- Human Settlements
NCERT Questions:
- Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below:
(i) Which one of the following forms of settlement develops along either side of roads, rivers, or canals?
a) Circular
b) Linear
c) Cross shaped
d) Square
Ans. b) Linear
(ii) Which one of the following types of economic activities dominates in all rural settlements?
a) Primary
b) Tertiary
c) Secondary
d) Quaternary
Ans. a) Primary
(iii) In which of the following regions has the oldest well documented urban settlement found?
a) Huang He Valley
b) Indus Valley
c) Nile Valley
d) Mesopotamia
Ans. b) Indus Valley
(iv) How many of the following cities in India have attained the million statuses at the beginning of 2006?
a) 40
b) 42
c) 41
d) 43
Ans. a) 40
(v) Sufficiency of which type of resources can help to create adequate social infrastructure catering to the needs of the large population in the developing countries.
a) Financial
b) Human
c) Natural
d) Social
Ans. c) Natural
- Answer the following questions in about 30 words:
(i) How do you define a settlement?
Ans. Human settlement is defined as a place inhabited more or less permanently. It may include temporary camps of hunters or herders, and also the permanent settlements called villages, towns, cities or large agglomeration.
(ii) Distinguish between site and situation.
Ans. Site of a place is its exact location, whereas situation is the relative position of a place in relative relation to the surrounding areas and available facilities.
(iii) What is the basis of classifying settlements?
Ans. Settlements can be classified on the basis of residence and main occupation into rural and urban. Settlements may also be classified on the basis of their shape pattern types into compact or nucleated settlements and dispersed settlements.
(iv) How would you justify the study of human settlements in human geography?
Ans. The study of human settlement is basic to human geography because the form of settlement in any particular region reflects human relationship with the environment. Human settlement in any particular area reflects human land association and is affected by physical, economic and social factors; availability of water, type of soil, topography, availability of minerals etc. play an important role in development of any settlement. As it reflects and is deeply affected by the interrelation between human and physical world. It becomes an important part of human geography.
- Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words:
(i) What are the rural and urban settlements? Mention their characteristics.
Ans. Rural settlements: These settlements are those which have population of less than 5000 people and density of less than 400 persons and more than 75% people are engaged in primary activities.
Characteristics:
a) Most of the people are engaged in primary activities. They directly depend on land resources for their livelihood.
b) The population of villages is less and they have less density of people.
c) They depend on urban areas for obtaining manufactured consumer goods, whereas they are providers for all primary products.
d) They lack in both economic and social infrastructure.
Urban settlements: The Census of India defines urban settlement as all places which have municipality, corporation and cantonment board or notified town area committee and have a minimum population of 5000 persons. At least 75% of male workers are engaged in non- agricultural pursuit and density of population at least 400 person/ square kilometre are defined as urban.
Characteristics
a) The population as well as population density of urban areas is very high.
b) Most of the people are engaged in secondary and tertiary activities.
c) They depend on rural areas for raw material and primary products. They are supplier of manufactured and consumer goods.
d) They have advanced social and economic infrastructure.
(ii) Discuss the problems associated with urban settlements in developing countries.
Ans. People flock to cities to avail of employment opportunities and civic amenities. Since most cities in developing countries are unplanned, it creates severe congestion. Shortage of housing, vertical expansion and growth of slums are characteristic features of modern cities of developing countries. In many cities, an increasing proportion of the population lives in substandard housing. Eg – Slums and squatter settlements
Economic problems:
a) The decreasing employment opportunities in the rural as well as smaller urban areas of the developing countries consistently push the population to the urban areas.
b) The enormous migrant population generates a pool of unskilled and semi-skilled labour force which is already saturated in urban areas.
c) This increases the pressure on existing infrastructure of cities.
Social cultural problems:
a) Cities in the developing countries suffer from several social ills.
b) Insufficient financial resources failed to create adequate social infrastructure catering to the basic needs of the huge population.
c) The available educational and health facilities remain beyond the research of the urban poor.
d) Lack of employment and education tends to aggravate the crime rates.
e) Male selective migration to the urban areas distorts the sex ratio in these cities.
f) Also, many people flocking to these areas are unable to adjust changed conditions hence face social isolation which leads them to depression and also to crimes like alcoholism and drug abuse.
Environmental problems:
a) The large urban population in developing countries not only use is but also disposes of a huge quantity of water and all types of waste materials.
b) Many cities to the developing countries even find it extremely difficult to provide the minimum required quantity of portable water and water for domestic and industrial uses.
c) Massive use of traditional fuel in the domestic as well as the industrial sector severely pollutes the air.
d) Huge concrete structures erected to accommodate the population and economy play a very conducive role to create heat islands.
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