As a result of high land costs, the American Central Business District (CBD) is characterized by:

• A. predominance of agricultural activities
• B. low population density and widespread single-story buildings
• C. intensive land use and vertical development
• D. extensive suburban sprawl within the CBD

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the characteristics of a Central Business District (CBD). The CBD is typically the commercial and business center of a city, where land values are high due to demand and limited space.
2. Step 2: Recognize that high land costs in the CBD encourage landowners and businesses to maximize the use of available land. This often leads to vertical development (building upwards) rather than horizontal expansion.
3. Step 3: Analyze the options given: predominance of agricultural activities and extensive suburban sprawl are unlikely in the CBD because these require large, inexpensive land areas, which contradicts the high land cost environment.
4. Step 4: Understand that low population density and widespread single-story buildings are also inconsistent with high land costs, as these would not maximize the value of expensive land.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct characteristic of the CBD under high land costs is intensive land use and vertical development, where buildings are taller and land is used more efficiently to accommodate commercial activities.