Ethiopian Civil Service University

CUDE

Module:
The Global Hierarchy of Cities
Week III

By
Dr. Daniel Lirebo
Associate Professor, CUDE- 2023/24
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

Concept of Urban System………….!!!!

 Complete interdependent set of urban settlements of
different size that exists within a particular territory
such as a region or a country.

 Geographical approach to study system of cities

 Core of the concept rest on the importance of linkages

& interactions --the flow of peoples, goods, profits,
information & ideas among urban centers .
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

Concept of Urban System………………….!!!!

Urban system is shaped and reshaped by:

• Relative advantages of geographical concentration

• Cost and difficulties of transport and

communication

• Challenges posed by the shifts in economic

competition and political control
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

THE GLOBAL HIERARCHY OF CITIES

Conurbation:
an extended
urban area,
typically
consisting of
several towns
merging with
the suburbs of
a central city.
A conurbation:
• is a region comprising a number of cities,
large towns, and other urban areas that,
through population growth and physical
expansion, have merged to form one
continuous urban or industrially developed
area.
• an extended urban area, typically
consisting of several towns merging with
the suburbs of a central city.
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

Global Hierarchy of City

Source:
,2005
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

Global Hierarchy of City

Source:
,2005
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

Global Hierarchy of City

Source:
,2005
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

Urban Challenges
400
377.1
350 286.1
300
250 217.6
200 159.5
150 109.1
31.16
100 78.9
25.71 27.81
50 19.9 23.34
17.96
0
1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Urban Population (in Millions)

Level of Urbanization (in percent)

Source: Based on Census, 2011

10
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

Distribution of the Urban Population by Size Class

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
College of Urban Development and Engineering

Distribution of the Urban Population by Size Class

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

Distribution of the Urban Population by Size Class

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES IN GEOGRAPHIC SPACE

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES IN GEOGRAPHIC SPACE

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF CITIES IN GEOGRAPHIC SPACE

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

Central Place Theory (CPT) is an attempt to explain the spatial

arrangement, size, and number of settlements. The theory was
originally published in 1933 by a German geographer Walter
Christaller who studied the settlement patterns in southern Germany

Theory for CPT

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

Spatial Population Density at Global

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

Scatter of Urban Population in 3646 Cities at Global

 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

A primate city is the leading city in its country or region,

disproportionately larger than any others in the urban
hierarchy.
PRIMATE CITIES
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies
 Global Hierarchy Cities…………………………

Four- tiered structure in terms of economic functions

1. World cities
• Dominant world city- London, New York & Tokyo
• Major world city – Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Paris, Chicago,
Brussels, Frankfurt, Zurich, Los Angeles & Singapore
• Secondary world city – 23, such as Washington D.C., Berlin,
Moscow .

2. Regional control centers – e.g. Atlanta, Boston, etc

3. Specialized producer- service centers – Detroit, Pittsburgh etc.

4. Dependent centers
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

Central Place Theory…………………………

• Created by German geographer Walter Christaller.

• Functions such as markets and population determine the

number, size and distribution of towns.

• Central place theory relied on two concepts

(1)Threshold is the minimum market (population or income)
needed to bring about the selling of a particular goods and
service
(2) Range is the maximum distance consumers are prepared
to travel to acquire goods
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

Assumption of Central Place The………………………

 An isotropic (all flat), homogeneous, unbounded limitless surface

 An evenly distributed population

 Evenly distributed resources

 All consumers have a similar purchasing power and demand for

goods and services
 No provider of goods or services is able to earn excess profits

 There is only one type of transport and this would be equally easy
in all directions
 Transport cost is proportional to distance travelled i.e. the longer
the distance travelled, the higher the transport cost
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

Christaller Hexagon & K-3

K-3
Christaller
Hexagon
 Ethiopian Civil Service University
Institute of Urban Development Studies

K-4 & K-7

K-4 K-7
THANKS