RURAL SETTLEMENT AND
URBAN SETTLEMENT
,CHAPTER 1: THE STUDY OF SETTLEMENTS
KEY TERMS:
Situation: position of a settlement in relation to the surrounding features/environment
Site: actual place on which a settlement grew or is built.
Rural settlement: a small settlement with a small population involved in primary activities; the settlement
is unifunctional
Urban settlement: a large settlement with a large population involved in secondary, tertiary and
quaternary activities; the settlement is multifunctional
Nucleated pattern: settlement dwellings form a dense grouping of buildings
Dispersed pattern: settlement dwellings are isolated and spaced far apart from eachother
,THE CONCEPT OF SETTLEMENT, SITE AND SITUATION
The concept of settlement
Before ice age = hunter and gatherers. Then, domestication of sheep, goats and cattle, and cultivation of
wheat, rice and maize = people settle and remain in one place.
Settlement = grouping of people, activities and buildings. A place where groups of people live in either a
rural or urban environment. Categorised as either rural or urban.
A settlement is a place where:
• A group of people live
• Buildings are used for specific funtions
• An infrastructure exists
• Social and economic activities happen – regular interaction between people and with surrounding
environment
Can be small village or large city. Main criterion = it operates as a single integrated system on a regular
daily basis.
In settlement geography, we want to know the following:
• Morphology: shape or form
• Size: big or small
• Complexity: variety of buildings, infrastructure, population size, economic activity (primary,
secondary, tertiary and quaternary)
• Function: reason for existence of settlements
The site of a settlement
Site = actual place on which a settlement grew or is built.
Factors that can influence the site of a settlement
• Physical factors: availability of resources (water, fertile soil and grazing)
• Economic factors: availability of valuable minerals that can be mined
• Trade and transport factors: availability of a natural harbour or the
crossing point of a large river
• Cultural and social factors: new towns been built away from existing
urban settlements that are congested, polluted and overpopulated.
These are designs to:
o Improve living condition and lifestyle of people
o Attract light industries to provide employment
o Have road networks that allow for easy traffic flow
o Provide easy access to schools, clinics, shops and other facilities
• Political factors: government policies can influence the site of settlements. RSA government has
created new settlements due to need for housing (Ivory Park Housing – Midrand, Gauteng – 783
houses) – government policies such as communism
• Historical factors: historically some settlements needed defensive sites to protect them from
invaders.
, The situation of a settlement
Situation = position of a settlement in relation to the surrounding features/environment
• Describe situation of site by referring to features surrounding the site (soil, climate, other
settlements, rivers, geology and vegetation)
o These features usually influence the type of activity carried out at a settlement
• Some settlements = poor site but an advantageuous situation
o E.G. Kimberly established on a poor site, but situation = advantageous due to diamonds in
area. Kimberly continued to develop due to its situation as an important urban settlement in
Northern Cape, despite its poor site.
RURAL AND URBAN SETTLEMENTS
Agricultural and industrial revolutions = improved farming methods = food surpluses that could be sold =
some people no longer needed to farm to survive = they could do non-farming activities = growth of towns
and cities = two types = rural and urban settlements
Rural settlements = the basic unit of studying is the dwelling – the tent, the temporary structure of the
Khoisan, the hut or the house – and the immediate land. Areas in the counrtryside where people are
engaged in primary activities such as farming and fishing. Located in countryside and are usually
unifunctional.
Urban settlements = the basic unit of study is the settlement itself – town or city. A built up settlement,
like a city or town, where people are commonly involved in primary, tertiary and quaternary activities.
Located in towns and cities and are often multifunctional.
How do rural and urban settlements differ?
Size and population
• Rural settlements = small in physical size and human
population
• Urban settlements = larger in size and population
• Some exceptions (India = villages with over 1000
inhabitants OR America = towns with few inhabitants but
are still urban in character)
Economic activity and function
• Rural settlements = unifunctional (one function)
o Involved mainly in primary activities (farming, mining, fishing or forestry)
• Urban settlements = predominantly multifunctional
o Involved mainly in secondary (manufacturing) and tertiary (trade, transport, education,
service, administration) and quaternary (law, finance, media, research, IT) activities
Services
• Rural settlements = high schools, universities, hospitals, malls and public transport are usually not
available
URBAN SETTLEMENT
,CHAPTER 1: THE STUDY OF SETTLEMENTS
KEY TERMS:
Situation: position of a settlement in relation to the surrounding features/environment
Site: actual place on which a settlement grew or is built.
Rural settlement: a small settlement with a small population involved in primary activities; the settlement
is unifunctional
Urban settlement: a large settlement with a large population involved in secondary, tertiary and
quaternary activities; the settlement is multifunctional
Nucleated pattern: settlement dwellings form a dense grouping of buildings
Dispersed pattern: settlement dwellings are isolated and spaced far apart from eachother
,THE CONCEPT OF SETTLEMENT, SITE AND SITUATION
The concept of settlement
Before ice age = hunter and gatherers. Then, domestication of sheep, goats and cattle, and cultivation of
wheat, rice and maize = people settle and remain in one place.
Settlement = grouping of people, activities and buildings. A place where groups of people live in either a
rural or urban environment. Categorised as either rural or urban.
A settlement is a place where:
• A group of people live
• Buildings are used for specific funtions
• An infrastructure exists
• Social and economic activities happen – regular interaction between people and with surrounding
environment
Can be small village or large city. Main criterion = it operates as a single integrated system on a regular
daily basis.
In settlement geography, we want to know the following:
• Morphology: shape or form
• Size: big or small
• Complexity: variety of buildings, infrastructure, population size, economic activity (primary,
secondary, tertiary and quaternary)
• Function: reason for existence of settlements
The site of a settlement
Site = actual place on which a settlement grew or is built.
Factors that can influence the site of a settlement
• Physical factors: availability of resources (water, fertile soil and grazing)
• Economic factors: availability of valuable minerals that can be mined
• Trade and transport factors: availability of a natural harbour or the
crossing point of a large river
• Cultural and social factors: new towns been built away from existing
urban settlements that are congested, polluted and overpopulated.
These are designs to:
o Improve living condition and lifestyle of people
o Attract light industries to provide employment
o Have road networks that allow for easy traffic flow
o Provide easy access to schools, clinics, shops and other facilities
• Political factors: government policies can influence the site of settlements. RSA government has
created new settlements due to need for housing (Ivory Park Housing – Midrand, Gauteng – 783
houses) – government policies such as communism
• Historical factors: historically some settlements needed defensive sites to protect them from
invaders.
, The situation of a settlement
Situation = position of a settlement in relation to the surrounding features/environment
• Describe situation of site by referring to features surrounding the site (soil, climate, other
settlements, rivers, geology and vegetation)
o These features usually influence the type of activity carried out at a settlement
• Some settlements = poor site but an advantageuous situation
o E.G. Kimberly established on a poor site, but situation = advantageous due to diamonds in
area. Kimberly continued to develop due to its situation as an important urban settlement in
Northern Cape, despite its poor site.
RURAL AND URBAN SETTLEMENTS
Agricultural and industrial revolutions = improved farming methods = food surpluses that could be sold =
some people no longer needed to farm to survive = they could do non-farming activities = growth of towns
and cities = two types = rural and urban settlements
Rural settlements = the basic unit of studying is the dwelling – the tent, the temporary structure of the
Khoisan, the hut or the house – and the immediate land. Areas in the counrtryside where people are
engaged in primary activities such as farming and fishing. Located in countryside and are usually
unifunctional.
Urban settlements = the basic unit of study is the settlement itself – town or city. A built up settlement,
like a city or town, where people are commonly involved in primary, tertiary and quaternary activities.
Located in towns and cities and are often multifunctional.
How do rural and urban settlements differ?
Size and population
• Rural settlements = small in physical size and human
population
• Urban settlements = larger in size and population
• Some exceptions (India = villages with over 1000
inhabitants OR America = towns with few inhabitants but
are still urban in character)
Economic activity and function
• Rural settlements = unifunctional (one function)
o Involved mainly in primary activities (farming, mining, fishing or forestry)
• Urban settlements = predominantly multifunctional
o Involved mainly in secondary (manufacturing) and tertiary (trade, transport, education,
service, administration) and quaternary (law, finance, media, research, IT) activities
Services
• Rural settlements = high schools, universities, hospitals, malls and public transport are usually not
available
