The Central Place Theory & Urban Hierarchy [AP Human Geography Unit 6 Topic 4]

Summary

In this video, the speaker explores key geographical concepts like the rank-size rule, primate cities, the gravity model, and central place theory to understand settlement patterns and their impacts. The rank-size rule explains how countries distribute population among cities, while the primate city rule shows the dominance of one city over others. The gravity model links city size with its 'pull' on surrounding areas, and central place theory illustrates how cities provide services to their regions. Real-world examples like subway distribution and professional football teams are used to explain these theories, offering valuable insights into urban development and spatial organization.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Rank Size Rule suggests that the population of the second-largest city in a country is about half the population of the largest city, with subsequent cities having proportional populations.
• 😀 Primate cities have a dominant position in a country, often with at least double the population of the second-largest city, creating a concentration of economic, political, and social opportunities.
• 😀 Countries with primate cities face challenges like unequal economic development and devolutionary pressures due to the over-reliance on one major city.
• 😀 The Gravity Model explains that the larger the settlement, the more pull it has, attracting people from surrounding areas for services, jobs, and social opportunities.
• 😀 Smaller settlements have fewer pull factors and often depend on larger cities for essential goods and services, as they lack the population to support specialized businesses.
• 😀 The Central Place Theory uses hexagonal grids to illustrate how cities and settlements are distributed spatially. It seeks to understand the patterns based on the size and the services offered by each settlement.
• 😀 Threshold is the minimum number of people needed to sustain a good or service, while range refers to the maximum distance someone is willing to travel for that service.
• 😀 Businesses like Subway use the Central Place Theory to determine their locations. In densely populated areas, stores cluster together to serve different market areas, while in less busy areas, they can be more spaced out.
• 😀 The concept of range and threshold helps explain the location of services like hospitals or professional sports stadiums. Larger services like stadiums have a wider range and higher threshold, requiring them to be located in major cities.
• 😀 Central Place Theory can be applied to understand urbanization patterns, such as those in the American South, where cities like Atlanta serve as central hubs for surrounding smaller settlements.

Q & A

What is a primate city, and how does it impact a country's development?

A primate city is a city that is significantly larger than any other in the country, often twice the size of the second-largest city. It serves as the economic, political, and social hub, concentrating most opportunities and services. This can lead to unequal development, as residents in smaller settlements must travel farther for goods and services. It can also create economic risks since the country's success is overly reliant on one city.

How does the rank-size rule differ from the primate city rule?

The rank-size rule suggests that the second-largest city will have about half the population of the largest city, the third-largest will have a third, and so on. This leads to a more even distribution of resources and economic opportunities. In contrast, the primate city rule has one dominant city with a much larger population, resulting in a concentration of services and economic activities in that city.

Can you give examples of countries that follow the rank-size rule?

Countries like the United States, Canada, and Brazil follow the rank-size rule. In these countries, cities are distributed more evenly, with the second-largest cities having a population roughly half of the largest city's population, and so on.

What does the gravity model explain about settlement patterns?

The gravity model explains how the size and distance between settlements impact migration and interaction. Larger cities have a stronger 'pull,' attracting more people and fostering more interactions. Smaller cities have less pull and fewer interactions. This is similar to how gravity works, with larger planets having a stronger gravitational force.

How does the gravity model relate to migration?

The gravity model suggests that people are more likely to migrate to larger cities due to the greater availability of services, jobs, and opportunities. Cities with smaller populations have less to offer, leading to less migration and fewer interactions.

What is central place theory, and how does it explain settlement distribution?

Central place theory seeks to explain the distribution of cities and towns based on their size. It uses hexagons to represent market areas, as they cover all spaces without overlap. This model shows how cities serve surrounding areas, with larger cities providing specialized services and smaller towns offering more general services.

Why did central place theory switch from using circles to hexagons?

Central place theory initially used circles to represent market areas, but the problem with circles was that they didn’t fully cover the land when placed next to each other, leaving gaps. Hexagons, on the other hand, can be linked together to cover all areas without overlapping, which more accurately reflects real-world distribution.

What are 'threshold' and 'range' in central place theory?

Threshold refers to the minimum number of people needed to support a good or service, while range is the maximum distance a person is willing to travel for that service. Specialized services tend to have a larger range, while more common services have a smaller range.

How do businesses like Subway use central place theory in urban areas?

Subway restaurants apply central place theory by clustering stores in busy urban areas where people are willing to travel shorter distances. In densely populated areas with heavy traffic, Subways are closer together, serving different market areas without competing for customers. In less dense areas, Subways are spaced farther apart.

How can central place theory explain urbanization in the American South?

Kenneth Weir's study of urbanization in the American South from 1880 to 1930 showed how small and large cities grew in tandem. Larger cities like Atlanta served as central hubs, with smaller surrounding cities serving as market areas. This pattern reflected central place theory, where larger cities serve surrounding smaller settlements with specialized services.