, ▁Spain , ▁and ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁the ▁word ▁metropol is ▁( m ét ro pole ▁( Fr .) ▁/ ▁met ró pole ▁( Port .) ▁/ ▁met ró pol i ▁( S pa .) ▁/ ▁met ro pool ▁( D utch )) ▁design ates ▁the ▁main land ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁country ▁situated ▁on ▁or ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁European ▁main land ; ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁France , ▁this ▁means ▁France ▁without ▁its ▁over se as ▁depart ments . ▁For ▁Portugal ▁and ▁Spain ▁during ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Empire ▁and ▁Portuguese ▁Empire ▁period , ▁the ▁term ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁design ate ▁Portugal ▁or ▁Spain ▁minus ▁its ▁colon ies ▁( the ▁Ul tr amar ). ▁In ▁France ▁mét ro pole ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁a ▁large ▁urban ▁ag gl omer ation ; ▁for ▁example , ▁" La ▁M ét ro pole ▁de ▁Lyon " ▁( the ▁Lyon ▁Metropol is ). ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁Metropolitan ▁area ▁ ▁Other ▁city ▁types ▁ ▁Global ▁city ▁ ▁Meg acity ▁ ▁Meg al opol is ▁▁ ▁List s ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁metropol itan ▁areas ▁by ▁population ▁▁ ▁Pl anning ▁theories ▁ ▁New ▁Urban ism ▁ ▁Sm art ▁growth ▁ ▁Trans it - orient ed ▁development ▁▁ ▁Other ▁ ▁Ek istics ▁ ▁Lar ge ▁C ities ▁Cl imate ▁Le ad ership ▁Group ▁ ▁S ust ain able ▁city ▁ ▁World ' s ▁largest ▁cities ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁▁▁ ▁Census . gov , ▁U . S . ▁Census ▁Bureau , ▁About ▁Metropolitan ▁and ▁Mic ropol itan ▁Statistics