Urban Sprawl – The unplanned growth of urban areas into the surrounding countryside

We know that urban means relating to the city.

To remember the meaning of the term Urban Sprawl, use the following mnemonic:

The city spread and crawled (urban sprawl) into the countryside.

Problems caused by urban sprawl include

• Air pollution resulting from dependency on cars
• Water pollution caused in part by increases in impervious surfaces
• Loss or disruption of environmentally sensitive areas (for example, wetlands and wildlife corridors)
• Reductions in open space
• Increased flood risks
• Overall reductions in quality of life

Many governments have now moved towards better control and management of rural-urban fringe areas (where towns and cities meet the surrounding countryside). Policies are aimed at unlocking the environmental and social potential of these areas.