What features characterize McGee's Southeast Asian City Model's port-centered core?

• A. Port-centered core with a port zone at the center and multiple nuclei along road corridors; dense development around port and along major routes.
• B. A single CBD has the highest density with no peripheral nuclei.
• C. Diffusion barriers dominate development in port cities.
• D. Monocentric CBD dominates all urban form in port cities.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that McGee’s Southeast Asian City Model describes a polycentric, port-centered urban form. Growth centers around a port zone at the city’s heart, and development fans out along the major road corridors, creating multiple nuclei rather than one dominant center. Dense activity clusters form near the port and along these routes, reflecting how trade routes and port functions shape where people live, work, and trade.

This pattern contrasts with a monocentric layout, where a single central business district dominates the city, leaving little room for separate nuclei along transport arteries. The port-centered core with several nodes along road corridors best captures the distinctive, decentralized yet connected layout of Southeast Asian port cities.