Key Points
Key Points: Settlement Patterns in India
- Settlement patterns in India vary due to climate, water availability, land slope, and development.
- Nucleated settlements are found in fertile areas like the Narmada Valley, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
- These areas support agriculture, especially paddy farming.
- Dispersed settlements occur in tribal regions, eastern and southern Rajasthan, and the Himalayas.
- These regions have uneven land and low soil fertility, leading to scattered homes.
Key Points: Rural Settlements
- Rural settlement consists of houses, streets and surrounding farmland; village is the most common type.
- Rural settlements are of three types:
(i) Clustered (nucleated)
(ii) Semi-clustered
(iii) Dispersed (isolated). - Clustered settlements have compact houses close to each other, usually found in fertile plains.
- Semi-clustered settlements have a small central village with hamlets spread around it.
- Dispersed settlements have scattered houses over a large area with no clear plan.
- Physical factors like relief, climate, soil and water supply influence settlement type (e.g., houses cluster around water in dry areas).
- Ethnic, cultural and historical factors also affect settlement patterns; caste system and need for protection led to compact settlements in some regions.
Key Points: Distinction between Rural and Urban Settlements
| Basis | Rural Settlements | Urban Settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Occupation | Primary activities (agriculture). | Secondary & tertiary activities (industry, services). |
| Size & Population | Small size; low population. | Large size; minimum 5,000 people. |
| Density | Low density. | Minimum 400 persons per sq. km. |
| Facilities | Few modern facilities. | Well-developed facilities. |
| Nature | Villages, small houses. | Towns, cities, metros. |
Key Points: Distinction Between Rural Population and Urban Population
| Basis | Rural Population | Urban Population |
|---|---|---|
| Residence | Lives in villages and hamlets. | Lives in towns and cities. |
| Occupation | Primary activities (agriculture, mining, forestry). | Secondary & tertiary activities (industry, trade, services). |
| Social Life | Close-knit and traditional society. | Loose social relations, less interaction. |
| Environment | Clean and less polluted. | High pollution and congestion. |
| Facilities | Limited modern facilities. | Better health, education and sanitation facilities. |
Key Points: Distribution of Rural Settlements and Its Pattern in India
- Nucleated settlements are common in the fertile North Indian Plains (Punjab to West Bengal) and other well-watered regions like Assam, Odisha, and Cauvery basin.
- Dispersed settlements are mainly found in hilly, forested and tribal areas such as Himalayas, Chotanagpur Plateau, north-east states and parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
- Linear pattern villages develop along roads, rivers, railway lines or coasts; common in Manipur, Nagaland and coastal fishing areas.
- Circular pattern settlements grow around ponds or lakes; found in Upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab and parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
- Rectangular (checkerboard) pattern develops where roads meet; common in Northern Plains and South Indian states.
- India had 6,40,867 villages (2011 Census); most villages have less than 1,000 people. Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of villages.
- In hill areas settlements are mostly dispersed, in plains mostly nucleated, and in coastal areas mainly linear fishing villages.
