Question

Rural settlements in Rajasthan are large and inhabited by over ten thousand people.

Explain any two factors influencing location and size of rural settlements in Rajasthan.

Answer 1

Factors influencing size and location of rural settlements are:

• Physical Factors: These include soil capability, climate, drainage, ground water level, etc. These factors influence the type and spacing of dwelling. For instance, in dry regions of Rajasthan, water is a crucial factor and, therefore, houses are situated along a pond or a well which guides the compactness of the settlement.
• Ethnic and Cultural Factors: These include aspects like caste, community, ethnicity and religion. This leads to social segregation and fragmentation of a settlement into several units.
• Historical or Defence Factors: In the past, mostly border areas of north-western plains were conquered or attacked frequently by outsiders. For a long time, apart from attack from outsiders, there had been continuous fight between princely states and kingdom within the country therefore, security concerns favoured the evolution of nucleated settlements.