Cities and Urban Land–Use

4 million

2 million

1 million

500,000

The rank-size rule applies only to developed countries, while primate cities are found in developing countries.

The rank-size rule describes a distribution of city sizes, while a primate city is a single city dominating a country.

Primate cities are always capital cities, while the rank-size rule applies to any urban area.

The rank-size rule is a theoretical concept, while primate cities are based on empirical observation.

6 million

4 million

3 million

2 million

The maximum distance people will travel to obtain a good or service.

The minimum population required to support a particular business or service.

The cost of establishing a business in a central location.

The average income of residents in a particular area.

A local grocery store

A gas station

A major sports arena

A small coffee shop

The clinic will be able to locate in more, smaller towns.

The clinic will need to be located in a larger city to attract enough patients.

The clinic will decrease its prices to attract more customers.

The clinic will begin to offer a wider range of services to attract more customers.

The movement of people from urban areas to rural areas.

The increase in the proportion of people living in rural areas.

The movement of people from rural areas to urban areas, increasing the urban population.

The decrease in the population density of cities.

Increased availability of public transportation in cities.

Decreased demand for single-family homes.

Desire for more space, lower cost of living, and perceived better quality of life.

Increased job opportunities in rural areas.

Highly centralized with a few dominant cities.

Decentralized with many large cities.

Evenly dispersed with many medium-sized cities.

Concentrated along the coastlines.

European countries generally exhibit a more even dispersal of medium-sized cities due to long-standing trade networks and historical development patterns.

China's city distribution is characterized by a few dominant cities, reflecting centralized governance and historical economic policies.

The United States features a decentralized pattern with multiple large cities, influenced by vast geography and diverse economic activities.

A small African country shows a highly even distribution of cities due to equitable resource allocation and consistent economic development across its regions.