121
MORE THAN HALF OF ALL the world’s people live in
cities. The world’s largest city, Tokyo, Japan, has a
population of more than 38 million. But not all cities
are vast, because the word city can mean different
things. In many places, a city is any large town. In
Europe, it is usually a town with a cathedral. And in
some places, like the United States, “city” is the name
given to an urban area with definite boundaries.
City people need many services: water, power,
sanitation, transportation, schools, and stores are all
essential. Providing these services requires a lot of
organization. Badly run cities are unpleasant and unhealthy,
with problems such as poor housing, traffic congestion, and pollution.
The first cities developed as trading centers in Asia and the Middle East about
7,000 years ago. Rich cities, such as Alexandria in Egypt, became the centers
of government and power. Like today’s cities, they had markets, banks,
hotels, factories, and places
of entertainment.
CAPITAL CITIES
The most important city
of any country is called
the capital. It is
usually the place
where the
government is
based, but it may
not be the biggest
city in the country.
Some capital cities,
such as Brasília,
have been specially
built in modern times.Brasília was built to replace
Rio de Janeiro as the capital of Brazil.The city center usually
contains the most stylish
stores. Shopping districts are
built close to residential areas
on the outskirts of town.Cities must have a good
public transportation system,
with flyovers or underground
railroads, to avoid traffic jams.Land is expensive in
the city center, so office
developments grow upward
rather than outward.MODERN CITY
The oldest part of the city
often forms the center.
Farther out are the
industrial zones and
the areas where
people live, all
connected by
a network
of roads.
Swiss-French
architect
Le Corbusier
(1887-1965)
planned this city for three million people.Cities
Factories require a lot of space,
so they are built in the outer
parts of cities. They need easy
access to roads and railroads so
they can send their goods to
other parts of the country.
Architecture
Industrial revolution
TechnologyQuiet parks and other recreation
areas provide a restful break from
the busy city streets.Some families live in homes close to the city
center. More live a few miles from the center
in less crowded areas called suburbs.The city
streets follow
a grid pattern.Find out more
PLANNING
Many cities grow up around their
historical centers with no overall
plan. However, some cities, such
as Washington, D.C., have been
carefully planned from the start.
Streets and squares, transportation,
sewers, business centers, and sports
facilities are all carefully mapped
out before any building starts.