Question

Explain the characteristics of rural settlements.

Answer 1

• Based on functions, settlements can be divided into two types – rural and urban.
• Agriculture and allied activities such as fishing, livestock rearing and lumbering are the main economic activities in rural areas.
• The classification of land use in rural areas is done according to the Land Records Department.
• As per the Land Records Department, land in rural areas is mainly used for agriculture-related purposes such as crop cultivation, permanent pastures, grazing lands, tree crops or fallow land.
• Most rural settlements are semi-clustered or fragmented and small in size.
• Primary activities like agriculture, lumbering, fishing and livestock rearing are more developed in rural settlements.
• In rural areas, sometimes agricultural land is converted into residential or industrial areas.
• Many people in rural areas commute daily to nearby cities for work, showing a strong connection between rural and urban areas.
• There is a transitional zone between rural and urban areas known as the rural-urban fringe.