RURAL AND URBAN SETTLEMENT Summary covering the following concepts:
• concept of settlement
• site and situation
• rural and urban settlements
• settlement classification according to size, complexity, pattern and function
Rural Settlements
• how site and situation affect the l...
Rural Settlement and Urban Settlement
RURAL SETTLEMENT
Settlement Patterns
Nucleated or clustered patterns occur when buildings in a
settlements are grouped together.
Isolated or dispersed patterns occur when buildings in a
settlements are spread out over an area.
Classification of Settlements
Dispersed settlements include isolated farmsteads
and hamlets and are UNIFUNCTIONAL.
Nucleated settlements include villages, towns,
cities, metropolises, conurbations and
megalopolises and are MULTIFUNCTIONAL.
Settlement Shapes
Settlement shape Possible Reasons for Settlement Shape
Circular Buildings situated around a central important area
/ building e.g. a church
Crossroads / Xshape Buildings situated at an intersection of roads
T-shape Buildings situated at a T-junction
Linear Buildings situated around a linear feature eg.
road or river
, 2
Site and Situation
The SITE is the actual place / piece of land on which a settlement is built
The SITUATION is where the settlement is in relation to its surrounding features
E.g. Kimberley is actually built on a poor site – but its close proximity to areas where diamonds were
found was an advantage.
, 3
Factors Influencing the Site of a Rural Settlement
Physical Factors Economic Factors
Fresh water supply – WET-POINT SETTLEMENTS: Feasibility of commercial farming: large areas of
permanent water supplies define the location of a fertile soil
settlement
Water avoidance - DRY-POINT SETTLEMENTS: Natural harbours: fishing, trade
site is chosen to avoid the danger of flooding in a
wet area
Farming: arable land, decent grazing, flat land Tourist attractions and ecotourism
Building materials and energy sources: availability
of wood, clay, grass, mud
Microclimate: slope aspect and inversions
Relief: Easier to build and farm on flat land
Rural-Urban Migration
The movement of people from rural areas to urban areas.
This is not to be confused with URBANISATION – the increase in the percentage of people living in towns
and cities.
Problems faced by rural-urban migrants:
● Lack of education
● Travel costs
● Lack of capital
● Distance
● Adaptation to a new lifestyle
● Misinformation
Push and Pull Factors
PUSH factors are undesirable factors that cause people to leave a settlement.
PULL factors are desirable factors that draw people towards a settlement
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