OS Maps, Photographs, Central Place Theory Flashcards
Types of settlement patterns
Linear
Clustered/ nucleated
Dispersed
Absence of settlement
Reason for linear pattern
Some people prefer to live outside a town where it’s quieter
Locals purchase sites from farmers. Land given to farmer’s children. Plots sold during economic boom.
Services available
Example of a point clustered settlement is based around
Springs
Dry points eg permeable rock
Eg farmers homes
Reasons for dispersed settlement
Agricultural activity. Live bear farms for constant care
Reasons for absence of settlement
Mountains. Steep slopes Bogs Flood plains Areas short of water
Example of town functions
Port Educational Manufacturing Transport (route focus) Defence Residential Service Tourism
Reasons for development of a town
Bridging point Tourist attraction Sheltered harbour Defence Services
Model of urban hierarchy
Conurbation City Large town Small town Village Hamlet Isolated dwelling
What is a metropolis
Largest city in a region
What is a hamlet
Small villages or rural housing clusters
A few low order services
What is a conurbation
A region comprising of a number of cities, large towns and other urban areas that through population growth and expansion have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed are
Low order services
Everyday goods eg food, newspaper, petrol.
Bought frequently
People not willing to travel far to avail of them
Eg bar, local shop, petrol station,
Middle order services
Required less often than low order services so people are willing to travel further
Eg pharmacy, supermarket, doctor surgery, school, post office
High order services
Eg law courts, universities, hospitals, jewellers, theatres, large department stores
Who came up with Central Place Theory
Walter Christaller
What is range
The maximum distance that people are willing to travel in order to purchase a particular product or service
Eg village shop has a low range, car dealership have a high range
What is threshold
Minimum population needed to make a particular service profitable eg village shops provide frequently bough products so can function on a low threshold
According to Christaller’s Central Place Theory, the buggercthe setllemt …
The more (and higher range) services it will have
There will be fewer of them
They will be further apart
It will have a larger trading area
What is a Central Place
A settlement which provides services and goods for the people in the town and hinterland
What does CPT explain
The way in which settlements are spaced apart according to their size
4 ideas to explain CPT
Threshold population
Range
Rank order
Frequency of demand
Service with high threshold
Hospital
Place with a high range
Choke park
Why can’t cities be located close together
There would be competition for hinterland
Criticisms in CPT
Only for flat and featureless land which is unrealistic
Does not take into account variation in transport services
Shoppers have preferences
