The Von Thünen model rings of farmland around a market.
The Von Thünen model arranges agricultural land use into concentric rings around a central market, set by the trade-off between transport cost and land rent. Here is the AP Human Geography definition, the rings, and the assumptions the exam loves to test.
The one-line definition
The Von Thünen model, often written Von Thunen, is Johann Heinrich von Thünen’s 1826 model of agricultural land use. It arranges farming into concentric rings around a central market, with the most intensive and perishable agriculture closest to the city and the most extensive farthest away.
The Von Thunen model AP Human Geography definition that earns points is short: farmers choose land use by balancing transport cost against land rent, which produces rings of agriculture around a market.
The rings, from the center out
Each ring reflects the trade-off between transport cost and land value.
Why it matters in AP HuG
The Von Thunen model is the classic agricultural land use model on the exam, and it pairs naturally with bid-rent theory. The core insight is the trade-off: land near the market is expensive but cheap to ship from, so it goes to high-value, perishable uses, while distant land is cheap but costly to ship from, so it goes to bulky, extensive uses. Questions often ask you to apply this logic to a new crop.
Common mix-ups
Remember the model rests on simplifying assumptions: a flat, featureless plain, a single market, and one mode of transport. Real geography breaks those assumptions, so exam questions often ask how a river, a road, or a second city would distort the rings. Naming the assumption being violated is usually the point.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers — written by humans, not a chatbot.
What does the Von Thunen model explain?
It explains agricultural land use as concentric rings around a market, set by the trade-off between transport cost and land rent. Intensive, perishable farming sits closest in.
What are the assumptions of the Von Thunen model?
A flat, featureless plain, a single central market, one transportation method, and farmers acting to maximize profit. Exam questions often ask what happens when these are broken.
Why is dairy closest to the city in the Von Thunen model?
Because it is perishable and costly to transport, so it must be produced near the market even though that land is the most expensive.