Unit No-1&2

Settlement Geography

Settlement Types and Patterns

Introduction:-

Difference Between Types and Patterns-

Acc. To Trewartha- refer to tow primary types of settlement

1. Isolated or dispersed

2. Nucleated

Two identifying factors are clear

1. “Patterns- refers to geometric form and shape of the settlement” which may be

different types.

2. “ Types- refers to relationship of number of dwellings / house & number of sites.

I) Factors Affecting Settlement types and patterns:-

II) Settlement Types:

a) Rural Settlement Types According to:-

i) Site and Situation-

II) Settlement Types:

a) Rural Settlement Types According to:-

i) Site and Situation- The location and growth of an settlement depended upon its site and situation.

“वसाहतीच्या ववकासात तयाांच ेस्थान व स्स्थती या घटकाांना अधधक महतव असत”े.

a) Site:- “ज्या ठिकाणी ती वसाहत स्थाऩन झाऱेऱी आहे ती भूमी / स्थान होय”

The site is the actual location of a settlement on the earth and iscomposed of the physical characteristics of the landscape specific tothe area.

The site was the actual place where people decided to locate theirsettlement.

Site Factors:- reliable water supply

away from flood risks

defense

building materials (stone or wood)

fertile land

protection from winds

fuel supply (wood)

south-facing slope (aspect)

flat land, easy to build on

natural harbor

Cont….

Physical and Economic Site Factors

Physical and Economic Site Factors

Physical Economic

Water supply Route centre

Dry-point sites Bridging point

Aspect River confluence

Shelter Gap in hills

Defense Port

Meander bend Resources e.g. coal

Flat land

Natural harbor

Cont….

What do we mean by site and situation of a settlement?

The site and situation of a settlement are very different things. The site of a

settlement is the land upon which it was built. There are a range of factors that

can determine the site of a settlement. These are:

wet point site - these are sites close to a supply of water

dry point site - these are sites that avoided the risk of flooding

defensive site - these were sites that were on high ground and allowed the

population to see enemies from a distance

aspect - many settlements in the northern hemisphere are located on south facing

sides of valleys where it is sunny

shelter - away from rain and prevailing winds

trading point - often settlements developed where natural training points meet

such as along rivers or natural route ways

resources - many settlements developed close to where natural resources could

be found.

b) Situation-

“वसाहतीच्या सभोवताऱच्या ववस्ततृ प्रदेशातीऱ प्राकृततक ऩररस्स्थतीऱा स्स्थती असे म्हणतात”.

“स्स्थती याचा अथथ ज्या ठिकाणी ती वसाहत स्थाऩन झाऱेऱी आहे ततच्या सभोवताऱच्या प्रदेशाचा अथथ अभभपे्रत असतो”.

The growth of that settlement then depended upon its situation in relation to accessibility and availability of natural resources.

Situation is defined as the location of a place relative to its surroundings and other places

Situation covers economy, culture and political importance of a place.

Situation of settlement are classified into three types-

1. Linear Situation

2. Frontier Situation

3. Central Situation

Situation Factors

• route centre

• gap town

• lowest bridge point on a river

• port

• minerals for export

b) Situation-

Barcelona's Site and SituationSite Situation

Hill for defence

Reliable water supply for drinking and power

Fertile farmland

Flat land for building

Sheltered by hills to the north

South-facing slope

Natural harbour

Construction material

Bridging point

Port

Route Centre

Limestone quarries

Close to wealthy NW

European markets

ii) Function of Rural Settlement

A)Main Functions

1. Agriculture

2. Fishing photos

3. Mining

4. Lumbering

B)Secondary Functions

1. Shopping Photos

2. Social Service

3. Religious Functions

4. Administrative Functions.

iii) Spacing :

Trewartha refer tow primary types of settlement:

a. isolated or dispersed

b. Nucleated

Acc. To R.L.Singn: -Four main types

1. Compact (कें द्रित /सघन वसाहती)2. Semi Compact ( समिश्र )

3. Semi Sprinkled ( अपखडंीत )

4. Sprinkled or dispersed ( ववखरुऱेल्या वसाहती )

Rural settlement

Dispersed rural settlements

Advantages - economic

• farmer lives on his or her own farm

• farmer decides how to manage the farm and makes his or her own decisions

• lives on a single holding and makes maximum use of machinery

• greater profit

• Disadvantages - social

• living in isolation, therefore there is little social contact

• safety of farmer threatened because of isolation

• farmer has to travel great distances for basic commodities

• living in isolation may lead to boredom, however TV, radio, alarms have

minimized the fact that farms do not have access to security and communication

Nucleated rural settlements

• Advantages - social

• more socialization, therefore no boredom

• farmers can share ideas

• travelling for trade purposes is much simple Nucleated or clustered

• lives in safety

• easy access to basic commodities

• Disadvantages - economic

• farmlands are scattered and small

• less scope for individual ideas

• wastes time walking to the fields

• little mechanisation

• less scope for entrepreneurial profits

• The farmers living in nucleated villages are often referred to as tenant farmers.This is a farmer who does not own his land but lives on and works the land, paying rent.

Patterns of (Rural) Settlement:

The rural settlement have different shapes & sizes.

The site of the village & surrounding topography & terrain influence the

shape & size of a village etc…

The (Rural) settlement may be broadly classified under the following

patterns:-

1.Rectangular Pattern

2. Linear Pattern

3. Circular pattern

4. Star like pattern 10. Amorphous pattern

5. Triangular pattern 11. Hanging pattern

6. Radial pattern 12. Arrow pattern

7. „L‟ Shaped pattern 13. Areear pattern

8. „T‟ Shaped pattern

Nucleated or clustered settlements often form at crossroads or route centres.

Dispersed settlements have no clear centre and are often hamlets spread over fertile farmland.

Linear settlements: settlements grow along a road (e.g. in a narrow valley) or along the coast. Ribbon development is when housing grows out from a town along a main road.

C) Factors leading to dispersion and nucleation of Rural Settlements:-