Lecture on Urban Geography Concepts

Introduction

• Review of key concepts in urban geography:
  • Rank-size rule
  • Primate cities
  • Gravity model
  • Central place theory
• Understanding settlement distribution and patterns

Primate Cities

• Definition: A city that is at least twice the population of the second largest city.
• Characteristics:
  • Significant political, economic, and social control.
  • Residents have access to diverse goods and services.
  • Opportunities concentrated in the city.
• Impacts:
  • Unequal economic development.
  • Devolutionary pressures.
  • Dependency on the city for national economic success.
• Examples:
  • Mexico City
  • Seoul, South Korea

Rank-Size Rule

• Definition: The nth largest city is 1/n the size of the largest city.
• Characteristics:
  • More equitable distribution of goods and services.
  • Reduced dependency on a single city.
• Examples:
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Brazil

Gravity Model

• Concept: Larger settlements have more pull factors than smaller ones.
• Explanation:
  • People migrate towards larger cities due to more opportunities (jobs, services, entertainment).
• Analogy: Like gravitational pull—larger masses have a stronger attraction.

Central Place Theory (CPT)

• Purpose: Explains the distribution and patterns of cities and towns.
• Model Components:
  • Hexagons represent areas served by a central point (settlements/businesses).
  • Avoids overlap seen in circular models.
• Key Concepts:
  • Threshold: Minimum population needed to support a service.
  • Range: Maximum distance people travel for a good/service.

Application of CPT

• Example: Subway locations in Dallas, TX.
  • Small range; subways clustered in urban areas.
  • Larger range for specialized services (e.g., sports stadiums).
• Urban Hierarchy:
  • City at the top, followed by towns, market towns, villages.
  • Larger cities offer specialized services, smaller settlements offer general services.

Real-World Application

• Example Study: Kenneth Weir’s study of Southern urbanization (1880-1930).
  • Evidence of central place systems.
  • Atlanta as a central hub with Columbus and Athens as regional centers.

Conclusion

• Understanding the gravity model and central place theory helps in analyzing settlement interactions and spatial distribution.

Further Study and Practice

• Resources: Ultimate review packet for AP Human Geography.
• Practice with quizzes, tests, and video explanations.

• Remember to review the material regularly and consider subscribing to the content for continuous learning.