In France an unité urbaine (literally: "urban unit") is a statistical area defined by INSEE, the French national statistics office, for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas. According to the INSEE definition , an "unité urbaine" is a commune alone or a grouping of communes which must: a) form a single unbroken spread of urban development, with no distance between habitations greater than 200 metres, and b) have altogether a population greater than 2,000 inhabitants. Communes not belonging to an unité urbaine are considered as rural.

The French unité urbaine is a statistical area in accordance with United Nations recommendations for the measurement of contiguously built-up areas. Other international versions of this unit are the United States "Urbanized Area" and the United Kingdom and Canada's "urban area," yet definitions vary from country to country.

See also: urban area

References

1. INSEE. Nomeclatures, Définitions, Méthodes. "Unité Urbaine: définition.". Retrieved December 9, 2005.

Urban studies and planning | Human habitats