Introduction to Urban Geography Economic Base of

Introduction to Urban Geography

Economic Base of Cities • Early Cities § Cities always dependant upon markets/trade § Rural areas still very important • Basic Sector § Part of the population is involved in the production of goods or performance of services for trade outside city § Efforts result in money flowing into city • Non-basic (service) sector § Producing goods/services to support city residents § Crucial to functioning of stores, professions, public services

Economic Base of Cities (c) • Total Economic Structure = basic + non-basic activities § As cities grow, ratio between the two changes; more non -basic to support population. multiplier effect. § As cities decline, the principle holds, but the process is much slower: People reluctant or unable to leave. Basic Non-Basic

Economic Base Model

Functions of Cities • Urban-based economies § 50%+ of economic activities in most countries § 80%+ of economic activities in more urbanized countries § Multiple functions: manufacturing, government, cultural/educ. ctrs. , trade, transportation. § MOST cities are specialized; few are multifunctional. § Ex: Detroit, MI = auto industry. Sacramento, CA = state government. NY, NY = multifunctional. § Classified into three types: special-function, transportation centers, and central places.

Functions of Cities • Three types: § Special-function: clustered pattern; close to raw materials, labor concentrations; related to manufacturing/mining. § Transportation centers: aligned pattern; along railways, seaboards, etc. § Central places: § All types are centralized; they provide services/goods to tributary surrounding area. In SF and TC cities, these services are a small part of the economy. § In CENTRAL PLACES, the dominant function is trade and rural service, as well as services to the tributary areas.

Central Place Theory Nested hexagonal market areas predicted by Central Place Theory Spatial model of settlements (central places) for a nested hierarchy of market areas

Important Terms • Threshold § Minimum market (consumers) needed to support the supply of a product (i. e. are there enough people to buy this? ) § Luxury items = high threshold due to cost (low demand) § Everyday items (milk? ) = low threshold • Range § Maximum distance people are willing to go to purchase a specific good; the point at which travel becomes too far to get something (i. e. why go to downtown L. A. to buy milk when you can get it down the street? ) § Complementary regions § Non-competitive market areas; town/merchants have a monopoly because they are the closest.

Central Place Theory • Geographic assumptions (Christaller, 1930 s) - featureless landscape on infinite plane - uniform population distribution • Behavioral (economic) assumptions - consumers shop at closest place possible - consumers do not go beyond the range of the good - market areas equal or exceed threshold of good • Hexagonal market areas are most efficient - non-overlapping circles leave areas ` unserved - higher-order central places also provide lower-order functions

Central Place Theory in action on a flat, featureless plain (e. g. , Northern Germany) … and in a landscape with “locational biases” introduced by physical features

Connectivity of Urban Systems Spain’s national urban system National metropolises have greater connectivity than regional metropolises or small cities

Rank-Size Rule • Rank-Size Rule - Nth largest city of a national system = 1/n the size of the largest city. - Example: 2 nd largest city will be ½ the size of the largest city. • Application - Best applied in large countries like the United States and Russia. - Not as applicable in LDCs or in countries with primate cities, where there is no obvious “second city. ”

Primate City • One dominant city in a country or region • There’s usually no second city • Example: • Paris: 8. 7 million people • Marseille: 1. 2 million people

URBAN MORPHOLOGY Spatial Models of Urban Land Use

Concentric Ring Model 1920 s (Burgess) – land-use pattern follows concentric rings around city center (CBD) Newest settlers in city use older housing near city center (migrants to industrial jobs) Previous groups move outward to higher-income areas as they assimilate

Sector Model 1939 (Hoyt) - Land uses in pieshaped wedges radiating from CBD High-income areas along fashionable boulevards, waterfronts, or high ground Industry along river or rails Low-income near industry Middle-income between low and high sectors

Multiple-Nuclei Model Post WW 2 - Early days of suburbanization Downtown CBD not only core of busiiness land use Other nuclei develop special retail districts, office parks, light manufacturing in city Metro areas develop “suburban downtowns” (called “edge cities”)

Transportation and urban growth

“Edge cities” - suburban nodes: high-rise offices, shopping, entertainment, hotels - designed for auto travel Located along freeways or beltways Philadelphia's Edge Cities

E D G E C I T Y M O D E L

Urban Realms Model Modern Metropolis • Each suburban “realm” is economically, socially, politically independent • All together they form a larger metropolitan area • Example: Los Angeles Metro Area

Applicability of classic land use models Rings, sectors, and multiple nuclei are still seen, but overall pattern is complex Family status tends to be distributed concentrically Socioeconomic status tends to be radial Ethnic status tends to be clustered

Urban sprawl – contemporary problem Low-density “leapfrog” developments beyond urban edge Lack of coordinated planning between jurisdictions Consequence of car-dependent urban growth

Source: October 2006: http: //centerwest. org/futures/frtrng/

Contemporary urban trends Infill development (opposite of sprawl)

Contemporary urban trends “New Urbanism” Prospect Town, Longmont

Contemporary urban trends Gentrification and Downtown Revitalization

City models in the Periphery and Semi-Periphery • Colonial cities = bear imprint of Western colonizers • Indigenous cities = maintain traditional pre-colonial structure • Difficult to classify because they have been affected by globalization • Migration and globalization is constantly transforming the character of these cities • Some have become megacities: Mexico City, São Paulo

Latin American City Divided into a traditional market sector and a modern high-rise sector High rent area; proximity to it is highly desirable Shopping, residences for middle and upper classes Squatter settlements (barrios and favelas) located around the periphery

Subsaharan African City Three CBDs: • Colonial • Market (used for daily activity) • Traditional (modern CBD) Lack of elite/middle class neighborhoods Squatter settlements – residents are recent arrivals from rural areas.

Southeast Asian City (Mc. Gee) CBD activities distributed throughout city – NO CBD Middle-class neighborhoods are larger than in Latin American cities Port zone reflects importance of export activities