Chapter 4: Megalopolis

The textbook recounts the story of geographer Jean Gottmann's "monumental study" of what he called a "very special region" located in the northeastern United States. He argued that the massive and complex urban region stemming from southern New Hampshire to Washington D.C., and its northern Virginia suburbs differed from any region that had existed in the world before.

The textbook says that megalopolis formed along the northeastern coast of the United States by the "gradual coalescence of large, independent metropolitan areas such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C."

The book lists Washington D.C. as an example of a megalopolis. In this post I will discuss the characteristics of a megalopolis and analyze why D.C. is considered part of it.

Site Characteristics of Megalopolis
The book defines site characteristics as, "the physical features that make up the immediate environment of that places' location."

An arial view of Washington D.C. and it's rivers, with the main and largest river, the Potomac running through the center of the image.

One of the characteristics of a megalopolis is the presence of water. "Throughout the region, bays and river estuaries penetrate the landmass in a mirror image of the land's penetration of the ocean. This interpenetrated coastline brings more opportunities to take advantage of cheap water transportation than if the coast were straight." This is true of Washington D.C.--as it has 3 rivers that have contributed to it's megalopolis status. The Potomac, the Anacostia River, and Rock Creek River (tributary of the Potomac River) provide access and natural resources to the D.C. area.

The Potomac River

The Anacostia River

Rock Creek River