Understanding what makes a city and town is more complex than stating population sizes. What makes a city and town different worldwide? There is no universal definition. Explore the differences and definitions between city and town right here. In 2018, an estimated 55.3% of the world’s population lived in urban settlements.
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It’s estimated that by 2030, urban areas are projected to be 60% globally, and every three people live in cities with at least half a million inhabitants. Understanding the modern trends in urbanization that is likely to unfold over recent years is critical. In 2018, 1.7 billion people, around 23% of the world’s population, lived in a city with at least 1 million inhabitants. In 2030, it’s predicted that 28% of people globally will concentrate in cities with at least 1 million inhabitants.
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What is a City?
A town with significant size with self-government is termed a city. The term is defined from the French word cite, and the French term was taken from the Latin word “civitatum,” which means “citizenship.” “Relatively permanent and organized center of population, of greater size than a village or town, is a city,” says Encyclopedia Britannica.
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In the 20th century, there were 371 cities with 1 million inhabitants or more worldwide. But by 2018, the number of cities with at least 1 million inhabitants will increase to 548, and in 2030, a predicted 706 cities will have 1 million residents.
Characteristics of a City
While the size of cities differs worldwide, there are things that you have in common. These include:
- They are urban;
- Non-agricultural activities and environmental sustainability activities are measured more than agricultural activities.
- Elected often make policy decisions on their electors.
Examples of Cities
It is found that the world’s rural village evolved around 3500 B.C, which means that cities include the biggest cities in the world are:
- Cairo
- Delhi
- New York City
- Rio de Janeiro
- Tokyo
What is a Town?
A residential region that is similar to a city and larger than a village is termed a town. The term comes from the English word tun, which means field, farm, homestead, or mansion. And the English term comes from the Celtic term dunon, which means “hill-fort.” Towns are “not completely semi-rural communities” and are popularized in the U.S. in New York, New England states, Pennsylvania, and the north-central states.
Characteristics of a Town
However, it’s not straightforward to spot cities because they are frequently intertwined with villages.
- They are rural;
- Town meetings or taxpayer makes policy decisions;
- Towns grow around specialized economic activities such as mining.
Examples of Towns
Examples of towns are abundantly found in your local area. These town examples have official websites you can check out to learn more about towns.
- Chautauqua (Western New York, U.S.A.)
- Creston (British Columbia, Canada)
- Parga (Greece)
Differences Between Cities and Towns: Check Everything Here!
It becomes challenging to find differences between cities and towns because each uses different definitions to define the term. If you hypothesize what’s common throughout the planet, you can find a significant difference between the two. Let’s explore some differences between the two to understand how they differ from each other.
Popularity
For government purposes, the United States Census Bureau identifies a place as “either legally incorporated under the respective State’s laws or a statistical equivalent that Census Bureau treats as a CDP (census-designated place).” However, a place where over 2,500 residents can be termed a city, while anything with fewer residents can be considered a town compared to that.
Modern Gadgets & Platform Usage
Most people in cities are modern compared to people who are living in the village. People living in cities are aware of modern gadgets such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and many more. They are even familiar with video streaming app scripts, food ordering & delivery platforms, and many other smart apps that ease their task and help them perform everything systematically.
Demographics and Geography
Cities have a much larger variety, especially when it is compared to towns. Cities have much higher population density and more extensive areas than towns and have a broader range of different races, languages, and religions. Cities have higher population density and more generous areas than towns appear.
On the other hand, towns are much similar to cities but comparatively smaller in size. The town is less popular and has less diversity, and they usually cover smaller areas compared to cities.
Economy
Undoubtedly with a large population comes a booming economy. Most cities tend to have an amazing economy with a more considerable labor force and buying power. Hence, most brands and entrepreneurs prefer to establish their businesses in cities.
Cities have a development plan that often leads to growth and merging with nearby municipalities. Compared to that, towns have smaller economies with smaller enterprises. However, there are significant employers, and the economy’s circulation is not as much as active in cities.
Cities are Governed by Representatives
In towns; taxpayers make essential decisions by participating in public voting or visiting town meetings. When compared to cities, officials are elected by a group of people; then, those officials make crucial decisions.
City Status Must Be Granted in Few Countries
In the United Kingdom; a city can officially be called a city if only the British government grants the city status. In 2018, the House of Commons Library developed a place ranking system. They suggest six different types of settlements with the guidelines as follows:
Core city: It must have 12 significant populations as well as economic centers
Oher city: It must have a population of around 175,000
Large towns: It must have a population between 60,000 and 174,999
Medium towns: It must have a population between 25,000 and 59,999
Small towns: It must have a population between 7,500 and 24,999
Village or small community: It must have a population of less than 7,500
City Vs. Town: Have a Quick Look Right Over Here!
While towns are often used interchangeably, they are very different when compared to cities. Let’s have a glance over the difference and classification of towns and cities right below.
| City | Town |
| A city is a significant center of commerce and culture with its local laws and well-defined transport, housing, and sanitation systems. | Towns are small groups of human settlements that comprise permanent residences close together for better socialization. |
| A city is wide enough to cover a wide area of land. | The town will only cover a small area of land. |
| As per India’s Census, a 4 million and above settlement is designated as a city, while 75% of the male working population is engaged in non-agricultural activities. | As per the Census of India, over 3,961 towns with a population of 10,000 persons. |
| The 2011 Census of India states that over 377 million live in cities, about 31.16% of the total population. | The 2011 Census of India says around 286,119,689 of the population live in towns. |
| The traditional view is that the first cities started to form around the Neolithic era (10,000–4,500 BC). For example, early cities are Sumer, Ur, and the cities of the Indus Valley Civilization. | Towns began to appear in the beginning stages of human history, likely after the Stone Age era. |
Where Do You Live: Is It City or Town?
Do you know where you live? If you want to know, it becomes essential to know the difference between towns and cities. You can continue learning the differences in geography by determining the differences between a lake and a pond.
Author Bio
Gaurav Kanabar, founder of Alphanso Tech. He has specialized in blog writing, article writing, and copyright on different topics like the latest music industry trends, OTT platform script benefits, marketing tips, and many more. Besides that, Gaurav loves spending time with nature, reading novels, and playing snooker.