Chapter 10

HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

FACTS THAT MATTER

•Human settlement is defined as a place inhabited more or less permanently,

Classification of Settlements

•Based on the place of residence, settlements are divided as - rural and urban.

•As there is no clear cut division - but primarily occupation is taken as the criteria

•Population size, Administrative divisions are also other criteria for dividing rural urban settlement.

Types and Patterns of Settlements

•Settlements may also classified by their shape, pattern.

•The major types according to shape are:

(a) Compact or Nucleated settlements:

Houses are built very close to each other and they develop along river valleys and and fertile plains. Close knit with common occupation.

(b) Dispersed settlement:

-Houses are spaced apart.

-A cultural feature - as a place of worship, market binds them together.

Rural Settlement:

•Related to land and dominated by primary activities dependent on land/nature- agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry.

Factors affecting Rural settlements:

1. Water Supply: Located near water bodies - lakes, springs, rivers for easy access to water which is essential for our survival.

2. Land: fertile land for agriculture - and easy construction.

3. Upland: Which is not prone to flooding. In low lying areas people choose levees' which are dry points'. In tropical areas - stilts are used.

4. Building material: Availability of building materials near settlements is an advanta8 ice to builds igloos.

5. Defence: To avoid hostility of neighbouring groups to avoid war and instaou villages were built on defensive hills or islands. Forts located on hills are examples

6. Planned settlements: constructed by govt. by providing them shelter, watera infrastructural facilities. Indira Gandhi canal command area.

Rural settlement Patterns:

Reflect the way the houses are sited in relation to each other. The site along w terrain influence the shape and size of a village.

Problems of Rural Settlement:

•Poor infrastructure.

•Inadequate water gives rise to water borne disease.

•Drought, crops cultivation suffer.

•Absence of toilet, sanitation, garbage disposal.

•Lack of ventilation in houses.

•Unmetalled roads lack of communication facilities.

•Lack of educational and health facilities.

•Problems are serious where proper villagisation has not taken place and houses are scattered.

Classification of Urban Settlements

Definition varies from country to country. Some common basis of classification are:

(a) Population size: Criteria used by most countries to define urban areas. The lower limit of the population size for a settlement to be designated as urban is 15,00 in Colombia, 2,000 is Argentina and Portugal, 2,500 in USA and Thailand, 5,000 in India and 30,000 is Japan.

(b)Occupation structure: Major economic activity in addition to size is also taken into consideration to designate an area as urban. In India 75% of male workers should be engaged in non agricultured activities for a place to be called an urban. In Italy, it is 50%.

(c)Administration: Administrative setup is a criterion in some countries. In India, a settlement of any size is urban if it has a municipality, cantonment board or Notified Area council.

•Location : Location of an urban area is examined with reference to their function e.g. requirement for a holiday resort is different for that of an industrial town.

•Apart from site, situation plays an important role in the expansion of towns.

Functions of Urban Centres:

•Earliest towns were centres of administration, trade, industry, defence and religious importance.

•Today other functions like recreational, residential, transport, mining, manufacturing and information technology based activities are carried on in specialised towns.

Classification of towns based on forms:

•An urban settlement may be linear, square, star or crescent shaped. Its an outcomne of its historical and cultural traditions.

Case study of cities:

Addis Ababa (The New Flower):

•Ethiopian capital

-Located on hill valley topography which has infuenced road pattern. Roads radiate from Government headquarters.

-Mercato largest market between Cairo in north and Johannesberg in south.

-Has number of schools, university, medical college.

- Terminal station of Djibouti Addis Ababa rail route.

-Bole airport.

-City witnessed rapid growth because of multi-functional nature'

Canberra:

•American architect Walter Burley Griffin planned Canberra as the Australian in 1912.

-He planned of a garden city for about 25,000 people.

-Five main centres with separate city functions were planned.obeins

-City has open spaces and parks and gardens.

-Many satellite towns have developed around Canberra.

Types of Urban Settlements

•Depending on size and services available and functions rendered urban centres are:

1. Town: compared with fovergrown village'with-functions like manufacturing, retail trade, services exist in towns.

2. City: leading town which has outstripped its local/regional rivals - more economy functions administration, transport terminals.

3. Million city: when population of a city crosses 1 million mark it is designated a million city. London first reached the mark in 1800. In 2016 there were 512 million cities in world.

4. Conurbation: A large area of urban development that resulted from originally separate towns or cities. Greater London and Tokyo are examples.

5. Megalopolis: Union of conurbation - e.g. Area from Boston to Washington

Mega City.

•Amega city or megalopolis is a general term for cities together with their suburbs with a population of > 10 million.

•New York first attained this mark by 1950. The number of mega city is now 31.

Problem of Human Settlement in Developing centres of the world:

-They suffer from various problems.

-Unsustainable concentration of population

-Congested housing - lack of basic infrastructural facilities etc.

Problems of Urban Settlements:

•Most of the cities in the developing countries are unplanned and they create many problems.

•Competition, housing, sanitation - lack of other infrastructural facilities are some of the basic problems that they face.

•Many of them have slums and squatters settlements, 25% of population in Indian cities live in illegal settlements'

•In Asia Pacific countries 60% of urban population lives in squatter settlements.

The problem of urban settlement are as under:

(a) Economic problem:

The push factors from the rural areas force people to come to the urban centres -an the migrants generate a part of unskilled/ skilled labour force in the already saturated urban areas - thereby leading to more unemployment and poor economic condition

(b) Socio cultural Problems

Insufficient financial resources fail to fulfill the basic needs of the people. Educationa and health facilities remain out of reach of the poor.

•Lack of education and employment in induce crime.

•Several social ills appear.

•Male selective migration from the rural areas distorts to sex ratio in both the place of origin and destination.

(c) Environmental Problems:

•The huge urban population not only uses but also disposes off a huge quantities of waste.

•Lack of potable water as well as water for other domestic and industrial use.

•Improper sewerage system create unhygienic condition.

•Traditional fuel create massive pollution.

•Industrial efficients and dumping of other domestic and industrial waste create environmental hazard.

•Huge concrete structures in cities create heat islands'.

Future Prospects:

•Urban and mutual settlements are linked through the movements of goods, resources and people.

•Urban-rural linkages are of crucial importance for sustainability of human settlements.

•Due to lack of opportunities in the rural areas.

-The rural to urban migration steadily increased in developing countries putting extra pressure on urban infrastructure and services.

-It is imperative to eradicate rural poverty and to improve quality of living conditions.

- To create educational and employment opportunities in rural areas - so as to satisfy their basic needs.

-Advantage must be taken of the mutual contribution and linkages of rural/urban areas by balancing their different economic, social and environmental requirements.

Healthy City:

According to WHO a healthy city must have :-

A clean' and 'safe' environment.

Meets the Basic needs' of All its inhabitants.

Involves the Community' in local government.

Provides easily accessible Health services.

Urban Strategy:

•As per UNDP, the priorities of urban strategy' are on

-Increasing shelter for urban poor.

-Provision of basic urban services such as Education, Primary Health Care' clean water and sanitation.

-Improving women's access to Basic Services and Government facilities.

-Upgrading 'energy' use and alternative Transport systems.

-Reducing Air Pollution'

We hope CBSE/MP Board Class 12th "Geography" Chapter 10 "Human settlements" will help you.

Written By - HIMANSHU SHARMA