Urban Geography

In 1950, 30% of people lived in cities. Today, almost 60% of the world lives in cities. This is a considerable jump and is indicative of major changes in the way people want to live, work, and interact. It may sound complicated, but urban geography provides tools to understand the relationships between people and cities, including the challenges that can arise and possible solutions to overcome them. Let's explore why the study of cities is important and the different methods of understanding them.

Introduction to Urban Geography

Urban geography is the study of the development of cities and towns and the people in them. In other words, why cities were built, how they are connected, and how they have changed and will continue to change. The urban spaces we live in require coordination, study, and input from dozens of entities and possibly hundreds of residents. Why? As places experience urbanization, cities must plan and project how people will live and transport themselves, taking in information and help from many sources. Therefore, people's urban life and relationship with the built environment are essential to understand. A relationship between people and the built environment may sound strange, but all of us interact with the space we live in. If you've ever walked down a street or taken a left turn in your car, believe it or not, you've interacted with the built environment!

Geographers and urban planners study urban geography to understand how and why cities change. For instance, people move in and create opportunities for new development, such as building new homes and jobs. Or people move out due to a lack of jobs, resulting in less development and deterioration. Concerns about sustainability have also begun to arise, as pollution and climate change are now threatening the quality of life in cities. All of these factors make and change cities all the time!

Fig. 1 - Istanbul, Turkey

Key Concepts in Urban Geography

The key concepts in urban geography include many ideas and forces related to cities. To begin, the history of urbanization and cities, especially in the context of current-day globalization, can explain why cities were built and where they may develop further.

Cities are connected through major patterns of political, economic, and social connectivity. Looking deeper, each city has a unique development pattern and is influenced by different factors at local and international levels. City design patterns can be understood through hierarchical levels, with each level requiring a different set of priorities. Urban data, such as census data collected every 10 years, allow planners and politicians to observe changes and project the needs of urban residents. This is especially important as the risk of climate change threatens the quality of life in the city, requiring sustainability projects and approaches to guide the next steps.

Although it sounds like a lot, these are all connected concepts! For example, when and why a city was built can explain the current design and form. North American cities were built during the expansion of the automobile, leading to more sprawled layouts and suburban development. On the other hand, European cities were built before the invention of cars and are therefore denser and more walkable. While European cities may naturally be more sustainable as fewer people own and drive cars, most people in North America do. Therefore cities must invest more to improve their sustainability measures.

Urban Geography Examples

The history of urbanization ranges from early settlements to current-day megacities. But how did we get to where we are now? Let's take a look at how and why cities have evolved.

Urbanization in Geography

Most cities didn't start developing until after the development of sedentary agriculture, where people settled in one place for longer periods of time. This was a shift from hunter-gatherer behavior. Early human settlements (around 10,000 years ago) usually took the form of agricultural villages, small clusters of people involved in various agricultural practices. This new way of living allowed for greater productivity and a surplus of agricultural products, which gave people an opportunity to trade and organize.

Fig. 2 - Ait-Ben-Haddou, Morocco, a historical Moroccan city

Urbanization took shape in different forms depending on the region and social conditions. For instance, feudal cities in Europe (roughly 1200-1300 AD) experienced stagnation as these areas served as either military strongholds or religious enclaves, which were typically culturally and economically homogenous. However, around the same time in Mesoamerica, Tenochtitlan (now known as Mexico City, Mexico) was experiencing a thriving and prosperous period thanks to major infrastructure projects and cultural developments. This was the case for other cities in Asia, the Middle East, and South America.

By the late 1800s, trade, colonialism, and industrialization transformed cities through rapid migration and urbanization. Historically, strategic locations along coastlines and riverways (such as New York and London) are called gateway cities for their proximity to ports and the entry of products and people. With the invention of the railroad, other cities like Chicago were able to grow as people and products could move more easily.

Fig. 3 - City of London Skyline, UK

Steadily, megalopolises and megacities have arisen from decades of urbanization and population growth. Megacities are urban areas with a population of over 10 million residents (for example, Tokyo and Mexico City). Especially unique to the developing world, megacity counts are increasing due to high immigration and high natural population growth. A megalopolis is a whole region that has been highly urbanized and connects several cities, such as the region between São Paulo-Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, or the region between Boston-New York-Philadelphia-Washington, D.C. Currently, most of the world's urban growth is in areas around megacities (peripheries).

The formation of cities can be attributed to major site and situation factors. A site factor relates to the climate, natural resources, landforms, or absolute location of a place. A situation factor relates to the connections between places or people (ex. rivers, roads). Places with favorable site conditions are well-connected through their transportation options and can grow more culturally and economically, eventually experiencing population growth.

Scope of Urban Geography

The scope of urban geography encompasses most aspects of what urban planners and geographers need to study. This includes the origin and evolution of cities including models of city structure, links between infrastructure and transportation, demographic makeup, and development (ex. suburbanization, gentrification). To better understand these concepts, it's useful to create links to the historical context of when and why cities evolved. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you make those links:

• How old is this city? Was it built before or after the automobile?
• What kind of historical (ex. war), social (ex. segregation), and economic (ex. trade) forces influenced the development of a city?
• As an example, take a closer look at your nearest city. How and why do you think it was built? What are the challenges it faces?