Primate Cities - AP Human Geography

Card 0 of 4

Question

In Mexico, the population of Mexico City metropolitan area is over 20 million people. The next largest metropolitan area, Guadalajara, has approximately 4.5 million people. This disparity in population sizes makes Mexico City an example of __________.

Answer

Mexico's population distribution is an example of a primate city. Mexico City has a population that is more than double the population of Guadalajara, therefore not qualifying the population to be under a rank-size rule. Cities can be world cities, alpha cities, or capital cities and not have the population disparities found in countries like Mexico.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Primate cities have typically arisen in __________ environments.

Answer

A “primate city” is a city that serves as by far the biggest city in the country that it inhabits. It’s population is exponentially greater than the population of the next largest city in that country. These types of cities typically arise in “postcolonial” settings because during the colonial era it was common for the European governments to carry out all their political and economic activity through one regional center. This led to infrastructure being disproportionately developed in one centralized area. After decolonization this infrastructure remained in place.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

A country has a population of twenty million, with a capital city with a population of nine million. That capital city is an example of a __________.

Answer

The term “primate city” is used to refer to a city that functions as by far the largest city in the country it inhabits. It may have a population between a third and a half of that of the whole country. Classic examples of primate cities include Bangkok in Thailand and Seoul in South Korea.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

What is a mercantile city?

Answer

By definition, mercantile refers to anything of or relating to trade. A mercantile city is a trade city which developed because of the trade routes. Most of these cities benefit from being on the coast because they can have a port, but after train transportation became prominent, having a port was no longer an essential element to being a mercantile city.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Tap the card to reveal the answer