Unit 2 - Rural Settlements Flashcards
Dry-point sites
Sites chosen to avoid water because of danger of flooding. Settlement located on higher ground.
Factors that influence choice of site
Quality of the soil Relief and drainage Defense - on high vantage points Minerals, mine attracts people to area Political and administrative needs - village becomes residence of local government.
A good site will have availability of:
Drinking water, rivers or natural springs Arable land Transport routes Building materials Gracing (pasture) for livestock Fuel for cooking purposes
Rural settlement pattern
Diapered pattern, buildings are scattered.
Nucleated pattern, buildings grouped together.
Reasons for different shapes of settlements
Physical, human and cultural factors influence the shape.
- relief of are (mountains, rivers, plains)
- transport routes (roads)
- safely (defense)
Four basic shapes of settlements
Round or circular
Linear
Crossroad
T-shaped
Round or circular settlement
Round villages develop for deduce reasons around a central feature.
Eg. Common land, well, church.
Linear settlement
Develop along a road or river.
Crossroad settlement
Villages develop at a crossroad (intersection) and develop in a star shape.
T-shape settlement
Develops at a T-junction in a road.
Land use
Refers to function of an area of land.
Wet point sites
Where water is scarce and settlements form around springs or wells.
Indigenous knowledge systems
Provide alternative ways of finding reasons for settlement patterns.
Land-use in rural settlements
Land use depends on function and type of primary actives in/around area.
Environmental factors (soil, climate) determine types of crops or animals that can be farmed.
Economic factors, size of land required to make a living, distance to market for sale of goods.
Social factors, culture and how land is used.
Eg. Communities were cattle represent wealth, they may be main rural activity.
Land use involved in agriculture can include houses for people, storage buildings and roads or water facilities.
