text: why do cities exist?   the first true towns are sometimes considered to be large settlements where the inhabitants were no longer simply farmers of the surrounding area, but began to take on specialized occupations, and where trade, food storage and power was centralized. societies that live in cities are often called civilizations.  a city is an urban area that is differentiated from a town, village, or hamlet by size, population density, importance, or legal status. in most parts of the world, cities are generally substantial and nearly always have an urban core.  a city usually consists of residential, industrial and business areas together with administrative functions which may relate to a wider geographical area. a large share of a city's area is primarily taken up by housing, which is then supported by infrastructure such as roads, streets and often public transport routes such as a rapid transit system. lakes and rivers may be the only undeveloped areas within the city.   "the city is a human habitat that allows people to form relations with others at various levels of intimacy while remaining entirely anonymous."