Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Urbanization primarily refers to the rapid growth of urban areas, characterized by an influx of people migrating from rural regions to cities. This phenomenon is driven by various factors including economic opportunities, access to services, and improved living standards that urban environments typically offer compared to rural settings. As cities expand and develop, they attract individuals seeking jobs, education, and a higher quality of life, contributing to their overall growth in population and infrastructure.

In contrast, the other options present concepts that may relate to urban dynamics but do not fully capture the essence of urbanization. The decrease of rural population indicates demographic changes but does not specifically address the urban growth aspect. Population stagnation in metropolitan areas suggests a plateau in growth rather than the dynamic process of urbanization itself. Lastly, the cyclical movement of people between urban and rural areas describes a different trend known as counterurbanization or commuting patterns, rather than the continuous increase in urban population size that urbanization entails.