Conurbation
A conurbation is an urban area comprising a number of cities or towns whose built-up zones of influence have merged physically through population growth and expansion to form one contiguous urban cluster. It is thus a polycentric form of agglomeration.
A metropolitan area (where not centred on a single city) usually combines a conurbation proper (the contiguous built-up area) with peripheral zones not themselves necessarily urban in character but closely bound to the conurbation by employment or commerce.
Examples
See also
