Urban GeographyUrban GeographyWhat is a city?What is a city?

How do we define a City?How do we define a City?

Population, Economic Function, Population, Economic Function, Political Organization, Urban Political Organization, Urban CultureCulture

Does population alone make up a Does population alone make up a city?city?

Does density have anything to do Does density have anything to do with it? with it?

PopulationPopulation United States United States

definition= 2500 definition= 2500 Japan’s definition= Japan’s definition=

30,00030,000 What is the What is the

problem with problem with population alone as population alone as a definition ?a definition ?

Economic Function & Political Economic Function & Political Organization Organization

An urban settlement that has been An urban settlement that has been legally incorporated into an legally incorporated into an independent self governing unitindependent self governing unit

Fixed boundaries, elected officials, Fixed boundaries, elected officials, taxes, ability to provided essential taxes, ability to provided essential servicesservices

City LandscapeCity Landscape Macro- symbolic nature of the city Macro- symbolic nature of the city

cathedrals, monuments, bridges, cathedrals, monuments, bridges, skyscrapers, parks, sport stadiums skyscrapers, parks, sport stadiums etc…etc…

Micro- the nooks and crannies of the Micro- the nooks and crannies of the city. Street layout (grid and curved city. Street layout (grid and curved street patterns). Front porches, street patterns). Front porches, street signs, store fronts.street signs, store fronts.

Central City Central City A city that is A city that is

surrounded by surrounded by suburbssuburbs

Central City and Central City and Suburbs is call Suburbs is call urbanized areaurbanized area

60% of the United 60% of the United States live in an States live in an urbanized areaurbanized area

Metropolitan Statistical Area Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)(MSA)

The functional area of a CityThe functional area of a City MSA includesMSA includes1)1) A central city of at least 50,000A central city of at least 50,0002)2) The county within which the city is The county within which the city is

located located 3)3) Adjacent counties with high Adjacent counties with high

population density, and a large population density, and a large percentage of residents work in the percentage of residents work in the central city central city

Consolidated Metropolitan Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA)Statistical Area (CMSA)

Two adjacent MSAs with overlapping Two adjacent MSAs with overlapping commuting patterns,1 million in commuting patterns,1 million in population or more, and has separate population or more, and has separate component areas component areas

CMSA Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, CMSA Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, and Weld.and Weld.

Primary Metropolitan Statistical Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas (PMSA)Areas (PMSA)

With in a CMSA an MSA that exceeds With in a CMSA an MSA that exceeds 1 million may be classified as a PMSA1 million may be classified as a PMSA

Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, and Jeffersonand Jefferson

Distribution of People within Distribution of People within Urban Areas Urban Areas

Three models of urban StructureThree models of urban Structure1)1) Concentric Zone ModelConcentric Zone Model2)2) Sector Model Sector Model 3)3) Multiple Nuclei ModelMultiple Nuclei Model

Concentric Zone ModelConcentric Zone Model Created by E.W. Burgess (1923)Created by E.W. Burgess (1923) City grows outward like the growth rings City grows outward like the growth rings

of a treeof a tree

Sector ModelSector Model

Developed by Homer Hoyt (1939)Developed by Homer Hoyt (1939) As a city grows in wedges out, certain As a city grows in wedges out, certain

areas are more attractive of different areas are more attractive of different activities activities

Multiple Nuclei ModelMultiple Nuclei Model C.D. Harris & E.L. C.D. Harris & E.L.

Ullman (1945)Ullman (1945) A city includes A city includes

multiple structures multiple structures in which activity in which activity revolvesrevolves