Mapping Urban Areas – 5/5/19

Cities vs Metropolitan Areas vs Urban Areas. Which term is the most accurate to describe concentrated human populations? “Urban areas” is probably the most accurate, denoting contiguous clusters with a population density above 1,000 people per square mile. Being defined based on population density rather than political borders means urbanized areas are a closer measure for the true size of any city. They measure what’s really there, rather than where governments drew arbitrary lines centuries ago. Check out a deeper explanation and larger map here. [Source: ggwash.org]