Conurbation is the urban phenomenon of the unification of two or more cities which, due to their geographic growth, merge into each other. The conurbation process is one of those responsible for the formation of metropolitan regions.
When there is a conurbation between several cities, encompassing more than one metropolitan area, for example, the so-called megalopolises, regions that are interconnected as if they belonged to a single megacity.
In geographic studies, conurbation emerged in the early years of the 20th century, when the urbanization process of cities began to intensify around the world. From then on, with the constant growth of cities, nearby municipalities began to meet with each other, causing their borders to be merged and their urban cores integrated.
The cities that form this “urban mesh” are codependent, and people usually choose to live in satellite cities and work in the host city (metropolis).
See also: meaning of Metropolitan region.
Conurbation in Brazil
The conurbation phenomenon is visible in almost all major Brazilian urban centers. The city of São Paulo and neighboring municipalities, for example, suffered conurbation and merged, forming the megalopolis known as Greater São Paulo.
Conurbation in Brazil is considered a late process, with the first cities suffering from this phenomenon only from the 1950s and 1970s, such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, by example.
See also: meaning of Metropolis.