Aglomerados

Aglomerados is the plural form of aglomerado, a term used in Spanish and Portuguese with several related meanings. In general, it denotes a mass formed by the collection and sticking together of particles, individuals, or constituents.

In urban planning and demography, the expression aglomerados often refers to urban agglomerations: contiguous built-up areas where a central city extends into surrounding municipalities, creating a continuous metropolitan footprint. This usage highlights population density, infrastructure, and regional planning needs rather than strict political boundaries. The exact criteria for defining an agglomerated area vary by country and statistical agency; common purposes include comparing urban growth, evaluating service delivery, and coordinating transportation planning. Notable examples include metropolitan regions analyzed in national statistics and planning documents.

In geology, aglomerado (conglomerate in English) denotes a sedimentary rock composed of rounded clasts held together by a finer matrix, such as silica or calcite. Aglomerados can refer to deposits dominated by coarse clasts, where the clasts are cemented or bound within the matrix, forming a cohesive rock.

In broader material contexts, the term can describe any compacted mass created when particles adhere or are cemented during processing, deposition, or mechanical action. The word thus covers a range of uses across geography, geology, and materials science, all sharing the core idea of aggregation or adhesion into a larger whole.