PLACE
An area is defined by its geography, history and/or culture. The nature of the land in topographical and mineral terms at the most basic level, the scope and layout of constructed cities and dwellings, and borders--political, linguistic, religious or of property--reflexively define its inhabitants and the work that takes place. For instance an iron-rich terrain will be developed very differently economically in comparison to fertile farmland. Consequentially, agricultural societies and mining societies which result may have different cultural norms and priorities, with one perhaps favoring climate over industrialization. Aside from natural resources, transportation and infrastructure are hugely influenced by topographical features with an inevitable effect on the size to which a city can grow and trade. On a smaller scale, the size and shape of a city can have very profound influences on the character of a city, such as the difference between a grid-iron layout and an irregular layout--uniformity can make a city more intuitively understandable and efficient, but raises questions about traffic flow and livability.