conurbation

Conurbation is a large, continuous urban area formed when neighboring towns or cities grow until their built-up landscapes merge into one extended urban zone. The concept emphasizes contiguity of development and the creation of a continuous environment rather than a single municipal authority. Conurbations arise through sustained urban expansion, transportation corridors, and economic integration that knit separate centers into a linked urban system.

Conurbations may reflect functional integration, with shared labor markets, infrastructure, and services, though they are typically composed of multiple municipalities with distinct governance. The boundaries between an original city and its neighbors blur as housing, industry, and retail pressure produce seamless urban fabric. The term is often used in geography and urban planning to describe patterns of suburbanization that connect towns into a broad urban belt.

Notable examples include the Ruhr area in Germany, a corridor of cities such as Essen, Dortmund and Duisburg; the Randstad in the Netherlands, which incorporates Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht; and the Øresund Region, spanning Copenhagen and Malmö across two countries. The Greater Tokyo Area is frequently cited as a very large urban agglomeration that functions as a conurbation in practice, and some discussions extend the concept to other major coastal corridors and megalopolises.

Definitions of conurbation vary, and there is no universally accepted boundary. Researchers may define it by contiguous built-up area, population thresholds, or functional linkages such as commuting patterns. See also: metropolitan area, megalopolis, urban agglomeration, urban sprawl.