What term is used for the process where urban sprawl significantly intrudes into rural areas?

The process where urban sprawl significantly intrudes into rural areas is best described as urban encroachment. This term specifically highlights the phenomenon of urban growth that extends beyond the urban fringe into areas that were previously rural or less developed. Urban encroachment can result in the transformation of countryside into urbanized land, often leading to environmental changes, altered land use, and impacts on local ecosystems.

In contrast, suburbanization refers primarily to the movement of people from urban centers to suburbs, often associated with a desire for more residential space or a different lifestyle. Peri-urbanization describes the changes occurring at the edges of urban areas, especially in transitional zones where urban and rural features coexist, but does not emphasize the encroachment aspect as strongly as urban encroachment does. Exurbation refers to the movement of people from urban areas to even more distant rural areas, often resulting in less direct impact on the immediate rural landscape.

Thus, urban encroachment is the term that accurately captures the significant intrusion of urban sprawl into rural territories.