AP Human Geography : Suburban Sprawl & Urban Sustainability Problems

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Human Geography

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Contemporary Urban Issues

What name is given to a portion of land reserved for farms, parks, and forests to prevent the continuation of an urban sprawl?

Possible Answers:

Green protection

Greenbelt

Commons

Deurbanization

Agribusiness

Correct answer:

Greenbelt

Explanation:

Many contemporary cities have enacted measures to prevent the continuous urban sprawl that results from their ever-growing populations. They reserve a portion of land for farms, parks, forests, and other such things. This is called a “greenbelt.”

Example Question #63 : Cities & Urban Land Use

A city’s metropolitan area includes __________.

Possible Answers:

any surrounding areas which are closely related, either socially or economically, to the city

the defined political limits of a city government’s jurisdiction

all the areas where the population can vote for the mayor of the city

all the suburbs located within ten miles of a city’s outer limits

all the suburbs located within twenty miles of a city’s outer limits

Correct answer:

any surrounding areas which are closely related, either socially or economically, to the city

Explanation:

The “metropolitan area” of a city is defined as all the areas surrounding a city that can be said to have a high-level of economic or social integration with the city. So, if the majority of people who live in an area outside of a city’s political limits still commute to the city for work, school, or recreation than that area is said to be within the city’s “metropolitan area.” The definition is based on economic and social integration, NOT on physical proximity.

Example Question #1 : Contemporary Urban Issues

Which of these is a feature of ghettoization in American cities?

Possible Answers:

The loss of economic activity for the city

The economic degradation of inner cities

White Americans moving away from the suburbs

The suburbanization of minorities and immigrant populations

The decline of educational institutions throughout the city

Correct answer:

The economic degradation of inner cities

Explanation:

The term “ghettoization” is used to refer to the degradation of inner cities in America. It occurs when affluent white Americans move out of inner cities to the suburbs and this population is replaced with much poorer populations. It occurred throughout the United States in the twentieth century and is one of the more significant problems facing American cities in the twenty-first century.

Example Question #734 : Ap Human Geography

The highly urbanized stretch of land that runs along the eastern seaboard of the United States, from Boston to Washington D.C., is an example of a(n) __________.

Possible Answers:

Megalopolis

Polis

Metropolitan area

Primate city

Urban decay

Correct answer:

Megalopolis

Explanation:

The term “megalopolis” is used to describe a stretch of land that contains multiple cities and connecting suburban regions. The stretch of land from Boston to Washington D.C. also includes New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and all the attending suburban areas. It is a highly urbanized stretch of land and therefore it is called a “megalopolis.”

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