AP HUMAN GEO UNIT 6:

Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes

NAME:
______________________
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HOUR:
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 UNIT 6 LEARNING REQUIREMENTS
TOPIC 6.1 I can explain the processes that initiate and drive urbanization and suburbanization.
PSO - 6.A

TOPIC 6.2 I can explain the processes that initiate and drive urbanization and suburbanization.
PSO - 6.A
TOPIC 6.3 I can explain how cities embody processes of globalization.
PSO - 6.B
TOPIC 6.4 I can identify the different urban concepts such as hierarchy, interdependence, relative size, and spacing that
PSO - 6.C are useful for explaining the distribution, size, and interaction of cities.
TOPIC 6.5 I can explain the internal structure of cities using various models and theories.
PSO - 6.D
TOPIC 6.6 I can explain how low-, medium-, and high-density housing characteristics represent different patterns of
IMP - 6.A residential land use.
TOPIC 6.7 I can explain how a city’s infrastructure relates to local politics, society, and the environment.
IMP - 6.B
TOPIC 6.8 I can identify the different urban design initiatives and practices.
IMP - 6.C
 UNIT 6 LEARNING REQUIREMENTS
TOPIC 6.8 I can explain the effects of different urban design initiatives and practices.
IMP - 6.D

TOPIC 6.9 I can explain how qualitative and quantitative data are used to show the causes and effects of geographic
IMP - 6.E change within urban areas.
TOPIC I can explain causes and effects of geographic change within urban areas.
6.10
SPS - 6.A
TOPIC 6.11 I can describe the effectiveness of different attempts to address urban sustainability
SPS - 6.B challenges.
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

Bellringer
International company headquarters, significant global financial functions, and a polarized social
structure are defining characteristics of which of the following? EXPLAIN!
A. Primate Cities
B. Edge Cities
C. Hinterlands
D. World Cities
E. Megalopolis
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

Models that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include:
● Rank-size rule.
● The Law of the Primate City.
● Gravity Model.
● Christaller’s central place theory.
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

City (not MSA) RANK Population (in Thousands:

Rank-size rule 1,000s)

● The country’s nth-largest settlement is 2000 1990 1910 1910 1990 2000
1/n the population of the largest New York 1 1 1 4,767 7,323 8,008
settlement.
Los Angeles 2 2 15 319 3,485 3,695
● Example: The country’s 2nd largest Chicago 3 3 2 2,185 2,784 2,896
settlement is ½ the population of the Houston 4 4 79 1,631 1,954
largest settlement.
Philadelphia 5 5 3 1,549 1,586 1,518
● The United States is a good Phoenix 6 9 983 1,321
example.The United States follows the
San Diego 7 6 1,111 1,223
rank-size rule closely. Developed
Dallas 8 8 92 1,007 1,189
countries tend to conform more to this
rule. San Antonio 9 10 935 1,145

Detroit 10 7 10 466 1,028 951

 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

The Law of the Primate City

● The largest settlement has more than twice as many people as the second-ranking
settlement. In this scenario, the largest city is called a primate city. Primate Cities
are usually political, social, or economic hubs.

● Mexico is a good example.If the settlement hierarchy does not graph as a straight
line, then the country does not have the rank-size rule and may follow the primate
city rule.

● Mexico’s largest city, Mexico City, is five times the size of the second largest city,
Guadalajara.
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

Discussion Questions for Part I

*Questions Answered in Google Classroom Activity.
Use Kami to edit PDF document.*
● Does your country follow "rank size rule" or does it have a
"primate city?" How do you know? Why?
○ Your Teacher will assign you one of the following
countries in class or if you are absent pick one of the
following countries: Chile, China, India, Japan,
Australia, Canada, Mexico, France, Brazil, South
Africa, or Nigeria.
● Find a map of the country online that shows the cities. What site
and situation factors of the major cities contribute to the pattern
you see?
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

Gravity Model (Connected to Distance Decay)

● The gravity model is useful in explaining interactions among networks of cities. It
states that places that are larger and closer together will have a greater interaction
than places that are smaller and farther away.

● It predicts that there are greater flows to larger and closer cities.

● The best location will be the one that minimizes the distances that all potential
customers must travel to receive the service.
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

Gravity Model (Connected to Distance Decay)

 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

Christaller’s Central Place Theory

● A central place is a market center where people go
to exchange goods and services by people attracted
from the surrounding areas.

● It’s centrally located to maximize accessibility.

● The land surrounding the central place is called the

market area and is represented by hexagons or
hinterlands.

● Can be as small as a hamlet to as large as a city.

 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

Christaller’s Central Place Theory

● Two Basic Concepts
○ Threshold- The size of the population necessary
for any particular service to exist and remain
profitable.
■ i.e Gas stations will exist at the smallest
central place but hospitals require a larger
population.
○ Range- The distance people will travel to obtain
specific goods and services. Typically people are
willing to travel farther for more specialized
goods and services.
 Topic 6.4 The Size and Distribution of Cities
TOPIC 6.4: Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include rank-size rule, the primate city, gravity,
and Christaller’s central place theory.

Discussion Questions for Part 2

*Questions Answered in Google Classroom
Activity. Use Kami to edit PDF document.*

● Let’s Discuss!