The main difference between cosmopolitan and metropolitan is that cosmopolitan refers to a city hosting people from many different countries, whereas metropolitan refers to a densely populated urban core.
Cosmopolitan and metropolitan are two adjectives we use to describe cities. Although these two words are somewhat similar, there is a difference between cosmopolitan and metropolitan. However, a city can be both cosmopolitan and metropolitan at the same time.
Key Areas Covered
1. What Does Cosmopolitan Mean
– Definition, Features, Examples
2. What Does Metropolitan Mean
– Definition, Features, Examples
3. Relationship Between Cosmopolitan and Metropolitan
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Cosmopolitan and Metropolitan
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Cosmopolitan, Metropolitan, City
What Does Cosmopolitan Mean
The word cosmopolitan usually describes a city with people from many different countries. The word Cosmopolitan comes from the Ancient Greek word, Kosmospolites. Kosmos means the world or universe, referring to a citizen or one of a city. In modern usage, cosmopolitan also refers to a citizen of the world.
A cosmopolitan city is a city where people coming from various parts of the world live. Therefore, people with different languages, customs, and cultures live together in a cosmopolitan city. Such a city also hosts people from different ethnicities, beliefs, and religions. Therefore, a cosmopolitan city is complex and diverse. They have a strong unifying culture that coexists with supercultures, subcultures, and a wide range of traditional cultures. Toronto, Melbourne, New York, Paris, London, Singapore, and Los Angeles are examples of some popular cosmopolitan cities. Moreover, cosmopolitan cities tend to have a greater degree of social harmony, a diversified economy, and higher quality of life. They also tend to attract a lot of creative individuals as they provide diversity and freedom and serve as tourist attractions.
What Does Metropolitan Mean
Metropolitan usually refers to a densely populated urban core. The word Metropolitan comes from the Greek word metropolitanus, which means a citizen of a mother state. A metropolitan area is an area composed of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories that share industries, commercial centers, transportation networks, infrastructures, and housing. A metro region typically consists of many primary cities, jurisdictions, and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships, boroughs, cities, towns, exurbs, suburbs, counties, districts, and even states and nations such as eurodistricts. As social, economic, and political zones have evolved, metropolitan areas have changed into main economic and political regions.
Metropolitan areas often comprise satellite cities, towns, and rural areas that are socioeconomically linked to the major cities or urban core, as assessed by commute patterns. Some metropolitan areas, such as the Paris metropolitan area (Paris) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (Mumbai), are anchored by a single major city.
Relationship Between Cosmopolitan and Metropolitan
- A city can be both cosmopolitan and metropolitan.
- Paris, London, and New York are examples of cities that are both cosmopolitan and metropolitan.
- Cosmopolitan and metropolitan cities tend to be larger in size and have large populations.
Difference Between Cosmopolitan and Metropolitan
Definition
Cosmopolitan usually refers to a city hosting people from many different countries, whereas metropolitan usually refers to a densely populated urban core.
Nature
Cosmopolitan describes the composition of the population, while metropolitan describes the size of the city.
Diversity
Moreover, cosmopolitan cities house people from all areas of the world, so these cities have different languages, ethnicities, customs, and cultures. Metropolitan cities, on the other hand, are cities with large and dense populations. But they are not necessarily diverse.
Examples
Toronto, Melbourne, New York, Paris, London, Singapore, and Los Angeles are examples of some popular cosmopolitan cities, while Mumbai, Tokyo, and Shanghai are some examples of metropolitan cities.
Conclusion
In brief, cosmopolitan and metropolitan are two adjectives we use to describe cities. The main difference between cosmopolitan and metropolitan is that cosmopolitan refers to a city hosting people from many different countries, whereas metropolitan refers to a densely populated urban core. Cities like Paris, London, and New York are both cosmopolitan and metropolitan.
Reference:
1. “Metropolitan area.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. Spacy, John. “7 Characteristics of a Cosmopolitan City.” Simplicable.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Thames-London-river-UK-city” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatory” By Manish Prabhune (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
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