What is urban sprawl?

Urban sprawl refers to the phenomenon where urban areas grow in an uncontrolled and often unplanned manner, extending into rural land. This typically involves the spread of housing, commercial, and industrial developments into areas that were previously agricultural or undeveloped. The result is a low-density development pattern that can lead to issues such as increased reliance on automobiles, longer commuting times, and the encroachment of urban environments into natural landscapes.

This concept contrasts sharply with controlled growth, which is characterized by planned development strategies aimed at managing expansion in a sustainable way. Additionally, while the notion of rural depopulation addresses the migration of people from rural areas to cities, it does not directly define urban sprawl. Likewise, the development of green spaces within cities involves enhancing existing urban environments rather than the unchecked expansion into rural areas. Thus, the definition of urban sprawl as the unrestricted growth of urban areas into rural land accurately captures its meaning and implications.