8.2.2—Urban area definition

An urban area is a built-up settlement where people, buildings and infrastructure are concentrated for residential, cultural, productive, trade or social functions.

Use settlement pattern and function rather than a single universal population cut-off. Cities, towns and suburbs can all be urban; rural settlements are generally more dispersed and less dense.

A dense suburb with shops, roads, schools and apartment blocks is urban even though it lies outside the city centre.

Urban: density, built infrastructure and function matter more than height or fame.

‘Urban’ does not mean only a capital or megacity.