Which term refers to a region formed by merging megacities with nearby urban areas into a single, expansive population cluster?

• A. Megalopolis
• B. Suburb
• C. Metropolis
• D. Megaregion

Answer: (D)

When several large urban centers grow close enough that their suburbs and surrounding towns become tightly linked through transportation, jobs, and shared markets, they form a megaregion. The emphasis is on the integrated regional system that spans multiple cities, not just a single city. This distinguishes it from a single metropolis, which is one major city, and from a suburb, which is a residential area outside a central city. A megalopolis also describes a very large urban corridor, but megaregion highlights the broader economic and social ties across several cities and their hinterlands. An example would be the Northeast or California megaregions, where multiple cities function as a connected urban system.