A community is a group of people living in a particular area. A community can be made up of a large or small group of people. The land area of a community can also be large or small. A community may be roomy or crowded, depending on the size of its land area and population, or amount of people living there.
The word community can also mean a group of people with common interests that may or may not live together. In science, community refers to living things (such as plants and animals) that naturally live together and rely on one another for survival.
An urban community is crowded with many people in a small area. A big city is an urban community. Neighborhoods within big cities are also urban communities. Cities often have tall buildings to provide housing and workplaces for many people.
A suburban community is often called a suburb. It is located near a big city. Suburbs are less crowded than cities because they have fewer people living on larger areas of land. Suburbs may be towns, villages, or small cities. They typically have their own government, fire department, and school system. Often people who live in suburbs commute (or travel for work) to the city.
A rural community is sometimes called the country or the countryside. It has much fewer people living in a much larger area, so its homes and buildings are spread far apart. Much of the land in rural areas is used for agriculture, or farming.
Urban, suburban, and rural communities belong to larger communities within a country. A country, or nation, is a mix of communities of various sizes. Some countries are divided into regions called states, provinces, or districts. Local communities (towns, villages, and cities) are part of regional communities. For example, Chicago is a city in the state of Illinois. Illinois is one of the 50 states that make up the United States. Regional communities usually have their own government and laws though they still have to follow the laws of the country as a whole. The term global community can be used to refer to groups from many nations that come together to solve world problems.
