The area around a city which serves and is served by the city (not just the administrative area of a city/conurbation but also the urban and rural fringes/hinterland hence usually far larger). (source [..]

The arena of uncoerced collective action around shared interests, purposes and values.Activity involving the voluntary, civic and social organisations that form the basis of a functioning society as o [..]

An aggregation or continuous network of urban communities which have physically merged through population growth and expansion. It is a polycentric form of agglomeration (source - CEMAT (European Conf [..]

The process whereby elements in society wield power and authority, and influence and enact policies and decisions concerning public life, and economic and social development.It is a broader notion tha [..]

A plot of vegetated land separating or surrounding areas of intensive residential or industrial use and devoted primarily to recreational or park uses. (source -EEA Glossary of key terms)

The basic network or foundationof capital facilities or community investments which are necessary to support economic and community activities. (source - EEA)

Areas that are in some form of transition from strictly rural to urban. These areas often form the immediate urban-rural interface and may eventually evolve into being fully urban. Peri-urban areas ar [..]

Transitional zones between distinctly urban and unambiguously rural areas. (source - Simon, D., 'Urban Environments; Issues on the peri-urban fringe', Annual Review ofEnvironment and Resourc [..]

Small or medium sized enterprises usually defined by workforce, turnover and independence.When defined by workforce, small businesses employ less than 50 and medium less than 250 employees. (source - [..]

An institution, organization or group that has some interest in a particular sector or system. (source - EEA)