Urban and Rural Settlements

Settlements

• Rural settlements are villages with smaller populations, less development, and fewer employment opportunities, education, and amenities compared to urban settlements.
• Urban settlements are towns, suburbs, and cities that are planned and built according to urbanization, with more employment opportunities, education, and amenities.

Urban Settlements

• Built-up areas with many functions and services, including:
  • Residential areas
  • Recreational areas
  • Retail areas
  • Government areas
  • Entertainment areas
  • Industrial areas
• High-density areas have a large settlement and high population density, while low-density areas have a low concentration of people.
• Central Business District (CBD) is usually high-density with tall buildings and heavy traffic, featuring:
  • Main shopping centre with a wide range of shops
  • Main commercial centre with offices and financial institutions
  • Culture hub with cultural and entertainment centres

Industrial Areas

• Light industry:
  • Manufactures smaller items (e.g., clothes, furniture, appliances)
  • Located near CBD, with less pollution
• Heavy industry:
  • Bigger plants and factories (e.g., chemical plants, construction, petroleum refineries)
  • Located far from high-income areas, with energy-intensive, noisy, and polluting conditions

Residential Areas

• High-income areas:
  • Low-density with big houses and gardens
  • Easy access to essential routes
• Medium-income areas:
  • Medium-sized plots
  • Close to city centers and developed transport routes
• Low-income areas:
  • High-density with poor quality infrastructure
  • Traffic, noise, and pollution

Shopping Centers and Services

• Located close to residential areas, with same characteristics as the surrounding area
• Very large shopping centers can be located on the outskirts of town

Push and Pull Forces of Migration

• Push forces (rural areas):
  • Shortage of jobs and unemployment
  • Shortage of or inadequate educational and healthcare facilities
  • Environmental factors (e.g., droughts, floods)
  • Lack of basic services (e.g., inadequate sewage systems, clean water)
  • Lack of housing and transportation
• Pull forces (urban areas):
  • Job opportunities
  • High salaries
  • Better quality education
  • Better housing facilities
  • Reliable transport
  • Better basic services
  • Health services (e.g., specialist doctors/hospitals)
  • Entertainment facilities (e.g., movies, recreation)

Rural Settlements

• Characteristics:
  • Smaller population
  • Most people living and working on the land in primary activities (e.g., farming, fishing, forestry, mining, hunting)
  • Sometimes with more children and old people, as younger adults have migrated to work in urban settlements
  • Far away from urban places, and usually far away from one another, can be isolated and dispersed or clustered together

Learn about the differences between rural and urban settlements, including their characteristics, development, and amenities.