Site and Situation

Objectives
To learn about the factors which influence
the site and growth of cities.
To learn about Central Place Theory and
problems found in urban settlements.
 Factors
Location near key resources
Location along transportation and trade routes
Trade routes have always been vital to humans as resources are not
distributed evenly (i.e. London, England)
Location at easily defended sites protects cities
from invasion
Location near freshwater (i.e. rivers)
Location near important mineral resources (i.e. gold
mines, oil)

Once cities are established, continued access to

other cities and resources allow them to grow
 Urban Hierarchy
Hierarchy of Urban
Places Mega Metropolis*
Cities

Cities
Suburbs
Towns

Villages
 Central Place Theory
In the 1930s, geographer Walter
Christaller developed a theory to
explain patterns in the size and
location of cities.

Central place theory illustrates

different sized cities serving different
functions in the shape of a hexagon.

At the center is the largest city

having the most goods/services.

Surrounding would be smaller towns

offering fewer goods/ services.
 Central Place Theory
A Central Place is a settlement which
provides one or more services for the
population living around it.

Settlements which provide fewer services

are said to be low order settlements.

Settlements that provide more varied

services are said to be high order
settlements.
 Central Place Theory
This theory helps explain the following:
that there are fewer large cities than small
ones.
Large cities are generally farther apart
People usually find specialized goods in large
cities
People in small towns often travel farther to
find goods that they need less often.
This theory helps us understand how cities of
different sizes are arranged and connected.
 Central Place Theory
While the hexagonal shape
is ideal for explanation, a
more realistic shape might
be like the one on the left

Environmental factors such

as mountains and rivers will
affect settlement location as
well as cultural factors such
as trade routes and political
boundaries.
geographictravels.com
Local Example of Central Place Theory

Big Centres (Higher Order) itcwebdesigns.com

Smaller Centres (Lower Order)

 Urban Land Use
Most city centers are
dominated by a CBD CBD
Central Business District
(large stores, offices and Factories
buildings mixed with Suburbs
varied residences)
As you leave the city
center, there are
factories and
warehouses
Further away is newer
von Thunens Model
housing (Suburbia!)
 Urban Land Use
Much like Christallers
Hexagon (Central Place
Theory), von Thunens
model of land use is not
always shaped as a circle.

Where are the major

shopping centres located?

How does the age of

housing change as you
travel away from the CBD?

How might the growth of

suburbs affect agriculture?
 Problems
Key social problem in cities is poverty
Air, water and land pollution
Concentrations of homes, people and industries
in small areas make problems worse
Conditions vary depending on a countrys status
poor countries do not have adequate sewer
systems, etc.