4) Urban settlements
Important concepts:
Urbanisation → process of making areas more urban / more people live in urban areas
Urban growth → the increase in n of people living in urban areas
Urban expansion → size of urban centre expands - number of people and buildings
increase in cities (results in urban sprawl)
Urban sprawl → uncontrolled growth or development of cities
Rate of urbanisation → the pace at which urbanisation takes place
Level of urbanisation → percentage of total population living in urban settlements
4.1) The origin and development of urban settlements - urbanisation of the
world’s population
What is urbanisation?
→ process of making areas more urban / more people live in urban areas
- n of people in urban areas higher than rural
Origin of urban settlements:
- All settlements were originally rural
- First urban settlements established in Mesopotamia (Iraq) 6000 years ago
- First village established by surplus of agriculture = people were free to have non -
farming jobs (making/ selling food, furniture..)
- The economy shifted from based on primary activities to secondary + tertiary
- Villages to towns, then cities
Development of worlds urban settlements
- Industrial revolution changed the economy + appearance of most towns +
cities.
- 55% worlds pop is urbanised
- today based on services: finance, info tech, tourism, government.
World urbanisation trends
- increase (urban growth)
- rate of urbanisation is greatest in developing countries
,4.2) How site and situation affect the location of urban settlements
*location involves site + situation*
REMEMBER:
Site Situation
● Natural Harbour ● Topography- lie of the land
● Dry Point Settlement ● Access to Transport and
● Wet Point Settlement Communication Routes
● Bridging Point ● Access to Resources and
● Defensive Point Infrastructure
● Gap/ Pass ● Distance to Markets
● Relief
● Route Point
● Natural Resources
Factors influencing location of urban settlements:
1. Physical: climate, relief, drainage, natural harbours, availability of resources
(water/minerals)
2. Economic: trade, transport, jobs, industry, availability of resources
3. Political: governments decide location (e.g nucleated for war safety)
4. Social: religion, language, culture
4.3) Classification of urban settlements according to function
→ Urban settlements can be classified by their main function
→ Multifunctional: secondary (manufacturing), tertiary (trade, transport, service, admin +
education) or quaternary (law, finance, media, research +I T)
→ current function may reflect the OG reason it was established
→ May change over time with new needs and services provided (e.g Joburg was
originally a gold mining town, now business + economic centre)
, Types of urban settlement according to function:
Settlement type Description E.g
Central places Accessible + provide Upington in NC
goods and services to → all US are central places
surrounding pop
Trade + transport cities At a good location for road, Durban in KZN - developed
rail + sea transportation (or around harbour
around airports = surrounded by main roads
aerotropolis) King Shaka Airport =
aerotropolis
Break-of-Bulk points Develop at a point where Saldanha Bay in Wc - iron
“trade + transport city” the mode of transport ore shipped after interior
changes (ship to train/ bulk transport
to small packages)
Junction towns Develop at NB transport De Aar in the Great Karoo
“trade + transport city” nodes meet, such as river in NC - road-rail junction
crossings/ railway + road
junctions
Gateway / Gap towns Develop at places where Worcester in WC - situated
“trade + transport city” there are physical barriers, near Hex River Pass
such as mountain passes / where N1 and railway pass
low- water river crossings through
Specialised cities specific dominant function Okiep in NC specialised in
such as vehicle mining
manufacturing, tourism / IT
Resources are local
Important concepts:
Urbanisation → process of making areas more urban / more people live in urban areas
Urban growth → the increase in n of people living in urban areas
Urban expansion → size of urban centre expands - number of people and buildings
increase in cities (results in urban sprawl)
Urban sprawl → uncontrolled growth or development of cities
Rate of urbanisation → the pace at which urbanisation takes place
Level of urbanisation → percentage of total population living in urban settlements
4.1) The origin and development of urban settlements - urbanisation of the
world’s population
What is urbanisation?
→ process of making areas more urban / more people live in urban areas
- n of people in urban areas higher than rural
Origin of urban settlements:
- All settlements were originally rural
- First urban settlements established in Mesopotamia (Iraq) 6000 years ago
- First village established by surplus of agriculture = people were free to have non -
farming jobs (making/ selling food, furniture..)
- The economy shifted from based on primary activities to secondary + tertiary
- Villages to towns, then cities
Development of worlds urban settlements
- Industrial revolution changed the economy + appearance of most towns +
cities.
- 55% worlds pop is urbanised
- today based on services: finance, info tech, tourism, government.
World urbanisation trends
- increase (urban growth)
- rate of urbanisation is greatest in developing countries
,4.2) How site and situation affect the location of urban settlements
*location involves site + situation*
REMEMBER:
Site Situation
● Natural Harbour ● Topography- lie of the land
● Dry Point Settlement ● Access to Transport and
● Wet Point Settlement Communication Routes
● Bridging Point ● Access to Resources and
● Defensive Point Infrastructure
● Gap/ Pass ● Distance to Markets
● Relief
● Route Point
● Natural Resources
Factors influencing location of urban settlements:
1. Physical: climate, relief, drainage, natural harbours, availability of resources
(water/minerals)
2. Economic: trade, transport, jobs, industry, availability of resources
3. Political: governments decide location (e.g nucleated for war safety)
4. Social: religion, language, culture
4.3) Classification of urban settlements according to function
→ Urban settlements can be classified by their main function
→ Multifunctional: secondary (manufacturing), tertiary (trade, transport, service, admin +
education) or quaternary (law, finance, media, research +I T)
→ current function may reflect the OG reason it was established
→ May change over time with new needs and services provided (e.g Joburg was
originally a gold mining town, now business + economic centre)
, Types of urban settlement according to function:
Settlement type Description E.g
Central places Accessible + provide Upington in NC
goods and services to → all US are central places
surrounding pop
Trade + transport cities At a good location for road, Durban in KZN - developed
rail + sea transportation (or around harbour
around airports = surrounded by main roads
aerotropolis) King Shaka Airport =
aerotropolis
Break-of-Bulk points Develop at a point where Saldanha Bay in Wc - iron
“trade + transport city” the mode of transport ore shipped after interior
changes (ship to train/ bulk transport
to small packages)
Junction towns Develop at NB transport De Aar in the Great Karoo
“trade + transport city” nodes meet, such as river in NC - road-rail junction
crossings/ railway + road
junctions
Gateway / Gap towns Develop at places where Worcester in WC - situated
“trade + transport city” there are physical barriers, near Hex River Pass
such as mountain passes / where N1 and railway pass
low- water river crossings through
Specialised cities specific dominant function Okiep in NC specialised in
such as vehicle mining
manufacturing, tourism / IT
Resources are local
