Conurbation

<imagemap> File:Randstad.png|400px|thumb|right|Clickable schematic map of the Randstad, a big conurbation in the Netherlands circle 528 380 26 Schiphol rect 426 356 498 436 Haarlemmermeer rect 399 166 479 245 Velsen circle 250 716 32 Delft circle 220 642 60 The Hague circle 456 569 27 Alphen aan den Rijn circle 555 201 52 Zaanstad circle 999 168 42 Lelystad circle 798 474 29 Hilversum circle 492 692 34 Gouda circle 347 654 31 Zoetermeer circle 944 532 40 Amersfoort circle 521 24 33 Alkmaar circle 442 294 44 Haarlem circle 466 943 36 Dordrecht circle 334 537 30 Leiden circle 840 314 50 Almere rect 245 738 400 869 Rotterdam rect 13 725 81 789 Port of Rotterdam rect 82 749 116 788 Port of Rotterdam rect 117 778 148 803 Port of Rotterdam rect 120 804 209 835 Port of Rotterdam rect 158 826 247 857 Port of Rotterdam circle 742 617 53 Utrecht (city) circle 615 324 88 Amsterdam </imagemap> A conurbation is an urban area that includes a number of cities, towns and villages which, through population growth and expansion, have physically merged to form one continuous built up area. It is a sort of agglomeration.

A metropolitan area usually combines one or several conurbations.