National definitions of urban and rural areas differ significantly from one country to another, it is

difficult to compare these areas across national borders. If we can’t compare the performance of
urban or rural areas across national borders, then we can’t learn from policies used in other
countries. To facilitate international comparisons, a coalition of six international organizations
developed a new global definition of cities, towns and semi-dense areas, and rural areas.
Many countries use a minimum population size to define an urban area, but that size can be 200
(as in Denmark), 2,000 (Argentina), 5,000 (India) or 50,000 (Japan) or even 100,000 (China).
 Some countries don’t use a statistical definition but designate urban areas by
administrative decision.
 In other countries, the sectoral employment or provision of infrastructure and services is
used to determine whether settlements should be classified as urban or rural.

Rural Settlement Pattern

There are many types of rural settlements. Using as classification criteria the shape, internal
structure, and streets texture, settlements can be classified into two broad
categories: clustered and dispersed.

Clustered Rural Settlements

A clustered rural settlement is a rural settlement where a number of families live in close
proximity to each other, with fields surrounding the collection of houses and farm buildings. The
layout of this type of village reflects historical circumstances, the nature of the land, economic
conditions, and local cultural characteristics. The rural settlement patterns range
from compact to linear, to circular, and grid.

Compact Rural Settlements

This model has a center where several public buildings are located such as the community hall,
bank, commercial complex, school, and church. This center is surrounded by houses and
farmland. Small garden plots are located in the first ring surrounding the houses, continued with
large cultivated land areas, pastures, and woodlands in successive rings. The compact villages
are located either in the plain areas with important water resources or in some hilly and
mountainous depressions. In some cases, the compact villages are designed to conserve land for
farming, standing in sharp contrast to the often isolated farms of the American Great Plains or
Australia (Figure 1).

Linear Rural Settlements

The linear form is comprised of buildings along a road, river, dike, or seacoast. Excluding the
mountainous zones, the agricultural land is extended behind the buildings. The river can supply
the people with a water source and the availability to travel and communicate. Roads were
constructed in parallel to the river for access to inland farms. In this way, a new linear settlement
can emerge along each road, parallel to the original riverfront settlement (Figure.2).
 Circular Rural Settlements

This form consists of a central open space surrounded by structures. Such settlements are
variously referred to as a Rundling, Runddorf, Rundlingsdorf,
Rundplatzdorf or Platzdorf (Germany), Circulades and Bastides (France), orKraal (Africa).
There are no contemporary historical records of the founding of these circular villages, but a
consensus has arisen in recent decades. The current leading theory is that Rundlinge were
developed at more or less the same time in the 12th century, to a model developed by the
Germanic nobility as suitable for small groups of mainly Slavic farm-settlers. Also, in the
medieval times, villages in the Languedoc, France, were often situated on hilltops and built in a
circular fashion for defensive purpose (Figures 3 and .4).

Although far from the German territory, Romania has a unique, circular German village. Located
southwestern Romania, Charlottenburg is the only round village in the country. The village was
established around 1770 by Swabians who came to the region as part of the second wave of
German colonization. In the middle of the village is a covered well surrounded by a perfect circle
of mulberry trees behind which are houses with stables, barns, and their gardens in the external
ring. Due to its uniqueness, the beautiful village plan from the baroque era has been preserved as
a historical monument (Figure 5).

Dispersed Rural Settlements

A dispersed settlement is one of the main types of

settlement patterns used to classify rural settlements.
Typically, in stark contrast to a nucleated settlement,
dispersed settlements range from a scattered to
an isolated pattern (Figure 6). In addition to Western
Europe, dispersed patterns of settlements are found in many other world regions, including North
America.
Scattered Rural Settlements

A scattered dispersed type of rural settlement is generally found in a variety of landforms, such
as the foothill, tableland, and upland regions. Yet, the proper scattered village is found at the
highest elevations and reflects the rugged terrain and pastoral economic life. The population
maintains many traditional features in architecture, dress, and social customs, and the old market
centers are still important. Small plots and dwellings are carved out of the forests and on the
upland pastures wherever physical conditions permit. Mining, livestock raising, and agriculture
are the main economic activities, the latter characterized by terrace cultivation on the mountain
slopes. The sub-mountain regions, with hills and valleys covered by plowed fields, vineyards,
orchards, and pastures, typically have this type of settlement.

Isolated Rural Settlements

This form consists of separate farmsteads scattered throughout the area in which farmers live on
individual farms isolated from neighbors rather than alongside other farmers in settlements. The
isolated settlement pattern is dominant in rural areas of the United States, but it is also an
important characteristic for Canada, Australia, Europe, and other regions. In the United States,
the dispersed settlement pattern was developed first in the Middle Atlantic colonies as a result of
the individual immigrants’ arrivals. As people started to move westward, where land was
plentiful, the isolated type of settlements became dominant in the American Midwest. These
farms are located in the large plains and plateaus agricultural areas, but some isolated farms,
including hamlets, can also be found in different mountainous areas (Figures 7 and 8).
Rural Settlement Patterns

Rural Settlements Types

There are four types of rural settlements in India – compact, semi-compact, hamleted, and
dispersed or scattered type of rural settlements.

Compact Settlements

If the total number of hamlets equals the total number of villages in an area unit then the
settlement is known as a compact settlement. Compact settlements are found all over the plateau
region of Malwa, large parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Nimar upland, Vindhyan Plateau, the
Narmada Valley, and other cultivated parts of India.

Semi-compact Settlements

A settlement is considered semi-compact when the overall number of villages exceeds half of the
hamlets. These settlements are found in both plateaus and plains that depend on the prevailing
environmental conditions in those areas. The dwellings in semi-compact Settlements are not
tightly linked and are gathered at a single location. It extends further than the compact
settlement.

Hamleted Settlements

Hamlet settlement is defined as when the total number of villages equals half of the hamlets. The
hamlets are dispersed around the area, separated by fields, and the central or major village has
little or no influence over the rest. Most of the time, it is not easy to distinguish the original site
and the diversity of morphology is often disregarded. Hamleted settlements are found in coastal
plains, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.

Dispersed Settlements

When a settlement has fewer than half the number of hamlets, it is classified as dispersed
settlement. The occupants of such villages live in small, isolated houses that are scattered across
 the farmed fields. The marriage customs, sentiments associated with living independently, and
individualism are conducive in dispersed settlements.

Factors Affecting the Location of Rural Settlements

Water Supply

 Generally, the majority of rural villages are constructed around bodies of water. such as lakes,
springs, and rivers
 At times, the need for water drives people to settle in, otherwise the drawbacks of sites such as
islands surrounded by swamps and low-lying riverbanks
 Most water-based settlements have many benefits such as water for washing, cooking, and
drinking. Lakers and Rivers can be used in irrigating farmland
 Water bodies influenced the local people’s diet such as people catching fish for their diet

Land

 People choose to settle where there are fertile lands that are suitable for agriculture
 In European villages, people grew up near rolling countries to avoid low-lying land, which is
swampy while people living in southeast Asia choose to live near coastal plains and river valleys
that are low-lying and suitable for rice cultivation

Upland

 Upland that is resistant to flooding was chosen to prevent house damage and loss of life.
Therefore, in places where low-lying river basins chose to settle on levees and terraces that are
dry points
 People build houses on stilts amid marshy lands in tropical countries to protect themselves from
animal pests, insects, and floods

Building Materials

 The availability of building materials, stone, and wood near settlements is another advantage
 At earlier times, villages were built in forest clearings where wood was ample

Defence
 During times of war, political instability, and the hostility of neighbouring villages were
constructed on defensive islands and hills
 In Nigeria, upright inselbergs formed good defensive sites.

Rural Settlement Patterns

Rural settlement patterns reflect the way the houses are built concerning each other, the size of
the village, the surrounding topography, and the terrain influencing the shape and size of the
village.

Problems of Rural Settlement

Rural settlements in under-developed countries are poorly equipped with infrastructure and are
huge in number.

 Water Supply: People living in villages, specifically in arid and mountainous areas have to travel
many miles on foot to fetch drinking water. Water-borne diseases such as jaundice and cholera
are common diseases in rural areas
 Drought: South Asian countries often face drought conditions in their areas. Due to the absence
of irrigation, crop patterns get affected
 Sanitation: The absence of facilities like garbage disposal and toilets causes health-related
problems in such areas
 House: The houses made up of thatch, wood, and mud, remain susceptible to damage during
floods and heavy rains
 It also required proper maintenance every year
 Roads: Lack of facilities like modern communication networks and unmetalled roads causes
problems such as during the rainy season, the settlements pose serious difficulties in providing
emerging services
 Health and Education: Inadequate educational and health infrastructure for; large rural
populations is a big issue in under-developed countries

Characteristics of Rural Settlements

Traditionally, rural settlements were associated with agriculture. In modern times other types of
rural communities have been developed.
In rural settlement the most basic sitting factors can be seen clearly at work. This is because
permanent villages, like the semi-permanent settlements of shifting cultivators or nomads, or the
temporary camps of hunters and gatherers, from which they evolved, have the same basic
requirements of food, water, shelter and protection.
As human has developed more and more sophisticated techniques of obtaining a living, he was
able to depend more and more on a single place to provide his livelihood, but the basic
requirements must be present. if these needs are provided, other factors such as planning can
come into play and affect the siting of settlement.
In most countries the pattern of rural settlement that we see today is the result of a series of
adjustments to the environment which have been going on for centuries. In some countries,
however, either as part of a land reform scheme or because the pressure of population in the
existing settled areas is becoming too great, new villages and rural settlements are being
established today.

The settlement where the occupation of the majority of people relate to the local natural
resources is called rural settlement for example,

(1) settlement of fisheries along sea coast,

(2) settlement of tribal people in the forest area and

(3) settlement of farmers along the banks of rivers.

There are some salient characteristics of rural settlements.

Rural area is sparsely populated because many people leaves rural areas and settles in the urban
areas for more facilities.These society has homogeneity. in its profession that is their only source
of earning is agriculture and this is transmitted from generation to generation.There is
homogeneity in dress, language and customs. It means all these remain same because their
culture is same they belong to the same area.These areas have got slow means of
communication.Rural areas have very slow rate of change because of lack of education and
modern technology.These settlements have got simple culture transmitted from generation to
generation.Rural areas have got informal social life that is they spent their life in a. simple
way.Rural communities have got strong relationships and interactions of the people. It means
that they help each other in distress and shares the happiness.In such areas there is less rate of
pollution because there are no factories and mills and the number of automobiles is less.In such
areas people shows great hospitality to their guests and treat them as a member of a family.
Size of the Community:
The village communities are smaller in area than the urban communities. As the village
communities are small, the population is also low.

Density of Population:
As the density of population is low, the people have intimate relationships and face-to-face
contacts with each other. In a village, everyone knows everyone.

The primacy of Agriculture:

Agriculture is the fundamental occupation of the rural people and forms the basis of the rural
economy. A farmer has to perform various agricultural activities for which he needs the
cooperation of other members. Usually, these members are from his family. Thus, the members
of the entire family share agricultural activities. That is the reason why Lowry Nelson has
mentioned that farming is a family enterprise.
Close Contact with Nature
The rural people are in close contact with nature as most of their daily activities revolve around
the natural environment. This is the reason why a ruralite is more influenced by nature than an
urbanite. The villagers consider land as their real mother as they depend on it for their food,
clothing, and shelter.

Homogeneity of Population:
The village communities are homogenous in nature. Most of their inhabitants are connected with
agriculture and its allied occupations, though there are people belonging to different castes,
religions, and classes.

Social Stratification:
In rural society, social stratification is a traditional characteristic, based on caste. The rural
society is divided into various strata on the basis of caste.

Social Interaction:
The frequency of social interaction in rural areas is comparatively lower than in urban areas.
However, the interaction level possesses more stability and continuity. The relationships and
interactions in the primary groups are intimate. The family fulfills the needs of the members and
exercises control over them.
It is the family, which introduces the members to the customs, traditions and culture of the
society. Due to limited contacts, they do not develop individuality and their viewpoint towards
the outside world is very narrow, which makes them oppose any kind of violent change.In Rural
society there are more formal groups than urban society.

Urbanism and Ruralism are social realities.

Social Mobility:
In rural areas, mobility is rigid as all the occupations are based on caste. Shifting from one
occupation to another is difficult as caste is determined by birth. Thus, caste hierarchy
determines the social status of the rural people.

Social Solidarity:
The degree of social solidarity is greater in villages as compared to urban areas. Common
experience, purposes, customs, and traditions form the basis of unity in the villages. The point is
debatable as there is much politics going on in villages.

Joint Family System :

Another characteristic feature of rural society is the joint family system. The family controls the
behaviour of the individuals. Generally, the father is the head of the family and is also
responsible for maintaining the discipline among members. He manages the affairs of the family.

Characteristics of Rural Settlements

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Rashid Faridi
Traditionally, rural settlements were associated with agriculture. In modern times other types of
rural communities have been developed.
In rural settlement the most basic sitting factors can be seen clearly at work. This is because
permanent villages, like the semi-permanent settlements of shifting cultivators or nomads, or the
temporary camps of hunters and gatherers, from which they evolved, have the same basic
requirements of food, water, shelter and protection.
As human has developed more and more sophisticated techniques of obtaining a living, he was
able to depend more and more on a single place to provide his livelihood, but the basic
requirements must be present. if these needs are provided, other factors such as planning can
come into play and affect the siting of settlement.
In most countries the pattern of rural settlement that we see today is the result of a series of
adjustments to the environment which have been going on for centuries. In some countries,
however, either as part of a land reform scheme or because the pressure of population in the
existing settled areas is becoming too great, new villages and rural settlements are being
established today.

The settlement where the occupation of the majority of people relate to the local natural
resources is called rural settlement for example,
(1) settlement of fisheries along sea coast,

(2) settlement of tribal people in the forest area and

(3) settlement of farmers along the banks of rivers.

There are some salient characteristics of rural settlements.

Rural area is sparsely populated because many people leaves rural areas and settles in the urban
areas for more facilities.These society has homogeneity. in its profession that is their only source
of earning is agriculture and this is transmitted from generation to generation.There is
homogeneity in dress, language and customs. It means all these remain same because their
culture is same they belong to the same area.These areas have got slow means of
communication.Rural areas have very slow rate of change because of lack of education and
modern technology.These settlements have got simple culture transmitted from generation to
generation.Rural areas have got informal social life that is they spent their life in a. simple
way.Rural communities have got strong relationships and interactions of the people. It means
that they help each other in distress and shares the happiness.In such areas there is less rate of
pollution because there are no factories and mills and the number of automobiles is less.In such
areas people shows great hospitality to their guests and treat them as a member of a family.

Size of the Community:

The village communities are smaller in area than the urban communities. As the village
communities are small, the population is also low.

Density of Population:
As the density of population is low, the people have intimate relationships and face-to-face
contacts with each other. In a village, everyone knows everyone.

The primacy of Agriculture:

Agriculture is the fundamental occupation of the rural people and forms the basis of the rural
economy. A farmer has to perform various agricultural activities for which he needs the
cooperation of other members. Usually, these members are from his family. Thus, the members
of the entire family share agricultural activities. That is the reason why Lowry Nelson has
mentioned that farming is a family enterprise.
Close Contact with Nature
The rural people are in close contact with nature as most of their daily activities revolve around
the natural environment. This is the reason why a ruralite is more influenced by nature than an
urbanite. The villagers consider land as their real mother as they depend on it for their food,
clothing, and shelter.
Homogeneity of Population:
The village communities are homogenous in nature. Most of their inhabitants are connected with
agriculture and its allied occupations, though there are people belonging to different castes,
religions, and classes.

Social Stratification:
In rural society, social stratification is a traditional characteristic, based on caste. The rural
society is divided into various strata on the basis of caste.

Social Interaction:
The frequency of social interaction in rural areas is comparatively lower than in urban areas.
However, the interaction level possesses more stability and continuity. The relationships and
interactions in the primary groups are intimate. The family fulfills the needs of the members and
exercises control over them.
It is the family, which introduces the members to the customs, traditions and culture of the
society. Due to limited contacts, they do not develop individuality and their viewpoint towards
the outside world is very narrow, which makes them oppose any kind of violent change.In Rural
society there are more formal groups than urban society.

Urbanism and Ruralism are social realities.

Social Mobility:
In rural areas, mobility is rigid as all the occupations are based on caste. Shifting from one
occupation to another is difficult as caste is determined by birth. Thus, caste hierarchy
determines the social status of the rural people.

Social Solidarity:
The degree of social solidarity is greater in villages as compared to urban areas. Common
experience, purposes, customs, and traditions form the basis of unity in the villages. The point is
debatable as there is much politics going on in villages.

Joint Family System :

Another characteristic feature of rural society is the joint family system. The family controls the
behaviour of the individuals. Generally, the father is the head of the family and is also
responsible for maintaining the discipline among members. He manages the affairs of the family.

The Characteristics of Urban Settlements are that the occupation of the population is tied
to the secondary and tertiary sectors and possesses human-made constructions like homes,
businesses, roads, bridges, and railroads; also, these areas have a huge physical footprint and a
dense population.
The secondary sectors and tertiary sectors are connected to the population’s main line of work.
In an urban agglomeration, such as a town or city, displaced populations settle in urban
settlements.

Characteristics of Urban Settlements

Closely populated places with houses arranged in a cluster are clustered rural villages. These
settlements can occasionally create a geometric design. The following are some characteristics
that distinguish clustered rural villages apart from other forms of Urban Settlements:

 The populated areas are distinct from the farmland.

 States with lush alluvial plains in the northeastern region are where one can find such
towns.
 Clustered settlements are created for defense and security purposes and to allow residents
to live close to one another.
 To tackle the issue of water shortage and make the most of available water, people live in
close-knit communities in states like Rajasthan.
 Urban areas serve as hubs for economic development and bridges to rural areas.
 Compared to rural places, metropolitan life is faster and more complicated. In cities,
formal relationships are the norm.

Summary:

What are the Main Characteristics of Urban Settlements?

Urban settlements are characterized by their large physical footprints, dense population,
and occupations that are linked to the secondary and tertiary sectors. They also have human-
made structures like homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and railroads.

Top 8 Characteristics of Urban Community

Some of the most important characteristics of urban community are as follows: 1. Large size and

high density of population 2. Heterogeneity 3. Anonymity 4. Mobility and transiency 5.

Formality of relations 6. Social distance 7. Regimentation 8. Segmentation of personality.

Urban life and personality are affected by the physical and social conditions of urban living—

anonymity, social distance, speed and tension, regimentation, impersonal social interaction,

mobility and transiency etc. These conditions produce impersonality, insecurity and

segmentation of personality, which appear to be universal characteristics of urbanisation (or

urban community) all over the world.

Urban mode of life is quite contrary to traditional rural life, though it has affected rural life

which is also in the process of change. Its characteristics are represented by the terms ‘urbanism’

and the process of its expansion is called ‘urbanisation’.

1. Large size and high density of population:

ADVERTISEMENTS:

The size of the urban community is much larger than the rural community. Not only this, in

urban areas, there is high density of population. Density increases the number of short-term,
impersonal and utilitarian social relationships a person is likely to have.

2. Heterogeneity:

Urban population is heterogeneous. It consists of various shades of people—different castes,

classes, ethnic groups, religions, etc. They are not all alike. Urban community is noteworthy for

its diversity.

3. Anonymity:

The sheer pressure of number marks for anonymity. Anonymity is a loss of identity and sense of

belongingness. The heterogeneity of city life with its mixture of people of all races, castes,

classes, creeds, occupations and ethnic origins heightens the sense of anonymity.

4. Mobility and transiency:

Urban life is dynamic. Social relations are temporary. Therefore, permanency does not develop

in urban relations. There is a high rate of geographical as well as social mobility in urban areas.

In America, on an average, a person changes his job (occupational mobility) within six years.

Consequently, his dwelling (changes of residence), also changes. Different types of mobility

usually mean transiency of contact. As such, urban social relations continue for a very short time.

Urban dweller continually makes new social contacts.

5. Formality of relations:

In urban social life, relations are not intimate and kinship based. Most routine social contacts in

the city are impersonal and segmented. Formal politeness takes the place of genuine friendliness.

The impersonality of urban life is a necessary and convenient way of urban living.

6. Social distance:

City people are physically crowded but socially distant. Social distance is a product of

anonymity, impersonality and heterogeneity. Occupational differences may be even more

important sources of social distance. Urbanites become nigh-dwellers, not neighbours.

Apartment dwellers may live for years without any acquaintance with many of the other

occupants.

7. Regimentation:

The city is always in hurry. The life (work and entertainment) in the urban community becomes

‘clock regulated’. Order, regularity and the punctuality are the characteristics of urban life. On

the streets, his movement is controlled by traffic lights, on railway stations and other places by

elevators and escalators.

8. Segmentation of personality:

Most routine urban contacts are of secondary group rather than primary group nature. Most

contacts are instrumental, that is, we use another person as a necessary functionary to fulfill our

purposes. We do not necessarily interact with entire persons but with people in terms of their

formal roles as postman, bus driver, office assistant, policeman and other functionaries. We thus

interact with only a segment of the person, not with the whole person.

Urban settlements, also known as cities or towns, are defined by a variety of unique
characteristics that set them apart from rural areas. Here are some of the most notable features of
urban settlements:

o The majority of the population is engaged in occupations that fall under the secondary
and tertiary sectors. This includes industries like manufacturing, services, and
information technology.
 o Urban areas are characterized by a high concentration of man-made structures. These can
range from residential buildings and commercial establishments to infrastructures such as
roads, bridges, and railway lines.
o Another defining characteristic of urban settlements is their size and population density.
Cities are typically larger and more densely populated than rural areas.

What is an ‘urban’ place?

Essentially ‘urban’ means a built up area such as a town or city. There is no internationally
agreed definition of what urban means. Each country has its own, such as:

 China: since 2001 China has used a system of ‘statistical classification’ meaning that the
definition of an ‘urban’ area is not fixed. Instead, it can change depending on the way the data is
collected (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2002, and Beijing Municipal Bureau of
Statistics, 2018)
 Kenya: a “built-up and compact human settlement with a population of at least 2,000
 people defined without regard to the local authority boundaries” (Kenya National Bureau of
Statistics, 2012)
 United Kingdom – “areas of urban land use of 20 hectares or more with 1,500 or more residents”
(ONS, 2016)
 United States: the US considers urban to refer to two types of area – Urbanized Areas (UAs) of
50,000 or more people, and Urban Clusters (UCs) of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 people
(US Census Bureau, 2016)

These definitions generally refer to population size and density. Other ways of classifying a
place as urban are by the characteristics of an urban place, such as function, land use, hierarchy
of settlement, and how the area grows.

The United Nations Population Division (UNPD) recognises how difficult it is to classify
settlements, and that there is no fixed definition. This is mainly because as settlements grow,
they are renamed, merge together and so on. The result is that deciding what is ‘urban’ is highly
subjective, depending on the way that the urban area is classified, as shown in the diagram
below. More details about urban growth can be found on the page ‘Growth processes of cities’
on this site.
 Methodologies of classifying urban areas. Source: UNPD, 2018.

Characteristics of urban places

Aside from the population, urban places also have common characteristics. Think of ‘urban’ and
many people think of roads, buildings and infrastructure like electricity cables and sewage
systems. Others will think of shops, offices and busy transport hubs.

Site

Site refers to the land on which a settlement is built. For example, it might be on gently sloping
land, facing south, with well-draining soil, a water supply from a local spring, and on a river
bend. These features would all make it a good site for an early settlement in the pre-industrial
age:

 gently sloping land – prevents flooding

 facing south – in the northern hemisphere, it means the settlement will be warmed by the sun
during the day (also good for growing crops locally)
 with well-draining soil – so it’s easy to build on
 a water supply from a local spring – for drinking etc.
 on a river bend – provides a defensive barrier from attack
 As urban areas have grown, site factors have become less important. For example, most cities do
not source their water locally (from springs and rivers) but receive it in pipes from elsewhere. In
the modern age, most urban areas are still found in places that have good ‘site’ features, but this
is not because of the features of the site itself.

Situation

Situation refers to the location of the settlement in relation to what is around it. For example, a
city might be located along a coastline, at the end of a river valley, at the other end of which is a
coalfield. These features would all make a good place for a modern settlement because of the
things nearby:

 located along a coastline – can build a port for international trade

 deep sea – allows large container ships to come into the port
 at the end of a river valley – valleys are important passages through mountains as they can be
used for railways and roads
 near a coalfield – a cheap source of energy, and/or a product for export

In reality, a combination of good site and situation features are needed for a settlement to grow
into a large urban area.

Function

Function refers to ‘what the places does’, or ‘the reason the city is there’. Almost all settlements
have more than one function, and the larger the urban area the more functions it is likely to have.

Typical functions of urban function include:

 Administrative centres – headquarters for government offices

 Industrial
 Transport – ports, railway junctions, airline hubs
 Retail
 Markets – places where agricultural products made in the surrounding area can be sold
 Residential
 Financial – headquarters of major banks, insurance companies etc.

Functions are both cause and effect of a city’s growth. For example, Hong Kong grew to its
current population of over 7 million because it had a historical administrative function, as well as
a transport function as a sea port. Over time it has grown into a financial centre, a retail centre
and an airline transport hub. This is a good example of cumulative causation.

Land use
 Land use in urban areas is easily identifiable as not rural meaning there is little agricultural land
use. (There are no farms.)

Land use is often closely linked to the function. In almost all urban areas, residential is the main
land use. In industrial centres, industrial land use will be common, and so on. However there are
land use types that are not necessarily a function of the urban area, but are closely linked:

 Open space – parks, riversides, ‘empty’ places awaiting development

 Sports facilities – informal (such as parks) and formal (such as football stadia)
 Local transport – roads, railways, metro systems for moving local people around
 Government services and social amenities – libraries, schools, hospitals
 Infrastructure – telephone exchanges, data centres (for internet servers), gas terminals and so on

Hierarchy of settlement (including megacities)

A hierarchy refers to something put into a particular order, for example biggest to smallest. The
settlement hierarchy is a way to classify settlements.

 An example of a settlement hierarchy. Source: By the author.

The names and types of the settlements that can be placed in the hierarchy vary. Some common
types of settlements are:

 Isolate – an individual dwelling e.g. a farmhouse

 Hamlet – a small collection of dwellings (like a very small village)
 Village – a small settlement
 Town – varying in size from a few thousand people to several tens of thousands, depending on
the characteristics of the town
 City – a large urban settlement
 Capital city – usually but not always the largest settlement in a country (e.g. London, Paris,
Beijing); and/or the centre of national government (Brasilia, Canberra, Pretoria)
 Primate city – the name given to a country’s biggest city when it is at least twice as large as the
next biggest city
 Binary city – the name given to a country’s two biggest cities when they are of roughly equal
importance, e.g. Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Sydney and Melbourne, or Cape Town and
Johannesburg
 Millionaire city – a city of at least one million people
 Megacity – a city of at least 10 million people
 Metacity / hypercity / megalopolis – a city of at least 20 million people (UN Habitat, 2006).
These terms are also used to describe large conurbations such as the Pearl River Delta area in
southern China.
 Conurbation – an urban area created when two or more large settlements grow so big that they
join together

For more detail on megacities, see the ‘Characteristics of megacities’ page on this site.

A note on economic settlement hierarchies

Settlements may also be classified into a hierarchy according to the variation of economic
activity in a settlement. For example, a village may have only basic services and no industry at
all, while a city may have a great mixture of economic activities. This generally relates to the
size of the settlement as measured by population, but not always. For this reason, the hierarchy
of settlements as classified by economic activity is covered in the ‘Urban Economic Activities’
section of this site.

Growth process (planned or spontaneous)

Historically cities have developed spontaneously – meaning their growth has not been planned.
A combination of natural increase and in-migration from rural areas led to the increase in
population in cities. This is still the case for cities in the poorest countries. Cities in the lowest
income countries frequently have rapid and spontaneous urban development. Migration and a
high rate of population growth result in a shortage of adequate housing, so people are forced to
build their own dwellings. These areas are sometimes known as slums, shanty towns, favelas,
champas and bustees but are properly known as informal settlements. Informal settlements where
the residents do not own the land and do not pay rent to a landlord are known as squatter
settlements.

In general, modern cities in richest countries are carefully planned. Population growth in these
High Income Countries is generally slow or in decline and is monitored by governments which
then plan for the future needs of people in the cities. These cities often have strong
administrations that are capable of managing changes such as infrastructure development.
Over the past half century, cities have increasingly been developed through deliberate planning
by governments of countries at all income levels. These new settlements are often called
‘planned cities’ or ‘new towns’. They are defined by being largely planned in advance, rather
than being additions to existing towns or cities. As existing cities became too big, governments
create new cities for people to move to. They do this by denying planning permission on the
edges of the bigger cities while granting it in the new town area, and by paying for the basic
infrastructure in the new places (e.g. building highways, electricity and water services, schools
and hospitals). However, they are often found nearby to existing cities. One of the most famous
is Milton Keynes (near London, UK), but examples can be found across the world including
Olgiata (near Rome, Italy), and Ma On Shan (Hong Kong). Canberra and Brasilia, the capital
cities of Australia and Brazil respectively, are also both examples of planned cities.