How do cities typically expand to meet growing populations?

Cities typically expand to meet growing populations through urban sprawl, which refers to the spread of a city and its suburbs over more and more rural land. This phenomenon occurs when increasing populations drive the need for more housing, commercial spaces, and infrastructure, leading to development extending outward from the city’s core into surrounding areas.

Urban sprawl allows cities to accommodate new residents by creating neighborhoods and subdivisions that may not have existed before. This expansion often involves the transformation of agricultural or undeveloped land into residential areas, contributing to a city’s growth and increased economic activity. The result is not just a physical spread, but also the establishment of new communities that provide essential services to the inhabitants.

Other options, such as tax incentives, height restrictions, and suburban decay, play different roles in urban development. Tax incentives can promote growth and investment but do not directly cause spatial expansion. Height restrictions can limit how tall buildings can be, which can constrain urban density but does not inherently facilitate outward growth. Suburban decay, on the other hand, refers to the decline of suburban areas as populations move away, often contradicting the notion of expansion. Thus, urban sprawl is the primary mechanism through which cities expand in response to growing populations.