Difference Between Town and City

Town and cities are distinguished chiefly by the covered area, topography and geography. In plain terms, cities are bigger than towns and they have better infrastructure than the latter.

Cities usually grow with the passage of time and they develop into metropolitan places providing people with business facilities and residence. Towns on the other hand remain within certain boundaries and do not cover wide areas. They do not have as much facilities as cities do, which is why they don’t have a tendency to expand and incorporate surrounding areas.

Instructions

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    Town

    A town is a place or a residence that is smaller than a city but has all the basic necessities for its residents.

    Town is not a village as villages are comparatively smaller with less facilities and a very simple infrastructure. The size of a town does not grow over time, largely due to limited infrastructure.

    The population of a town usually ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand residents, but they are sometimes part of big cities - often called townships. Every big city today has townships, built mainly for residence, not for commercial purposes. The concept is not new as it dates back to the Middle Ages.

    Due to little economic opportunities and simple infrastructure, towns do not grow into cities and  are usually preferred by those wanting to live in a peaceful environment.

    In many countries in Europe and the United States, towns are situated at the outskirts of big cities. People like to live in towns and work in cities.

    Image courtesy: intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com

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    City

    A city is mostly a larger, centralized and deferred settlement at the intersection of major transport routes with its own administration, and a big infrastructure.

    Cities cover wide areas and their population can range from thousands to a few millions. Cities like Tokyo, Mumbai, Sydney, New York, Karachi and Beijing are the prime of example of cities, having centralized infrastructure, large settlements, and trade activities.

    According to their definition and infrastructure, cities can be called central places in a country.

    Cities usually reflect cultural diversity as people belonging to different languages and ethnicity populate them. Although not every big city of the word reflects cultural diversity, but unlimited economic opportunities cause people.

    Villages, which are usually smaller than towns, have been affected due to technology and economic opportunities in some countries. But cities are usually preferred over towns when it comes to taking economic benefits.

    Image courtesy: web.capetown.gov.za

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