I

UNIT III:
CITIES

1
INDEX
1. URBAN AREAS

2. THE WORLD’S CITIES

3. LIFE IN URBAN
AREAS

2
 I I. URBAN AREAS. Pp.
46, 47, 48 & 49

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 I. 1. Differences among cities and the
I countryside

NUMBER OF INHABITANTS
ECONOMIC
Lower and low concentration ACTIVITY
of people.

Main economic
activities: primary
sector

LIFE
STYLE
Its way of life is
closer and
family oriented
social
behaviour.
URBANISM
Houses characterised by low buildings. Cou
be whether concentrated or dispersed.
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 I. 1. Differences among cities and the
I countryside

NUMBER OF INHABITANTS
ECONOMIC
Large number of inhabitants. ACTIVITY

Main economic
activities:
secondary and
tertiary sector.

LIFE
STYLE
Anonymous
way of life, less
intense personal
relationships.
URBANISM

Concentrated population. Tall buildings.

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 I II. URBAN AREAS. Functions
of the city (p.47).

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 Which kind of activities can you carry
I
out in a city?

Your Company Name

 Which kind of activities can you carry
I
out in a city?

RESIDENTIAL

Residential function is the predominant one in satellite

cities or dormitory towns, which are located in the
outskirts since
Your Company the cost of the soil is cheaper.
Name
Importance of transport networks.
 Which kind of activities can you carry
I
out in a city?

COMMERCIAL

Cities are centres of exchange for all types of products

and services: from their transport networks goods are
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exported and imported. Ports.
 Which kind of activities can you carry
I
out in a city?

INDUSTRIAL

Factories had been placed in the urban centres along the

19th century. However, due to the cost of the soil, they
were moved to the outskirts.
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communication networks.
 Which kind of activities can you carry
I
out in a city?

TOURISM
Tourism function of cities are utterly important since
it fosters the economy of the country. Tourism is based
on historical or artistic
Your Company Nameheritage, natural attractions or
to leisure.
 Which kind of activities can you carry
I
out in a city?

POLITICAL & ADM.

The headquarters of the main political bodies are

placed on capital cities. From there, justice and
administrative functions are carried out.
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 Which kind of activities can you carry
I
out in a city?

CULTURAL &
RELIGIOUS
Cultural activities are carried out in cities (museums,
theaters, etc.). Cities can be religious centres aswell
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 I III. Morphology of
cities. P. 48.

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 Morphology of a city refers to the factors that
I influence its external form.

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 Morphology of a city refers to the factors that
I influence its external form.

GRID

It is also known as chequerboard or orthogonal plan.

Streets intersect at right angles and the space is
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divided into blocks.
 Morphology of a city refers to the factors
I that influence its external form.

LINEAR

The city is organised according to a main road:

buildings and public
Your Company spaces are distributed around it.
Name
 Morphology of a city refers to the factors that
I influence its external form.

RADIAL

We can distinguish the central core from which several

roads branch out like spokes on a wheel. The roads are
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intersected creating concentric rings
 Morphology of a city refers to the factors that
I influence its external form.

IRREGULAR

This type of plan is caused by a lack of planning.

Streets are disordered, there are roads of all sizes,
Your Company
squares Name
with no definite shape and dead ends.
 IV. Urban structure of cities and
the contrast between the developed
I
and developing world (urbanism).
Pp. 49, 54 & 55.

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 What is the structure of a city and which
I elements can be found within it?

1. CITY CENTRE

❖ Main business, financial and

commercial areas (luxurious- brands
shops) are found here.

❖ In older cities, the old town remains in

the centre of the city.
I❖ Residential areas: middle-class and
upper class.

❖ (1) DW: areas are separated among

them; dw: areas are mixed. (2) dw:
strong contrast between luxurious
neighborhood of the social elite and the
vast slums which absorb most of the
population.
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 What is the structure of a city and which
I elements can be found within it?

1. CITY CENTRE 1. PERI-URBAN AREAS

❖ Main business, financial and ❖ It is the area that surrounds the
commercial areas (luxurious- brands
centre.
shops) are found here.

❖ In older cities, the old town remains in ❖ This area has many streets, parks
the centre of the city. and malls where the middle-class
makes its living.
I❖ Residential areas: middle-class and I
upper class. ❖ (1) DW: good services (running
water, sewage systems, green
❖ (1) DW: areas are separated among spaces, etc.); dw: poor services. (2)
them; dw: areas are mixed. (2) dw: dw: due to unemployment rates,
strong contrast between luxurious
there are high levels of
neighborhood of the social elite and the
marginalisation and delinquency.
vast slums which absorb most of the
population.
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 What is the structure of a city and which
I elements can be found within it?

1. CITY CENTRE 2. PERI-URBAN AREAS 3. OUTSKIRTS

❖ Main business, financial and ❖ It is the area that surrounds the ❖ Large factories complexes are
commercial areas (luxurious- brands
centre. build here.
shops) are found here.

❖ In older cities, the old town remains
in the centre of the city.
I❖ Residential areas: middle-class and
upper class.
❖ (1) DW: areas are separated among
them; dw: areas are mixed. (2) dw:
strong contrast between luxurious
neighborhood of the social elite and
the vast slums which absorb most of
the population.
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❖ This area has many streets, parks
and malls where the middle-class
makes its living.
I I
❖ (1) DW: good services (running
water, sewage systems, green
spaces, etc.); dw: poor services.
(2) dw: due to unemployment
rates, there are high levels of
marginalisation and delinquency.
❖ There are two kind of residential
suburbs:
a) those related to the economic
elite, which are composed of big
houses with good services and
landscaped areas;
b) or working-class
neighbourhoods, formed by lower
quality apartment buildings.
23
 V. Cities: urban territory, types
I
and new forms Pp. 52, 53

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 V. 1. Cities: territory
I - Hinterland: it is the area where cities have economic, social and
cultural influence over a territory.

I I

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I Port of Valencia I University Carlos III
 IV. 1. Cities: territory

I I

National
World Metropolis
metropolis
High-populated cities
whose economic , They are usually
technological and political capital of a state.
influence spread to other
countries.

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 IV. 1. Cities: territory
I I
World Metropolis
High-populated cities
whose economic ,
technological and political
influence spread to other
countries.
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I
National
Regional metropolis
metropolis
Communication networks and
They are usually the main services of a certain
capital of a state. geographical area converge in
these cities.
 IV. 1. Cities: territory

I I I I

National Small and medium-sized

World Metropolis Regional metropolis
metropolis cities
High-populated cities Communication networks and
They are usually the main services of a certain They are small cities that only
whose economic,
capital of a state. geographical area converge in have an influence on the towns
technological and political
these cities. around them.
influence spread to other
countries.

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 IV. 3. Cities: urban forms

I I I I

National Small and medium-sized

World Metropolis Regional metropolis
metropolis cities
High-populated cities Communication networks and
They are usually the main services of a certain They are small cities that only
whose economic ,
capital of a state. geographical area converge in have an influence on the towns
technological and political
these cities. around them.
influence spread to other
countries.

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V. 4. New urban forms
I There are different ways for a urban area to grow. The dependency and the number of
big cities determines them.

I Metropolitan area I Conurbation I Megalopolis

— Several towns and cities — Two or more large city merge.

surrounds a large city.
— The smaller cities and towns
depend on the large city in terms
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economics and culture.
— Vast urban areas that result
— They remain independent from when metropolitan areas and
each other in terms of conurbation merge.
administration.
 V. 2. Cities: types of urban areas
I Metropolises flourish in countries. However, they can emerge in
different ways: evenly or unequally.

Regular urban network Concentrated urban network

Smaller cities emerge around one metropolis.

D. C.: balanced network.

In this urban network, several national
d. c.: inefficient network due to the dependency
and international metropolises emerge
of the rest of the cities on the metropolis.
and their exchanges are fluent.

I I

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I
VI. LIFE IN URBAN
AREAS. Pp. 56 & 57

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 VI. 1. Pros of living in urban
areas

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 VI. 1. Pros of living in urban
areas

Educational and cultural Cities have several options for

cultural leisure and scientific
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 VI. 1. Pros of living in urban
areas

Concerts, sport activities, among

A wide variety of leisure others, take place in cities as
entertainment options
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 VI. 1. Pros of living in urban
areas

Shops: more variety for a There is a huge amount of shops and

several malls to purchase whatever
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 VI. 1. Pros of living in urban
areas

More hospitals and better

Better healthcare facilities are found in cities as
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 VI. 1. Pros of living in urban
areas

More and better job expectations

Extensive labour market can be found in cities.
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 VI. 1. Pros of living in urban
areas

Cities offer the possibility of

Multicultural richness meeting new cultures and
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 VI. 2. Cons of living in urban
areas

Urban population and its

Consumption of resources economical activity consumes a
Your Company Name lot of resources
 VI. 2. Cons of living in urban
areas

Due to the massive production and

Large amounts of waste
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consumption, loads of waste are
generated.
 VI. 2. Cons of living in urban
areas

Vehicles, domesting heating and

Pollution
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factories give off gases which pollute
the atmosphere (smog).
 VI. 2. Cons of living in urban
areas

Living in a city means, among other

things, dealing with hustle and bustle
Traffic jams and stress
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in general, and traffic jams in
particular.
 VI. 2. Cons of living in urban
areas

The concentration of population in

Access to housing
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cities increases the demand for decent
housing, but the prices flat are very
high.
 VI. 2. Cons of living in urban
areas

In cities, different cultural groups

Culture clashes
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converge and problems with integration
can arise between them (economic,
religious, etchnic…).