Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Congress for New Urbanism
: A Chicago-based organization, the Congress for
New Urbanism promotes sustainable, compact cities with pedestrian areas in the
United States as an alternative to urban sprawl. Created in 1993 by leaders of the
new urbanism movement that arose in the 1980s: Duany, Plater-Zyberk, Calthorpe,
Corbett, etc.
Corps (US Army Corps of Engineers USACE)
: Created at the West Point
Academy in 1802, the Army Corps of Engineers was inspired by the French model.
Specializing in topography and civil engineering, the Corps was assigned to provide
flood protection in the aftermath of the great Mississippi floods of 1927. The Flood
Control Act of 1965 authorized the Corps to design the New Orleans Hurricane
Protection System
.
County
: Counties are the basic administrative divisions of the US territory. There
were 3,141 counties in 2005. Counties have an average size of 2,917 km² (2,465 km²
if we consider only the territory of 48 the coterminous states) and an average
population of just under 95,000 inhabitants. Counties are locally governed with
elected decision-making bodies (Boards of Supervisors). The entire territory of the
United States is divided into counties, a fraction of which are organized into
municipalities. Counties administer unincorporated territories, which are still
relatively widespread even within metropolitan areas. In addition, counties have
authority over millage rates and collect
ad valorem
taxes for distribution to the
cities. Counties are responsible for local infrastructure - roads, sewage, dikes in
flood areas - and districts cover the entire county regardless of the number of
incorporated areas within the county. The legislation governing counties varies from
state to state.
Corn Belt
: Fertile Midwestern region extending from Ohio to Iowa, including
Indiana and Illinois. The agricultural heart of the United States - the mythical family
farming area - has diversified in recent decades, particularly with the development
of soybean crops.
Corporate farming
: A generic term that applies to the practices of the large
corporations that dominate the food industry. These corporations frequently buy out
small, unprofitable or indebted farming operations, turning farmers into employees
and contracting for cultivation in a vertical integration strategy.
Conterminous United States
: The 48 contiguous states plus the District of
Columbia (City of Washington).
