A satellite city is a smaller municipality that is part of a larger metropolitan area and serves as a regional population and employment center. They are located near a large city that is the center of a metropolitan area, but are not part of the larger metropolitan area. Satellite cities differ from suburbs, subdivisions, and bedroom communities because they have their own center. They have a true historic downtown, a distinct independent municipal government, existed as a city prior to becoming interconnected with the larger metropolitan core, and are surrounded by a belt of rural land between themselves and the central city. Satellite cities are sometimes listed as part of the larger metro area, and sometimes listed as totally independent. They are almost self-sufficient in terms of amenities and facilities and usually have all the things to categorize them as a separate city, but they rely on the parent city or the nearby metropolitan area for some services.