Understanding Urban Settlements and City Classification

City

City: definition vary around the world. Rural settlements: Small settlements that are either dispersed or concentrated in villages, agricultural and livestock farming are predominant/ Urban settlement: large settlements are normally known as cities or towns, have a higher number of people employed in industry or services. Concept of a city: Number of inhabitants- more than 10.000 people are classified as cities/ economic activity: urban areas are identified mostly by secondary and tertiary activities/ High population density: Have traditionally been traits of a city. Urban morphology types: irregular, orthogonal and radial. Irregular: irregular shape, made up of narrow, windy streets/ orthogonal: fairly regular, streets usually run at right angles to each other/ Radial or concentric urban pattern: streets provide easy access between the outskirts of the city and the centre. Urban functions: Residential function: occupies a large area of urban land, public spaces and services are needed to support the large number of people that live in cities/ Industrial function: Has developed thanks to the large workforce available in cities/ Commercial and financial function: Implies that the services provided require a location/ Political: Exists in cities where political power is concentrated.

The classification of cities

Conurbation: Nearby cities of similar importance expand and merge together (Rotterdam-Amsterdam)/ Metropolitan area: This occurs when a big city merges with other smaller cities and towns (London and NY)/ Urban region: Several scattered cities and towns that are close together (Ruhr-Germany)/ Megacity: Succession of conurbations and metropolitan areas (Tokyo). Hierarchy of cities: Global city: City with the power to make economic and political decisions (NY, Tokyo and London)/ National City: State capital, considerable international influence (Rome and Bogota)/ Regional city: medium-size city with fewer urban functions (Munich, Baltimore or Porto Alegre)/ Small city: It can be provincial and regional. Urban landscapes: Cities in rich countries: following characteristics: historic centre/ populations are stagnant or declining, high levels of technological development, problems of social inequality. Cities in poor countries: following characteristics: colonial centre, densely populated, social inequality.

Problems of big cities: social problem: inequality:

Social divide, marginalized people and big differences between neighborhoods can generate a deep sense of exclusion and social isolation. Environmental problems: air pollution, noise pollution and waste, non-renewable energy, lack of greenery and contamination of water. Hierarchy of Spanish cities: National cities: size of their populations and their large metropolitan areas (Madrid and Barcelona)/ Regional cities: Population between 500.000 and 1,5 million (Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza and Malaga)/ Sub-regional cities: have between 200.000 and 500.000 inh. (Universities and large hospital)/ Sub-regional centre of small cities: have between 50.000 and 200.000 inh. (Santander, Pamplona and Cadiz)/ District Capitals: Have between 10.000 and 50.000 inh.