Theme 1 - 1.5 - Settlements And Service Provision

Question 1

Define dispersed settlement.

Answer 1

When farms or houses are set among their fields or spread along roads.

Question 2

Define nucleated settlement.

Answer 2

Houses and buildings are tightly clustered around a central feature.

Question 3

Define linear settlement.

Answer 3

Houses and buildings are arranged along a line of communication, such as a road, canal or river valley.

Question 4

Define linear pattern.

Answer 4

When settlements are found along a geographical feature such as a river valley or major transport route.

Question 5

Define site.

Answer 5

The actual land on which a settlement is built.

Question 6

Define situation.

Answer 6

The relationship between a settlement and its surrounding area.

Question 7

Define low-order functions.

Answer 7

Basic functions found in smaller settlements (e.g. hamlets).

Question 8

Define high-order functions.

Answer 8

More specialised functions and services found in larger settlements (e.g. villages and market towns).

Question 9

Define the range of a good.

Answer 9

The maximum distance a person is prepared to travel to buy a good.

Question 10

Define threshold population.

Answer 10

The minimum number of people needed to support a good or service.

Question 11

Define sphere of influence.

Answer 11

The area that a settlement serves.

Question 12

What might a nucleated settlement be clustered around?

Answer 12

Church, village green, crossroad, etc.

Question 13

What factors might encourage a nucleated settlement to form?

Answer 13

• Defence -> E.g. A hilltop site
• Shortage of water -> People forced to live close to springs
• Proximity to important junctions and crossroads for trade and communications

Question 14

What factors may influence the choice of site for a settlement?

Answer 14

• Access to water -> Important for drinking water, cooking, washing, etc.
• Relief -> Important to prevent flooding + Flat land to build on
• Fertile soils -> Needed for agriculture
• Fuel supply -> Needed for heating and cooking
• Good accessibility -> Increases trade and commerce potential (e.g. Near bridges)
• Defence -> Meander or steep hillside help
• Shelter + Aspect -> Protection from wind + Sunlight for agriculture

Question 15

What factors encourage and prevent settlement growth?

Answer 15

Encourage
• Good food production
Prevent
• Poor climate -> Too hot or cold, wet or dry

Question 16

What is a wet-point site?

Answer 16

A wet area, especially in a dry area.

Question 17

What is a dry-point site?

Answer 17

A dry area, especially in a wet area.

Question 18

What is the function of a settlement?

Answer 18

What a settlement does. For example, a town could be a mining town.

Question 19

Give some examples of settlement functions.

Answer 19

• Dormitory function
• Agricultural function
• Tourism
• Fishing
• Mining

Question 20

What does hierarchy mean?

Answer 20

Order

Question 21

What types of services are found in small settlements?

Answer 21

Low-order

Question 22

What types of services are found in large settlements?

Answer 22

Low order and high order

Question 23

What is the range of low order and high order goods?

Answer 23

Low order: Small range

High order: Large range

Question 24

What is the threshold population for low order and high order services?

Answer 24

Low order: Small

High order: Large

Question 25

What is the size of the sphere of influence of villages compared to towns?

Answer 25

Villages: Small

Towns and cities: Large

Question 26

What is the relationship between population size of a settlement and number/range of services?

Answer 26

As the population size of a settlement increases, the number and range of services increases (generally - there are some exceptions).

Question 27

Do all settlements fit the trend that as population size increases, so does the number of services?

Answer 27

No, some small settlements may have many services and some large settlements may have very few services. This may be down to their function.

Question 28

Give an example of when a small settlement may have many services.

Answer 28

Tourist villages many have many services to attract and satisfy tourists.

Question 29

Give an example of when a large settlement may have very few services.

Answer 29

Dormitory (commuter) settlements may have quite large but offer few services. Here, people live but work and shop elsewhere.

Question 30

What are the main methods of classifying settlements?

Answer 30

1. Population size
2. Range and number of services
3. Sphere of influence
   (4. Size)

Question 31

Why is the population size of a settlement not always a good way of classifying it?

Answer 31

• Unclear divisions between village and hamlet, village and town, etc.
• Different population densities mean that a village in China can have the same population as a town in the UK, for example

Question 32

Name the different types of settlement in order of size and give their population size.

Answer 32

• Capital (Several million)
• City / Conurbation (1-2 million)
• City (Up to 1 million)
• Large town (Up to 100,000)
• Small town (Up to 10,000 or 20,000)
• Village (Up to several hundred)
• Hamlet (5 or 6 families)
• Isolated buildings / farms (1 family)

Question 33

Describe high order services in terms of cost, demand, frequency of purchase and distance traveled for purchase.

Answer 33

• High cost
• Low demand
• Infrequent purchase
• Long distance traveled for purchase

Question 34

Describe low order services in terms of cost, demand, frequency of purchase and distance traveled for purchase.

Answer 34

• Low cost
• High demand
• Frequent purchase
• Not willingly to travel far

Question 35

What are convenience goods?

Answer 35

Goods which are widely available and purchased frequently with minimal effort.

Question 36

What are comparison goods?

Answer 36

Goods which are purchased infrequently and therefore may required evaluation of price, quality, etc. before purchase.

Question 37

Give an example of a convenience good.

Answer 37

Milk

Question 38

Give an example of a comparison good.

Answer 38

TV