2.1. Global Patterns of Urbanisation Flashcards
1
Q
What is a megacity?
A
- A city or urban agglomeration (urban area incorporating several large towns or cities) with a population of more than 10 million people
- According to the UN, London achieved megacity status in 2013. This classification included residents in the greater London area
2
Q
What is a metacity?
A
- a conurbation with more than 20 million people
3
Q
What is urban growth?
A
- an increase in the number of urban dwellers
- classification of urban dwellers depends on the census definitions of urban areas, which vary from country to country
- they usually include one or more of the following criteria: population size, population density, average distance between buildings within a settlement and legal/ administrative boundaries
4
Q
What is urbanisation?
A
- an increase in the proportion of the country’s population that lives in towns and cities
- the two main causes of urbanisation are natural population growth and migration into urban areas from rural areas
5
Q
What is urban sprawl?
A
the spread of an urban area into the surrounding countryside
6
Q
What is involved in the importance of urban centres in human affairs?
A
- the organisation of economic production
- the exchange of ideas and creative thinking
- centres of political power and decision making
- social and cultural centres