Urban Cityscape

Urban geography is the sub-discipline of geography that is concerned with the structure and development of towns, cities, and other urban settlements, focusing on geographical distribution, size, and economic characteristics. Los Angeles is the second most populous city in the United States and experienced a period of phenomenal growth during the 20th century—from just over 100,000 people in 1900 to almost 3.7 million in 2000. This development was mostly unplanned. Residential developments spread across the area, as did shopping malls and low-rise commercial buildings, and from the 1960s the city's once-quiet centre also began to grow upwards, resulting in the dramatic skyline seen today.

Will and Deni McIntyre/Photo Researchers, Inc.

Appears in these articles

Los Angeles; Urban Geography

*	Exclusively for MSN Encarta Premium Subscribers Join Now