Identify from the following, the correct statements with reference to the metropolis. (A) It is often the chief centre or seat of some form of activity. (B) It could be administrative, commercial or industrial centre. (C) It generally serves a small hinterland. (D) It is a very large city or agglomeration of population. Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
(A), (B) and (D) only
Understanding the Characteristics of a Metropolis
A metropolis is a key concept in urban geography, referring to a major urban area. Let's examine each statement provided to identify the correct characteristics of a metropolis.
Analysis of Statements Regarding a Metropolis
Statement (A): It is often the chief centre or seat of some form of activity.
This statement is generally correct. A metropolis typically serves as a primary hub for various activities, such as economic, political, or cultural functions, within a region.
- Metropolises attract significant investment and concentration of resources.
- They often house major institutions and decision-making bodies.
Therefore, Statement (A) is a correct characteristic of a metropolis.
Statement (B): It could be administrative, commercial or industrial centre.
This statement is also correct. Metropolises are complex urban areas and can function as administrative capitals, major commercial hubs with headquarters and financial institutions, or significant industrial centers, or a combination of these roles.
- Examples include national capitals (administrative), global financial centers (commercial), and historical industrial cities (industrial).
- Modern metropolises often integrate multiple functions.
Therefore, Statement (B) is a correct characteristic of a metropolis.
Statement (C): It generally serves a small hinterland.
This statement is incorrect. A defining feature of a metropolis is its extensive influence over a large surrounding area, known as its hinterland. The metropolis provides goods, services, and employment to this broad region and, in turn, draws resources, labour, and consumers from it.
- A metropolis requires a large hinterland to sustain its population and economic activities.
- Its gravitational pull extends far beyond its immediate boundaries.
Therefore, Statement (C) is an incorrect characteristic of a metropolis.
Statement (D): It is a very large city or agglomeration of population.
This statement is correct. The term "metropolis" inherently implies a very large urban area, characterized by a substantial population size and often encompassing a core city along with surrounding urbanized areas (an agglomeration).
- Population size is a primary criterion for classifying a city as a metropolis.
- The agglomeration reflects the continuous urban spread.
Therefore, Statement (D) is a correct characteristic of a metropolis.
Summary of Correct Statements
Based on the analysis, the correct statements regarding a metropolis are (A), (B), and (D).
| Statement | Description | Correctness |
|---|---|---|
| (A) | Chief centre of activity | Correct |
| (B) | Administrative, commercial, or industrial centre | Correct |
| (C) | Serves a small hinterland | Incorrect (Serves a large hinterland) |
| (D) | Very large city or population agglomeration | Correct |
The combination of correct statements is (A), (B), and (D).
Revision Table: Key Urban Concepts
| Term | Description | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| City | A large town | Significant population and economic activity |
| Metropolis | A very large city or urban area | Major regional centre, large population, extensive hinterland |
| Megalopolis | A chain of connected metropolitan areas | Urban corridor, vast population |
| Conurbation | An extended urban area formed by merging towns/cities | Continuous urban fabric |
Additional Information: Functions of a Metropolis
Metropolises perform multiple functions that are vital for the surrounding region and sometimes for the entire nation or world. Understanding these functions helps in appreciating the complexity and importance of these large urban centers.
- Economic Function: They are centers of finance, trade, business, and specialized services. They offer diverse employment opportunities.
- Administrative Function: Many metropolises are political capitals, housing government offices and related institutions.
- Cultural Function: They are hubs of arts, entertainment, education, and information, attracting diverse populations and fostering innovation.
- Transportation Hub: Metropolises are typically major nodes in national and international transportation networks (airports, railways, highways).
- Service Provision: They provide specialized healthcare, education, and other services not readily available in smaller settlements within their hinterland.
The immense size and functional diversity of a metropolis allow it to exert significant influence over its large hinterland, differentiating it from smaller urban centers.
Important Questions from Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems
Identify from the following the statement which is not correct about the Rhine waterways.
A clean and sustainable environment is the objective of which of the following Programme?
Wheat is primarily a crop of which of the following zone?
Which of the following is not the Cause of Population?
Direction (Q46. to Q50.) Read the given passage carefully and answer following five questions:
India has 640,867 villages according to the Census 2011 out of which 597,608 (93.2 per cent) are inhabited villages. However, the distribution of rural population is not uniform throughout the country. You might have noted that the states, like Bihar and Sikkim have very high percentage of rural population. The states of Goa and Maharashtra have only little over half of their total population residing in villages. The Union Territories, on the other hand, have smaller proportion of rural population, except Dadra and Nagar Haveli (53.38 per cent).
The size of villages also varies considerably. It is less than 200 persons in the hill states of north-eastern India, Western Rajasthan and Rann of Kachchh and as high as 17 thousand persons in the states of Kerala and in parts of Maharashtra. A thorough examination of the pattern of distribution of rural population of India reveals that both at intra-State and inter-State levels, the relative degree of urbanization and extent of rural-urban migration regulate the concentration of rural population.
You have noted that contrary to rural population, the proportion of urban population (31.16 per cent) in India is quite low but it is showing a much faster rate of growth over the decades. The growth rate of urban population has accelerated due to enhanced economic development and improvement in health and hygienic conditions. The distribution of urban population too, as in the case of total population, has a wide variation throughout the country.
Which one of the following is not a reason to accelerate the urbanization?
