City Proper

City proper is defined as a "locality with legally fixed boundaries and an administratively recognized urban status that is usually characterized by some form of local government", or the area within the corporate limits. This definition has been consistently used since the United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2000. The authors of "Urban development in the world dryland regions" note that "city proper: defined as a locality with legally fixed boundaries and an administratively recognized urban status which is usually characterized by some form of local government" was used as far back as in the United Nations Demographic Yearbook 1976. Using the prevalent definition, "city proper" is not limited to a city, it can describe the complete area of any locality that fits the definition. Also, there is no universal definition for city. The United Nations sometimes use the definition “the city proper is the single political jurisdiction which contains the historical city centre.” City proper is one of the three basic concepts used to define urban areas and populations. The other two are urban agglomeration, and the metropolitan area. "City proper" sometimes takes on different meanings in different parts of the world. Even in the English speaking world, there can be considerable confusion about the term “city proper.” In some countries, city limits that act as the demarcation for the city proper are drawn very wide, in some very narrow. This can be cause for recurring controversy. In simple terms, city proper is the area within the city limits. It is not limited to the downtown or urban area, and it does not include the surrounding areas.