Urban Geography Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Urban Geography?

Urban geography is the study of cities, towns, and other human settlements. This field of geography focuses on the physical aspects of urban environments, including land use patterns, transportation networks and infrastructure systems, housing markets, environmental conditions and quality of life issues. It also examines how societies interact with their built environments in order to better understand the ways in which urban areas are structured and how they can be improved. Urban geographers explore a wide range of topics such as gentrification processes, segregation patterns and economic development strategies. They are often called upon to provide insight into urban planning strategies that can improve cities’ social equity while promoting economic growth. The physical components studied by urban geographers include the characteristics of soil types and topography which shape a city’s layout; its transportation network consisting of roads, bridges, ports or airports; its infrastructure such as water supply systems or energy grids; its housing market which reflects local demand and availability; its public services like schools or hospitals; its community facilities such as parks or leisure centers; its green spaces for recreation purposes; as well as air pollution levels or any other environmental factors that may affect city dwellers’ quality of life. Urban geographers also take into account social concepts like gentrification processes by which certain neighborhoods undergo rapid changes due to an influx of wealthy residents who move into traditionally poorer areas. They may also analyze residential segregation patterns resulting from discrimination practices against certain races or socio-economic groups during a city’s history – for example when redlining regulations kept people from obtaining mortgages in certain neighborhoods – leading to disparities between particular areas within a city today. Finally, urban geographers research economic development strategies employed by local governments to promote job growth through investment incentives like tax credits given to businesses locating in underserved communities or special zoning allowances meant to attract new businesses into an area.