Urban Environments Peri-Urban Issues

Photo: Prasad

Abstract: Cities are dynamic human artifacts undergoing changes which influence their relationships with the surroundings. Initially the rural-urban interface was conceived as characterised by distinctly different land-use patterns and human behaviours. However, growing urban population and increasing rural-urban interdependencies have not only changed this perception, but have also brought attention to ensuing environmental problems.

The author  is Head, Department of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK; email d.simon@rhul.ac.uk