Megalopolis
A megalopolis is a very large urban region made up of several adjacent metropolitan areas that have grown together through transport, economic, and social links.
A megalopolis is a very large urban region made up of several adjacent metropolitan areas that have grown together through transport, economic, and social links. The term is also used more loosely to mean a very large city or urban complex, but in urban planning it usually refers to a clustered network of major cities. The concept is relevant to Canadian urban planning when discussing large interconnected city-regions, transportation corridors, and cross-municipal growth around major metropolitan areas.
Definition
In urban planning, a megalopolis is defined as a continuous or near-continuous urban region formed by several metropolitan areas. The constituent cities remain separate administrative units and keep distinct identities, but they function together through shared infrastructure and economic links. Some dictionaries also define megalopolis more generally as a very large city or urban area.
Origins and usage
The term 'megalopolis' derives from Greek roots meaning 'great city'. Its modern urban-planning use was popularized by geographer Jean Gottmann, who applied it to the northeastern United States corridor. The term entered geography and planning vocabulary through his work and is now widely used to describe linked metropolitan regions.
Urban structure and characteristics
A megalopolis is characterized by shared systems such as transport, economy, resources, and ecology. The component cities are linked by highways, rail lines, and other infrastructure that facilitate movement and economic integration. Despite this integration, the cities usually retain their own local governments and identities.
Examples and related terms
Commonly cited examples include the northeastern United States corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C. The term is related to, but not identical with, a megacity (a single very large city) or a conurbation (a group of towns that have merged). In Canada, the concept applies to regions such as the Vancouver–Seattle corridor or the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, where interconnected city-regions share transportation and economic links.
Key facts
- A megalopolis is a large urban region of multiple adjacent metropolitan areas that function together.
- Shared transport, economic, and ecological systems are central to the concept.
- The constituent cities remain separate administrative units with distinct identities.
- Jean Gottmann popularized the modern urban-planning use of the term.
- The term is related to but distinct from megacity and conurbation.
The concept is relevant to Canadian urban planning when discussing large interconnected city-regions, transportation corridors, and cross-municipal growth around major metropolitan areas.
Frequently asked questions
What is a megalopolis?
Who popularized the term?
Is a megalopolis the same as a megacity?
Do the cities in a megalopolis lose their identities?
How is the word used in everyday language?
References
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegalopolisSupports: Definition as a group of metropolitan areas linked by transport, economy, resources, and ecology; cities retain distinct identities.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/place/Megalopolis-GreeceSupports: Separate place-name entry; not the urban-planning concept, but useful for distinguishing the Greek place from the general term.
- Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/megalopolisSupports: Dictionary definition of megalopolis as a very large city or a thickly populated region centering in a metropolis or embracing several metropolises.
- Cambridge Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/megalopolisSupports: Dictionary definition of megalopolis as an extremely large city or urban area where many people live.
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalopolis_(disambiguation)Supports: Disambiguation showing the term's multiple meanings and uses.
- Wikipedia (Spanish) — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megal%C3%B3polisSupports: States that the term was introduced/popularized in modern urban geography by Jean Gottmann in 1961 and is used for city-regions.