CH-4

HUMAN SETTLEMENT

1. What do you mean by 'Human Settlement'? Discuss briefly about its origin and growth.

Answer: Human settlement means the place of permanent or temporary habitation created by man for his living. After food, man needs a place for shelter for his safety and social life.

In ancient times, even up to about 12 thousand years ago, man used to lead a homeless life without any permanent place of shelter. But with the gradual expansion of human knowledge, man started settling permanently in places having a favourable natural environment. This change happened because of the domestication of plants and animals and the origin of agricultural practices.

The origin and growth of settlement depend on the availability of water, soil, forest, and mineral resources. Settlements also grow in places rich in natural resources, even if there is no nearby water, by bringing water from far using canals. People select areas with food, good climate, housing materials, safety, and transport. That is why settlements grow fast in areas with minerals, forests, and good communication. The "Chang Ghar" of the north-east region shows how socio-cultural traits also influence settlement patterns.

2. What is meant by 'Settlement Geography'? Write briefly about its main subject matter.

Answer: Settlement Geography is a branch of geography in which human settlements and their growth, along with physical, cultural, and socio-economic factors, are studied. It is an important part of Human Geography.

The main subject matter of settlement geography includes the location, situation, shape, size, and functional features of settlements. It also studies the origin and growth of settlements, changing shapes, spatial spread, types, and regional variations. This subject helps us understand how people live in different environments and their religious and socio-cultural practices. The scope of settlement geography ranges from a small hut to a tall skyscraper.

3. Present the classification of human settlements with examples.

Answer: Human settlements are divided into different types based on two main things: the occupation of the people and the shape or form of the settlement.

1. Based on Occupation:

A) Rural Settlement – Here, most people are engaged in agriculture or related work like fishing, lumbering, etc. Example: A farming village where people grow crops.

B) Urban Settlement – People work in manufacturing, trade, commerce, and services. Example: A town where people work in offices or shops.

2. Based on Shape or Form:

A) Dispersed Settlement – Houses are scattered due to bad climate or rocky land. Example: Settlements in rocky mountainous areas.

B) Nucleated Settlement – Houses are built close together in a cluster. Example: A densely packed village.

Nucleated settlement is also further divided into 5 types-

· Rectangular Settlement – Built in a grid with straight roads. Example: Ganga-Sutlej plain region.

· Linear Settlement – Built along roads, rivers, or valleys. Example: Along roads in the middle and lower Himalayas.

· Circular Settlement – Built around lakes or ponds. Example: Fishing community around a large pond.

· Star-like Settlement – Spread out from a central point along roads. Example: A town at a major road intersection.

· Triangular Settlement – Formed at the meeting point of two rivers. Example: Settlements in the river confluences of northern India.

4. What do you mean by rural and urban settlements? Write the characteristic differences between these settlements.

Answer: Rural and Urban Settlements:

A rural settlement is a type of human settlement where most of the people are engaged in agriculture and other nature-based activities like fishing, lumbering, and quarrying. These settlements usually grow in areas with fertile soil, water, and flat land, and show a natural landscape.

An urban settlement is a place where people are mainly engaged in manufacturing, trade and commerce, and various services. Towns and cities are considered urban settlements and they grow with the development of industries, transport, and communication.

Characteristic Differences Between Rural and Urban Settlements:

1. Main Occupation

Rural: Agriculture and other nature-based activities like fishing, lumbering, and quarrying

Urban: Trade, commerce, manufacturing, and various services

2. Population

Rural: Low population size and density.

Urban: High population size and density.

3. Landscape

Rural: Natural and closely connected to nature.

Urban: Man-made and highly diverse.

4. Land Use and Housing

Rural: Formed mainly by agricultural land with houses at the centre.

Urban: Has residential areas and shows vertical expansion with multi-storey buildings.

5. Facilities

Rural: Limited transport, communication, and public services.

Urban: Well-developed infrastructure and facilities.

6. Dependency

Rural: Depends on nature and agriculture.

Urban: Depends on industry, trade, and services.

5. Mention the basic differences between dispersed settlement and nucleated settlement.

Answer:

1. House Arrangement

Dispersed: Houses are scattered and far apart.

Nucleated: Houses are built close together in a cluster.

2. Physical Conditions

Dispersed: Found in areas with unfavourable conditions like rocky terrain or extreme climate.

Nucleated: Found in areas with a favourable environment, like flat land, water, and good soil.

3. Population Density

Dispersed: The population is very sparse or thinly settled.

Nucleated: The population is dense, with people living near each other.

4. Example Regions

Dispersed: Found in agricultural belts of the USA and Australia, and in mountainous regions.

Nucleated: Found in plain areas, valleys, and well-connected villages or towns.

6. Write in brief about the different types of settlements under the category of nucleated settlements with examples and diagrams.

Answer: Nucleated settlements are formed when people build their houses close together in a cluster. These types of settlements usually grow in areas with favourable conditions like water, fertile land, and transport facilities. Based on shape and location, nucleated settlements can be divided into different types, which are given as follows:

1. Rectangular Settlement
This type of settlement develops in extensive, fertile plain areas. Roads in such rectangular settlements become almost straight, and they intersect each other at right angles. Example: Ganga-Sutlej plain region of India.

2. Linear Settlement
In a linear settlement, houses are built along roads, railway lines, rivers, canals, or narrow valleys. Its growth depends on topography, water availability, and flood level. Example: Found along roads in the river valleys of India's middle and lower Himalayas and the Ganga-Yamuna Plains.

4. Star-like Settlement
Star-like settlements are formed when houses spread from a central point along many roads, like the rays of a star. This type of settlement usually develops at road intersections in plain areas. Example: A settlement formed around a road intersection in a plain region where roads branch out in different directions.

3. Circular Settlement
In circular settlements, houses are built around lakes, ponds, or big tanks so that everyone gets equal access to water. Such settlements are common among fishing communities and near saltwater lakes. Example: Settlements formed around large lakes or ponds by fishing communities.

5. Triangular Settlement
A triangular settlement is formed at the intersection of two large rivers. The shape becomes triangular due to the confluence and the availability of fertile soil and water. Example: Found in the riverine plains of northern India and at river confluences in foothill areas.

7. Write briefly about the origin and growth of urban settlements.

Answer: In the beginning, all settlements started as villages. They grew in places with fertile soil, water, level land, transport, and security. Some villages developed into towns due to trade, industries, communication, and economic growth. A village becomes a town when the main occupations change from agriculture to trade, services, and manufacturing. Religious, social, political, and economic factors also play a role in their development. Urban settlements grow in suitable locations with resources, a good transport network, and a densely settled surrounding area. Towns may grow based on trade, minerals, coastal or hill location, tourism, or religion. Some towns serve specific functions, while others are multi-functional like Mumbai, Kolkata, and Guwahati. Urbanisation is increasing, with about 50% of the world’s population now living in towns and cities.

8. Classify the urban settlements with examples according to functions.

Answer: Urban settlements can be classified into different types based on their functions. Some towns grow mainly to serve a specific function, while others are multi-functional.

1. Administrative Towns – These are developed mainly for government and administrative work. Example: Gandhinagar, Chandigarh

2. Industrial Towns – Formed around factories and industries. Example: Jamshedpur, Bhilai, Bokaro

3. Religious or Pilgrim Towns – Known for religious importance and pilgrimages. Example: Varanasi, Puri, Rishikesh

4. Tourism and Hill Resort Towns – Attract tourists due to natural beauty or climate. Example: Mussoorie, Darjeeling

5. Seaport Towns – Developed near the sea for port and trade activities. Example: Haldia, Paradeep

6. Cultural and Educational Towns – Known for education and culture. Example: Oxford, Cambridge

7. Multi-functional Cities – Serve many functions like trade, industry, culture, etc. Example: Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati.

9. What do you mean by 'hierarchy of settlements'? Write about this with examples and diagrams.

Answer: The Hierarchy of settlements means arranging all types of rural and urban settlements in a proper order based on their size, from small to large. This arrangement shows the difference in population, area, facilities, and functions.

At the lowest level, there are isolated homes or farmsteads. Then come hamlets and villages. In the urban section, it starts with towns, then cities, conurbations, and finally ends at Megalopolis, which is the highest level.

As the level increases, the population size, functions, spatial extent, and facilities also increase. But the number of settlements decreases.
For example, according to the 2001 Census, India had about 6 lakh villages and only 5,000 towns.

Hierarchy goes like this:
Isolated Home → Hamlet → Village → Town → City → Conurbation → Megalopolis

This system also shows the rural-urban continuum, meaning the middle area between village and town may not have a clear difference.

10. Write briefly about the land use pattern of rural and urban settlements.

Answer: According to geographer C.A. Doxiadis, a human settlement consists of four components:
(1) Homogeneous Part
(2) Central Part
(3) Circulatory Part
(4) Special Part

In rural settlements, the homogeneous part is formed by agricultural land, the central part by houses, the circulatory part by road networks, and the special part by temples, schools, and some other social and economic institutions.

In urban settlements, the homogeneous part is formed by the residential area, the central part by commercial and financial institutions, the circulatory part by roads and different transport systems, and the special part by some specialized institutions.

By studying land use, we can understand the real picture and socio-economic character of any settlement.

11. What do you mean by 'Central Business District'? Mention its basic characteristics.

Answer: Meaning of Central Business District (CBD):
The Central Business District is the central or core area of a town or city where there is a dominance of trade and commerce. It is the most important zone for commercial activities in any urban settlement.

Basic Characteristics of CBD:

a) It has a heavy concentration of commercial establishments, banks, offices, and wholesale and retail centres.

b) Due to limited land area and high land cost, this area is filled with high-rise or multi-storey buildings.

c) The population density in this part of the city is also very high.

12. Write briefly about the relationship between rural and urban settlements.

Answer: There is a strong relationship between rural and urban settlements. A village and a town are linked in such a way that they cannot be separated from each other. Towns depend on villages for agro-based food items, while villages depend on towns for education, health, machinery, and many goods produced by industries. This relationship is maintained through transport and communication systems and the exchange of goods and services among people. Both types of settlements are arranged in a systematic order. In the fringe areas of cities, rural settlements often begin to show urban characteristics due to the influence of urban activities. These regions become a mixture of villages and towns, where rural and urban features exist together.

13. Write short notes:

(a) Human settlements and Settlement Geography

Answer: Human settlements are places where people live either permanently or temporarily. After food, shelter is the most important need for safety and social life.

Settlement Geography is a branch of geography that studies the growth of human settlements and the physical, cultural, and socio-economic factors related to them. It includes the location, shape, size, distribution, and functions of settlements. It helps us understand people’s relationship with the environment and their religious and cultural practices.

(b) Linear settlement

Answer: Linear settlement is a type of nucleated settlement where houses are arranged in a line along roads, rivers, canals, railway lines, or narrow valleys. Its growth is influenced by physical features like land shape, water availability, and flood levels. These settlements are common in hilly or valley regions where space is limited. In India, linear settlements are found by the sides of roads in the river valleys of the middle and lower Himalayas and the Ganga-Yamuna Plains.

(c) Circular settlement

Circular settlement is a type of nucleated settlement where houses are built in a circular pattern around lakes, ponds, or large tanks. This pattern helps people get equal access to water. It is commonly seen in fishing communities and in areas where salt is collected from saltwater lakes. Some dense circular settlements are also found around big industrial centres. Example: Fishing communities developing settlements around large ponds or lakes.

(d) Star-like settlement

Answer: Star-like settlement is a nucleated type where houses spread out from a common centre along roads in different directions, forming a star-like shape. It usually grows in plain areas where many roads meet. The central area becomes the core, and the settlement expands outward along roads. For example, A fishing community settlement around a large pond or a settlement near a saltwater lake used for salt collection.

(e) Culture and Educational Town

Answer: Cultural and educational towns are urban settlements that grow due to the presence of educational institutions and cultural activities. These towns attract students, teachers, and people interested in arts, literature, and traditions. They play a key role in the spread of knowledge and preservation of cultural heritage. Such towns are known for their peaceful environment and learning atmosphere. Oxford and Cambridge in England are well-known examples of educational and cultural towns.

(f) Rural-Urban continuum

Answer: Rural-Urban Continuum refers to the situation where the difference between a village and a town is not very clear. In the settlement hierarchy, the intermediate zone between a village and a town often shows mixed features of both. These areas may have rural character with some urban facilities or urban influence. It shows how villages can slowly transform into towns due to development in occupation, transport, and population.

(g) Hierarchy of settlements

Answer: Hierarchy of settlements means the arrangement of rural and urban settlements in a proper order based on their size, population, area, and functions. It starts from isolated homes, then hamlets, villages, towns, cities, conurbations, and ends at megalopolis. As we move upward, population, functions, and facilities increase, but the number of settlements decreases. This also shows the rural-urban continuum, where the difference between villages and towns is not always clear.

(h) Urban fringe

Answer: Urban fringe is the fringe area of a large town or city where the landscape gets transformed towards an urban character due to the impact of urban activities. Although these regions initially belonged to rural settlements, their landscape and human activities form a mixture of villages and towns. Such suburban regions are found around cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur, Pune, Guwahati, etc.

(i) Satellite town

Answer: Satellite town is a place that grows a little away from the main urban area because of the decentralisation of trade and commerce, industry, different functional establishments, or residential locations. These towns grow in the neighbourhood of a large city and help reduce the pressure on the main urban centre. Examples: Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad — developed near the Delhi metropolitan city.