Urbanization and Demographics: Key Concepts
Urbanization
Urbanization is the progressive concentration of population in cities, along with economic activities, innovation, and environmental changes. This process typically consists of three stages: pre-industrial, industrial, and post-industrial.
Peri-urban
Peri-urban areas are located on the outskirts of cities, transitioning to the countryside. They blend rural lifestyles with urban functions like residential areas, industrial parks, supermarkets, recreational services, and major roads.
Urban Function
Urban function refers to the goods and services (socio-economic activities) a city offers to its inhabitants and its area of influence (hinterland). Examples include tourism, industry, services, and trade. A city’s function increases with its specialization, size, and rank.
Area of Influence
Also known as the hinterland, this is the area supplied with goods and services by a central place (city).
Metropolis
A metropolis sits atop the urban system hierarchy. It has a large population (over 250,000 inhabitants), performs specialized functions, and has an extensive area of influence.
Conurbation
A conurbation is a continuous urban area formed by the growth of two or more cities that merge while maintaining their independence.
Metropolitan Area
A metropolitan area is a large urban sprawl surrounding a capital city, encompassing several counties with significant social and economic connections.
Urban Land
Urban land is the part of a municipality designated for urbanization within the General Urban Development Plan (PXOU).
Urbanizable Land
Urbanizable land is designated within the PXOU for future urban development (residential or equipment), allowing for rational city growth.
Rural Land
Also known as rustic land, this is the part of a municipality designated for farming or forestry within the PXOU.
Urban Network
An urban network is a system of cities consisting of physical elements (the cities) and invisible connections (relationships between cities). It can be balanced, concentrated, or spread across a territory.
Urban Hierarchy
Urban hierarchy is the ranking of cities within a system based on size, functions, and area of influence.
Urban Plan
An urban plan is a scaled representation of a city’s surface, including built areas (buildings) and open spaces (gardens, parks).
Orthogonal Plan
Also known as a grid plan, streets intersect at right angles, vertically and horizontally. Characteristic of Ensanche.
Radiocentric Plan
In a radiocentric plan, streets radiate outwards from a central point, often intersected by concentric rings.
Historic Towns
Historic towns are of ancient origin (Roman, medieval, modern) and retain much of their historical and artistic heritage, attracting tourism.
CBD
The Central Business District (CBD) is where most commercial activities, businesses, bank headquarters, and professional services are located, usually in the city center.
Ensanche
Ensanche areas were created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to accommodate city growth due to industrialization. They reflect bourgeois ideals of health, spaciousness, and rationality. Tertiary activities now dominate, often coinciding with the CBD.
Garden City
The garden city model, by Ebenezer Howard, emphasizes contact with nature. Houses are typically single-family with gardens and open spaces.
Dormitory Town
Dormitory towns are residential areas on the outskirts where people primarily sleep and commute to work elsewhere.
Arrabal
An arrabal is an area annexed to a city’s core, often outside the original walls, sometimes associated with crime.
PXOU
The General Urban Development Plan (PXOU) is the basic urban planning instrument for a municipality, classifying land use, building heights, and necessary equipment.
Population Census
A population census is an individualized count of a country’s population.
Standard Hall
The standard hall collects demographic, social, and economic data on a municipality’s population, updated annually.
Nomenclator
A nomenclator lists all settlements within a county.
Population Density
Population density is the number of people per square kilometer.
Demographic Transition
Demographic transition is a shift from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates, resulting in population growth.
Birth Rate
The birth rate is the annual number of births per 1,000 inhabitants.
Mortality Rate
The mortality rate is the annual number of deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Infant Mortality Rate
The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths before age one per 1,000 live births.
Fertility Rate
The fertility rate is the number of live births per 1,000 women of childbearing age (15-49 years).
Vegetative Growth
Vegetative growth, or natural growth, is the difference between the birth rate and mortality rate.
Demographic Regime
Demographic regimes are stages in a population’s history with similar birth, mortality, and growth rates.
Emigration
Emigration is the permanent departure of people from one place to another.
Immigration
Immigration is the arrival of people from another place to settle permanently.
Rural Exodus
Rural exodus is the mass migration of people from rural areas to cities.
Pendulum Migration
Pendulum migration is the daily movement of people between their residence and workplace or study.
Net Migration
Net migration is the difference between immigrants and emigrants.
Real Growth
Real growth combines vegetative growth and net migration.
Demographic Structure
Demographic structure analyzes a population by sex, age, economic activity, and wealth distribution.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy is the average lifespan of a population.
Sex Ratio
The sex ratio is the percentage of men in a population relative to women.
Aging Index
The aging index is the percentage of people over 65 in a population.
Population Pyramid
A population pyramid graphically represents a population by age and sex.
Active Population
The active population comprises people aged 16 and over who are employed or seeking employment.
Inactive Population
The inactive population includes those without paid work, such as retirees, students, and homemakers.
Activity Rate
The activity rate is the percentage of the population that is economically active.
Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate is the percentage of the active population that is unemployed.
Emplacement
Emplacement is the specific location of a city (e.g., near a river, on a hill).
Situation
Situation is a city’s location within a broader territory (e.g., a watershed, coastline).
Concentrated Habitat
Concentrated habitat is a rural settlement pattern where houses are clustered together.
Scattered Habitat
Scattered habitat is a rural settlement pattern where houses are dispersed across the landscape.
Urban Habitat
Urban habitat is a settlement with over 10,000 people, characterized by high-density housing and secondary/tertiary activities.
Rural Habitat
Rural habitat is a settlement with fewer than 10,000 people, predominantly engaged in primary activities.