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Urban Geography
Urban Geography
Where are cities located and why?
Although The U.S. and Europe have a higher percentage of urbandwellers, India and China both have higher numbers of urbandwellers.
Settlement Factors: Topography
• Orientation and shelter
Settlement Factors: Topography
• A river crossing
Settlement Factors:Topography
The floor of a river valley.
Settlement Factors:Topography
• Machu Pichu—symbolic significance
Site Factors for Settlements: Key resources
• Mining towns
Site Factors for Settlements:Key resources
Water and energy supply
Site Factors for SettlementsKey resources
The Fall Line—Important resource sites
Jackson, MSMontgomery, AL
Atlanta GAColumbia SC
Raleigh NC
Richmond VAWashington D.C.
Baltimore MDPhiladelphia PA
Trenton NJ
Site Factors for Settlements:Key resources
• Outside of a river’s meander
Site Factors for Settlements:Key resources
At a desert oasis
Site Factors for Settlements:Trade Routes
• At a crossroads
Site Factors for Settlements:Trade Routes
Site Factors for Settlements:Defense
A hilltop city
Site Factors for Settlements:Defense
New Orleans—The “Crescent City”
Walter Christaller Location Theory
The nested hexagons show urban areas with their surrounding market area (hinterland).
Walter Christaller Location TheoryA hamlet provides
some basic services to the people living there and those nearby.
Walter Christaller Location TheoryA village is likely to
offer several dozen services. There will be some specialization.
Walter Christaller Location TheoryA town is larger
than a village and has a higher level of specialization.
Walter Christaller Location TheoryA city has more
specialization and a larger hinterland than a town..
A ciy has suburbs while a town has outskirts
Walter Christaller Location TheoryAn urban hierarchy is a ranking of settlements
according to their size and functions.
Walter Christaller Location TheoryThe rank-size rule states that there is an
inverse relationship between the size of a city and its rank in the urban hierarchy.
Walter Christaller Location Theory
Under the rank-size rule: If the city has 1 million people-the town will have 500,000 (1/2 the size),-the village will have 333,333 (1/3 the size),-and the hamlet will have 250,000 people.
Location Theory
Conclusions 1. Urban places form an orderly rank or hierarchy.
Location Theory
Conclusions 1. Urban places form an orderly rank or hierarchy.
2. Places of the same size and number of functions are rather evenly spaced.
Location Theory
Conclusions 1. Urban places form an orderly rank or hierarchy.
2. Places of the same size and number of functions are rather evenly spaced.
3. Larger urban areas are spaced farther apart than smaller towns or villages.
Walter Christaller Location Theory• Christaller’s central place theory tends not hold in
countries that have unitary systems of government or those that have gone through extended periods as colonies.
• They have primate cities.
Population Cartogram of France Bangkok, Thailand
How are cities organized?
Traditional models of urban structure:
How are cities organized?
The Concentric Zone Model reflects the walking-horsecar era--early 20th century.
How are cities organized?
The Sector Model reflects the influence of transportation corridors.
How are cities organized?
The Multiple Nuclei Model reflects the influence of the automobile on suburbanization.
Present-day United States metropolitan area.
The Galactic City
Social Geography of American and Canadian Cities
