urban sprawl
UR-bun SPRAWL
ˈɜːrbən sprɔːlListen
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Dictionary meaning
the uncontrolled, low-density outward expansion of a city into surrounding rural land, typically characterised by car-dependent residential suburbs, strip malls, and dispersed development patterns that require long commutes and extensive road infrastructure; urban sprawl is associated with loss of agricultural land and biodiversity, increased per-capita carbon emissions, social segregation, and the erosion of community cohesion; contrasted with compact, transit-oriented urbanism, it is a central concern of sustainable urban planning movements worldwide
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