Major World Urban Major World Urban RegionsRegions

A. Anglo America:

1. U.S.: Eastern constriction (older cities, hearth region) vs. Western expansion (newer, faster growing region)

2. Canada: cities are more compact (better mass transportation)

*Canadian cities have more immigrants Ex: Vancouver w/ large Asian pop.

B. Western Europe:Cities have been affected by:

-Ancient Greeks/Romans-Medieval society-the Renaissance-warfare-communism (in E. Europe)

• Most European urban areas are central cities• Social segregation was vertical: Richer people lived on lower

floors, poorer in basements or attics

C. The Soviet City

1. Centralized planning system

2. “equitable” housing

3. Pre-fabricated residential apartments near public transport

D. Cities in the Developing World:

1. Most large cities in LDCs developed by European colonialists

(i.e.: Calcutta, Mumbai, Nairobi, Harare, Dakar, Saigon, Jakarta, Shanghai)

2. Rapid population growth in LDCs

3. Green Revolution advances…less farmers…rural-urban migration…hyperurbanization

4. Outsourcing: creates jobs in cities

6. South America: the most rapid & large-scale urbanization process of any region in the world

1900 <10% urban1950 ~25% urban2000 ~75% urban

Informal economy

Cleaning windshieldsThe Dominican Republic

Phone servicesIn AfricaCooking lady in Peru

Squatter Settlements1. Squatter settlements usually

found on edges of city

Rio favelaDurban, South

Africa

Caracas, Venezuela• 90% urban dwellers• about 70 % live in squatter settlements

Latin American Model:1. CBDs of L. American cities vibrant &

specialized

2. Central plaza with church

3. Wealthiest residents closest to CBD (near major boulevard)

4. Ongoing construction for the poor on the outskirtsoutskirts

Argentina (villas miseria)

Venezuela (barrios)

Brazil (favelas)

Peru (pueblos jóvenes)

Mexico City

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

High income households in Rio de Janeiro live in the CBD and in a spine

along the ocean. Low-income households often live in peripheral areas.

1. Apartheid: racial segregation

2. Resembles the sector model

3. Downtowns were restricted to whites only

4. Non-whites in peripheral “townships”

The Apartheid City:

Southeast Asian Cities

1. Often established by Europeans as gateway cities to facilitate trade

2. traditional South Asian cities are based on a bazaar

3. “Port Zone”: CBD