Urban Area Definitions: From Catchment to Conurbation

Urban Catchment Area

The scope of an urban catchment area is not permanent but may change depending on economic shifts, means of transportation, and existing communication.

Metropolitan Area

A metropolitan area is an urban region that includes a central city, after which the area is named, and a number of satellite towns that can function as dormitory towns or industrial, commercial, and service centers, organized in a centralized way. It is also known as the urban fabric.

Suburbs

Suburbs refer to land near cities, which, by its nature, is a transition zone between the city proper and adjacent rural areas.

Arrabal

An arrabal is an organic grouping (without prior urban planning) of housing and businesses, usually associated with the lower class. The term is typically applied to define the uncontrolled growth that took place in European cities during the Middle Ages, which were included in the city as neighborhoods.

Old Quarter or Old Town

The Old Quarter or Old Town is the historical and monumental center of European cities, predating the extensions of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Central Business District (CBD)

A Central Business District (CBD), as a service, results from combining human and material resources to achieve maximum business development for its users.

City

A city is an urban area with a high population density, dominated mainly by manufacturing and services. It differs from other urban entities by various criteria, including population, population density, or legal status, although the distinction varies between countries.

City Bedroom or Bedroom Community

A bedroom community is an urban community that is primarily residential, with most residents commuting to work in a nearby town.

Urban Climate

Urban climate refers to the weather conditions in different urban areas compared to the countryside and is attributed to urban development.

Conurbation

Conurbation is defined as the process and outcome of the growth of several cities (where one or several may lead the group), which integrate to form a single, usually hierarchical, system.

Urban Location

Urban location refers to the concrete space on which a city sits. It depends on the physical environment.

Eixample

An eixample is a lot located on the outskirts of a city designated for new buildings. In the 19th century, the eixamples of Barcelona and Madrid were developed.

Suburbs

The suburbs are the outermost part of a municipality, surrounding the core of the population.

Urban Function

Urban function refers to a set of socio-economic activities developed by humans in a city.