A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large city and its adjacent zone of influence, or of several neighboring cities or towns and adjoining areas, with one or more large cities serving as its hub or hubs.

A metropolitan area usually combines an agglomeration (the contiguous built-up area) with peripheral zones not themselves necessarily urban in character, but closely bound to the centre by employment or commerce; these zones are also sometimes known as a commuter belt, and may extend well beyond the urban periphery depending on the definition used.

The core cities in a polycentric metropolitan area need not be physically connected by continuous built-up development, distinguishing the concept from conurbation, which requires urban contiguity. In a metropolitan area, it is sufficient that central cities together constitute a large population nucleus with which other constituent parts have a high degree of integration.

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Car recovered from Lake St. Clair
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:32:00 -0500
A vehicle that went into Lake St. Clair at about 11 a.m. today in Grosse Pointe Shores has been recovered.
MARK SNYDER'S BLOG: U-M's Threet has Rodriguez's full attention
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:24:00 -0500
Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez has steadfastly refused to discuss Ohio State freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor since Pryor chose the Buckeyes over U-M last spring.
Macomb Co. makes small dent in $33M deficit
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:20:00 -0500
As time ticked off for Macomb County to eliminate a record $33-million deficit next year, commissioners cut about $700,000 this morning but acknowledged they have a long way to go with little time left.
SHANNON SHELTON'S BLOG: MSU hopes defense can erase '07 showing vs. Wildcats
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:05:00 -0500
EAST LANSING — Michigan State's 48-41 overtime loss to Northwestern last year probably irked head coach Mark Dantonio more than any of the Spartans' other six defeats in 2007.
Cadillac Centre developers try to downscale project
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:52:00 -0500
George Jackson, president of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., said today he nixed the request by Cadillac Centre developers to revise their plans for the futuristic-looking downtown project because they had radically downsized the project and reneged on their promise to invest big bucks of their own.
State asked to investigate Allstate rate hikes
Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:23:00 -0500
The state's insurance consumer advocate is asking the state to hold hearings on a proposed auto insurance rate increase by Allstate Insurance Co.

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