Human Settlements
Class 12 Geography · India People and Economy · Chapter 2
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Summary
A human settlement is a cluster of dwellings of any type or size where people live, involving the grouping of people and the apportioning of territory as their economic support base. Settlements range from a hamlet to a metropolis and are broadly rural or urban. Rural settlements draw their living from land-based primary activities and have intimate, less mobile social relations, while urban settlements depend on processing, manufacturing and services and have complex, formal and fast social relations; cities act as nodes of economic growth serving their rural hinterlands through transport and communication. Rural settlements in India are of four types — clustered or nucleated, semi-clustered or fragmented, hamleted, and dispersed or isolated — shaped by physical features, cultural and ethnic factors, and security. The Census defines an urban settlement by its administrative status, a minimum population of 5,000, at least 75 per cent of male workers in non-agricultural pursuits, and a density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre. Indian towns are classified by their period of evolution as ancient (Varanasi, Prayag, Patna), medieval (Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur) and modern (Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and post-independence administrative and industrial towns). The level of urbanisation in 2011 was 31.16 per cent. Functionally, towns are classified as administrative, industrial, transport, commercial, mining, garrison, educational, religious and cultural, and tourist towns, though most large cities eventually become multifunctional.
Key terms
Human settlement
A cluster of dwellings of any type or size where people live and command territory as their support base.
Clustered settlement
A compact, closely built-up rural settlement with a recognisable geometric pattern, common in the northern plains.
Dispersed settlement
An isolated settlement of huts or hamlets scattered over fragmented terrain, as in parts of Meghalaya and Kerala.
Urban settlement
A compact, larger settlement engaged in non-agricultural functions, defined by the Census by population, occupation and density criteria.
Hinterland
The area served by and functionally linked to a town or city.
Functional classification
Grouping of towns by their dominant or specialised function, such as administrative or industrial.
Extra questions & answers
Try one from this chapter
A human settlement is best defined as: