What is urban sprawl?

Urban sprawl refers to the unplanned and uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land. This phenomenon often occurs as cities grow in response to population increases, leading to the development of residential, commercial, and industrial zones on previously undeveloped land. Sprawl can result in various challenges, such as increased traffic congestion, loss of agricultural land, and environmental degradation due to the encroachment upon natural habitats.

This definition aligns accurately with the choice that describes the growth of cities into adjacent rural land in an uncontrolled fashion, highlighting the haphazard nature of development typical of urban sprawl. It contrasts sharply with the other options, which either imply a degree of control over urban development, as in planned urban redevelopment, or refer specifically to increases in rural populations in urban areas, rather than the outward spread of urban environments.