Chapter 4 Section 4 Urban Geography Urban Geography

Chapter 4, Section 4 Urban Geography

Urban Geography 4. 4 • The study of how people use space in cities is called urban geography – Cities are centers of business and culture – They serve as the birthplace of innovation and change – Urban lifestyles are different from those of towns, villages and rural areas • An urban area develops around a central city – A built up area in the surrounding area of the main city is called a suburb – If it has open land separating from the city it is called an exurb – All these areas together form what is called a metropolitan area – A megalopolis is formed when several metropolitan areas grow together • The dramatic rise in the number of cities and the number of people living in cities since the Industrial Revolution is called urbanization

City Location • Many cities are found in locations that allow good transportation: river valleys, lakes, coastlines • Cities may grow close to resources – Sacramento grew from a gold discovery • Cities are often places were goods are shifted from one form of transportation to another – Along the Fall Line at the Piedmont – Chicago lies where railroads meet a lake • Cities may benefit from specific functions – – Pittsburgh: Steel Brasilia: Government San Diego: Navy port Knoxville: University

Basic land use patterns found in cities are • Residential: single- and multi-family housing • Industrial: factories and assembly plants • Commercial: used for private business and selling of retail products – The core of the city is almost always based on commercial activity and is called the central business district (CBD) – Generally, the further away from the CBD you are the lower the value of the land

The city is the center of many functions • • • Government Commercial offices and shopping Education, culture and entertainment Warehousing and manufacturing Residential Transportation systems can give geographers clues to the distribution of functions