Rural and Urban Settlement

Question 1

Define settlement

Answer 1

A place where people live

Question 2

Define site, situation, shape, function

Answer 2

• Site: The actual location or place that a settlement is built (flat/steep, area)
• Situation: Location in relation to area around it
• Shape: nucleated/disperse/linear
• Function: the main activities of the settlement

Question 3

Rural settlement

Answer 3

• Rural Settlements: Settlements that are found in the countryside (rural areas) and contain less than 10,000 residents.
• Hamlet (5 to 10) or village (up to 10 000)

Question 4

Urban settlement

Answer 4

• Urban Settlements: Settlements that contain more than 10,000 residents.
• Towns, city, conurbation: two or more towns or cities that have joined to together, megaopolis: a conurbation or a clustering of cities with a population of over 10 million people

Question 5

Causes of settlement dispersion

Answer 5

• Mountainous areas that are hard to build on and hard to build good transport links to.
• Severe weather conditions e.g. extremely hot or cold or wet.
• No nearby schools and hospitals
• No electricity supply
• No entertainment

Question 6

Causes of settlement nucleation

Answer 6

• Good transport links (road, rail, river)
• Good fertile land nearby to grow food.
• Flat land, that is easy to build on
• Stable weather that is good for growing.
• Good schools and hospitals
• Good and reliable supply of electricity, gas and water.
• Varied entertainment

Question 7

Explain how physical factors and other factors such as accessibility, agricultural land-use, influence the sites and patterns of rural settlements

Answer 7

• Flat land => easier to farm on. Also, it is harder for soil to be washed away
• Climate => conditions for plants to grow
• Site: transport of products

Question 8

Describe and explain the factors which may influence the size, growth and functions of rural and urban settlements

Answer 8

• Transport
• Workforce
• Flat land
• Resort/ near coast

Question 9

Settlement hierarchy depends on what variables

Answer 9

The size of population
The range and number of services
The sphere of influence

Question 10

Features of settlement hierarchy

Answer 10

As you move down the settlement hierarchy the number of settlements increase. For example you only get one capital city (near the top of the hierarchy) in each country,

Question 11

Define sphere of influence

Answer 11

the area served by a settlement

Question 12

Define convenience (low orders) goods

Answer 12

Goods that people buy every day. They don’t usually cost much money and people would not normally travel far to buy them

Question 13

Define comparison (high orders) goods

Answer 13

Goods that people buy less frequently. They tend to be more expensive and people will normally compare quality and price before purchasing

Question 14

Define range

Answer 14

the distance people are prepared to travel to buy an item

Question 15

Define hierarchy

Answer 15

shows how settlement in any area can be put in order of importance and size