WHAT IS A CITY? by Natalia Lozano Rubio

WHAT IS A CITY?

Cities can be explained through the industrialization process: the economic activities of a community go from an economy based on agriculture to one based on industrial development, giving place to new settlements away from the rural world. Usually the criteria used to differentiate a city from another type of smaller settlement is based on a big number of habitants, a high population density and certain political and economic importance.

Nowadays, cities are a composition of people, housing, basic services, industrial business, buildings, urban/socialization space, transportation networks and other infrastructures, etc. However, cities grow with time and with the arrival of new inhabitants. That is why it is likely that you can recognize and differentiate the old parts of the city from the newer neighbourhoods. The history of a city, the characteristics of the place, the bases of the culture of its citizens (language, customs, values, view of the world, social organization, etc.) and the main interests of its society and their economy build together the common identity of the city. For example, Los Angeles has the identity of the city of stars and dreams, because it is a hub for the cinema and entertainment industry, attracting people for being the place of residence of many important and famous actors and singers.

Currently, more than half of the world’s population live in cities that keep growing every day, meaning that these places are (or should be) attractive to live in. Keeping all of this in mind, we must try to help in the development of cities in order to build nice pleasant environments for everyone.

Natalia Lozano Rubio