Urbanisation glossary

Agglomeration a central city (or more than one centre) and neighbouring communities linked to it by continuous built-up areas   City densely settled residential, industrial and business areas together with administrative functions that may relate to a wider geographical area. There is no generally accepted definition of the size of a city   Ecological footprint the amount of land, water and air required to support each person   Informal sector economic activities that are not regulated by labour or taxation laws or monitored for inclusion in gross domestic product estimates eg water sellers, street vendors, buskers, shoe-shiners   Infrastructure the basic facilities, services and structures, such as transportation and communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including schools, post offices, and prisons, which help a community to function   Social capital refers to stocks of social trust, norms and networks that people can draw on in order to solve common problems - these include neighbourhood associations, service and charitable clubs, volunteerism etc.   Megacity a very large urban agglomeration of at least 10 million inhabitants.   Slum a neglected area of a city, usually inhabited by the very poor. Lack of infrastructure, crowded conditions and poor housing with no security tenure means that slums are often characterised by disease, disaster and crime   Squatter settlements roughly built dwellings, often in vulnerable areas such as flood plains or along railway lines or highways, inhabited by migrants from rural areas seeking employment.   Urbanisation the process by which a country's population changes from primarily rural to urban. Migration of people from the countryside to cities in search of better jobs and living conditions, high birth rates and migration all contribute to growing cities..   World city a city that has national and global significance as a centre of trade, banking, finance, industry and markets.