URBAN NETWORKS
Cities form networks of interaction with the surrounding regions and
population centers, known as the sphere of influence
The urban network is composed of nodes (population centers) and axes
(connections between them). Cities ordered according to importance

DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES GLOBAL URBAN HIERARCHY

Large national metropolises lead the urban networks in their countries
Center of most important functions and dominant influence in country
Connected with each other and other major international metropolises
Act as nexus between national and global urban networks

DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES GLOBAL URBAN HIERARCHY

Medium-sized and small cities perform functions at a lower level
Spheres of influence are sub-regional or limited to the country