Urban notes - pg 198 - 238
Urban settlements - urbanisation
- Process in which an increasing proportion of a countries population is concentrated
in urban areas
Origin of urban settlements
- The first urban settlement was established in Mesopotamia 6000 years ago
- first towns housed around 80,000 people
- then, urban settlements were established in Egypt, Turkey, China and modern-day
Pakistan, Peru and Mexico
- Rome was first ancient city in world to house 1 million people
- before towns, all settlements were rural and supported mainly by agriculture and
hunting
- when farmers permanently settled and began producing lots of food more people are
free to do other things
- this led to non-agricultural workers specialising in other jobs such as making
and selling food, clothes and furniture
- Villages -> towns -> cities
- early settlements became centres of trade where goods = exchanged, stored and
redistributed
- Also became centres of administration, religion and defence
Development of worlds urban settlements
Industrial Revolution changed economy and appearance of towns and cities
- by 18:50, major cities of world were located in industrialised countries of Europe and
Eastern USA
- in 1880, no more than 3% of world's population lives in cities
- by 19:50, most large cities of world were in former colonies
- Today, urban settlements are based on service activities, eg: finance, administration,
tourism, information technology
- others centres based on business, government, art, culture
- world's urbanised population increased in the 20th and 21st century
Urbanisation trends
- Urban growth
- Increasing number of people living in urban area
- Level of urbanisation
- Percentage of people who live in urban area of the total population
- Rate of urbanisation
- Rate at which urbanisation takes place
Factors influencing location of urban settlements
Location - term to describe where place is
- Site : refers to land where settlement is built
- Situation : talking about surroundings (specific mountain range around settlement or
famous city next door)
, - Influenced by :
- Physical environment (climate, relief, drainage, natural harbours…)
- Social (religion, language, culture)
- Political (governments can decide what will be most beneficial)
- Economic (trade, availability of resources, transport routes, jobs and industry)
Functions of urban settlements
- Direct relation to why urban settlement was established and what its main function is
- Most urban settlements = multifunctional
- Mostly tertiary or quaternary functions :
- Retail, entertainment, wholesale, political, manufacturing, administrative,
business service, military/defence, education, cultural, media, trade,
financial…
Types of urban settlement according to function
Settlement type Description
1. Central places settlement that is accessible, provides
goods and services to surrounding
population
2. Trade and transport cities Settlement at a good location for a road, rail
or sea. Function 24/7.
Settlement around large airport, called
Aerotropolis, contain industrial park,
warehouse, offices.
3. Break-of-bulk point Settlement at point where one mode of
transport is changed for another or where
volume of goods being handled is reduced
in volume.
4. Specialised cities Specialise in particular activity
Often dependant on resources that may be
readily available.
Usually coexist with other central place
functions.
5. Junction towns Urban settlements that develop at important
transport junctions.
Overtime, other functions arise to service
the needs of transport and travellers.
6. Gateway towns / gap towns Settlement located at physical gap (pass
through mountains that enables road or
railway line to pass through
Urban settlements - urbanisation
- Process in which an increasing proportion of a countries population is concentrated
in urban areas
Origin of urban settlements
- The first urban settlement was established in Mesopotamia 6000 years ago
- first towns housed around 80,000 people
- then, urban settlements were established in Egypt, Turkey, China and modern-day
Pakistan, Peru and Mexico
- Rome was first ancient city in world to house 1 million people
- before towns, all settlements were rural and supported mainly by agriculture and
hunting
- when farmers permanently settled and began producing lots of food more people are
free to do other things
- this led to non-agricultural workers specialising in other jobs such as making
and selling food, clothes and furniture
- Villages -> towns -> cities
- early settlements became centres of trade where goods = exchanged, stored and
redistributed
- Also became centres of administration, religion and defence
Development of worlds urban settlements
Industrial Revolution changed economy and appearance of towns and cities
- by 18:50, major cities of world were located in industrialised countries of Europe and
Eastern USA
- in 1880, no more than 3% of world's population lives in cities
- by 19:50, most large cities of world were in former colonies
- Today, urban settlements are based on service activities, eg: finance, administration,
tourism, information technology
- others centres based on business, government, art, culture
- world's urbanised population increased in the 20th and 21st century
Urbanisation trends
- Urban growth
- Increasing number of people living in urban area
- Level of urbanisation
- Percentage of people who live in urban area of the total population
- Rate of urbanisation
- Rate at which urbanisation takes place
Factors influencing location of urban settlements
Location - term to describe where place is
- Site : refers to land where settlement is built
- Situation : talking about surroundings (specific mountain range around settlement or
famous city next door)
, - Influenced by :
- Physical environment (climate, relief, drainage, natural harbours…)
- Social (religion, language, culture)
- Political (governments can decide what will be most beneficial)
- Economic (trade, availability of resources, transport routes, jobs and industry)
Functions of urban settlements
- Direct relation to why urban settlement was established and what its main function is
- Most urban settlements = multifunctional
- Mostly tertiary or quaternary functions :
- Retail, entertainment, wholesale, political, manufacturing, administrative,
business service, military/defence, education, cultural, media, trade,
financial…
Types of urban settlement according to function
Settlement type Description
1. Central places settlement that is accessible, provides
goods and services to surrounding
population
2. Trade and transport cities Settlement at a good location for a road, rail
or sea. Function 24/7.
Settlement around large airport, called
Aerotropolis, contain industrial park,
warehouse, offices.
3. Break-of-bulk point Settlement at point where one mode of
transport is changed for another or where
volume of goods being handled is reduced
in volume.
4. Specialised cities Specialise in particular activity
Often dependant on resources that may be
readily available.
Usually coexist with other central place
functions.
5. Junction towns Urban settlements that develop at important
transport junctions.
Overtime, other functions arise to service
the needs of transport and travellers.
6. Gateway towns / gap towns Settlement located at physical gap (pass
through mountains that enables road or
railway line to pass through
