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HUMAN SETTLEMENT SYSTEMS

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 HUMAN SETTLEMENT SYSTEMS

Prof. A. Balasubramanian
University of Mysore
24-7-2015

Introduction:

Geography is an interdisciplinary subject with multi-disciplinary applications. It has five themes as

location, place, human, movement and region. The subject deals with the study of Earth and its lands,
features, inhabitants, phenomena, processes and interaction of humans and their environment.
By nature it is a field of inquiry. There are several key concepts underlying the geographical
perspectives as location, space, place, scale, pattern, regionalization and globalization. It deals with
human population, culture and settlements as well. Human Geography and Physical Geography are
the two major branches of geography. Human Geography is the study of human use and
understanding of the world and the processes which have affected it. It focuses on the built
environment and also on how the space is created, viewed and managed by humans as well as the
influence of humans on the space they occupy.

Human beings invariably need food, clothes and shelter for normal living. These three are the basic
necessities. Shelter is the place for a safe rest and comfortable stay. Shelter is also a place for human
cultural activities and social linkages. The word “shelter” may denote houses, dwellings, group of
dwellings and habitations. The word hamlet was also used for a small groups of shelters, in the rural
areas. Archeologists and Geographers have both studied the ancient world. Geographers have
analysed the landuse, identified the merits and demerits of settlements during early civilizations and
their functional relationships with other geographic factors. Geographers have also evaluated the
sequence of evolution of settlements in various zones, with reference to their forms and purposes.
They also found the role of population on settlements and the socio-cultural aspects behind them.
It is under these context subject settlement Geography got originated as one of the branches of
Geography. The Human Settlement Systems are the basics in understanding the subject.

In this episode, the following aspects are highlighted:

a) Definition and Formation of settlements

b) Approaches to study and Analyse Settlements
c) Classification of settlements
d) Kinds of settlements &
e) Significance of studying settlements.

1. Definition of settlements

Settlement Geography relates to the study of human use of land, water and resource, patterns of
population density and the growth of settlement. It is an essential part of urban planning and urban
design.
Settlement geography focuses on population clusters, and tries to find out why they arose and what
sustains them. The subject mainly derives the core observations from archaeology.
Ancient civilizations were unearthed by archaeologists. They identified 3 patterns of settlements as
Dispersed settlements
Linear settlements and
Nuclear settlements.

Dispersed settlements had no central point.

Linear settlements clustered along rivers, creeks and streams.

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This trend continued along highways and railways.

Nuclear settlements occurred along cross-roads, at river mouths, adjacent to bays and near centres of
industry.

A city has not exact definition of its boundaries. It is very difficult to say where it starts and where it
ends. In the ancient cities, walls may have defined a city and its boundary. We can still see the ruins
of those walls.

Cities play an important role in all our lives today, and also in future. Industrial revolution has
contributed to the growth of urban centres during the last sixty years. There has been an
unprecedented growth of cities all over the world. It also indirectly reflected the population
explosion. Rapid urbanization is taking place in Asia, Latin, America and Africa.

Cities, today, are the Prime centres of economic growth, technological advances and culture.
In addition to all positive aspects of cities, there are also negative threats like urban violence and
poverty, homelessness, overcrowding and health problems, pollution and waste generation.
It is estimated that by the end of this century, half of the worlds population will be living in cities
only.

The unit of residence may be a very small hut, tent or a shed type house constructed with tin sheets
and asbestos.
A unit of settlement may also range from a slum, hut or a farmhouse.
It is always correlated with the facets of geography like climate, relief, geology and socio economic
conditions.

There are five basic principles relating to settlement formation.

1. Maximization of potential contacts

2. At a minimum of effort in terms of energy, time and cost
3. Optimization of man’s protective space if he is alone or with others
4. Optimization of the quality of man’s relationship with his environment
5. Optimization in the synthesis of all principles

2. Approaches to study and Analyse Settlements:

Settlements can be studied using many approaches like

a) Culturo-environmental approach
b) Geographic (or) Geospatial approach in which
a) Systematic, topical and
b) Regional approaches

a) Rural settlements which include village and hamlets have been studied systematically at micro
level. These studies were concentrated on their occupance, setting, morphology, size, shape and
functions.
b) The second approach to study settlements of regions as a whole comprising their histogenesis,
morphogenesis, spread, distribution, patterns and types, with all these, settlement geographers attempt
to explain the form, function and genesis of various kinds of human settlements.

Settlements can be studied in relation with the environment by adopting any of the three approaches
like
a) genetic
b) spatial and
c) ecological

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Genetic Approach:
Deals with grouped settlement along with common field systems. Isolated farmsteads associated
with celts round and the street village form also with the slavs.

Spatial Approach:

Spatial organization
i) Type, pattern and classification
ii) Functional integration and hierarchy
iii) Local identity (village structure)
iv) Planning and rationalization

Ecological Approach:

This approach helps to know the process of change in human behavior and settlements over time.
Human society and Ecology.

“I live in a city”
“I am going to the city”
“I live near the city”

People prefer telling their closeness towards cities for several reasons. People are also attracted by the
opportunities, urban structures and entertainments, amusement parks, and many other amenities.

While dealing with settlement Geography, the Geography becomes a historian, cartographer, artist,
sociologist, mathematician and finally an environmentalist.
The essence analysis comes from data collection, based on remote sensing, mapping, field studies,
interpretation, explanation of facts by using qualitative and quantitative methods.

3. Classification of Settlements

Classification of types of dwellings and village settlements, is an essential part of studying both rural
and urban patterns.

Several scholars have worked on different types of classification systems. The notable ones are :
1. Muller-Willes classification based on degree of permanence.
2. Uhlig and Lienau classification based on rural-urban relationship.

Muller-Wille classified the settlements based on the degree of permanence.

It depends on the residence time of a Settlement in a place - Category

1-7 days Ephemeral

8-30 days Temporary
8-15 days Episodic
16-30 days Periodic
Several months Seasonal
Several years Semi-permanent
Several generations Permanent

Classification of Rural settlement; is also done, using several other criteria.

The first approach is On the basis of

Mean population (MP)
Mean Distance (MD)

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Mean coefficient of dispersion (CD) and
Coefficient of variation (V).

On the basis of mean population, all rural settlements can be divided into 3 groups:
a) Small size when MP < 300
b) Medium size when MP is 300-500
c) Large size when MP is > 500

On the basis of Mean Distance (MD), all rural settlements can be classified into 3 groups:
a) Relatively widespread distribution when village distance exceeds 3 km
b) Relatively less widespread distribution when MD is 2-3 km
c) Relatively close distribution where MD is less than 2 km

On the basis of mean Coefficient of Dispersion (CD) settlements are divided into 2 groups as
a) rural settlements having uniform distribution when CD is < 50% and
b) non-uniform distribution when CD is > 50%

On the basis of CV (Coefficient of variation)

Settlements are classified as

a) Centres of population when CV is > 1.00 CV > 1.00 and

b) No clearly defined concentration when CV is less than 1.0 < 1.0.

4. KINDS OF SETTLEMENTS

There is also a general classification of settlements based on Physiographyic and other factors.

The kinds of settlements/categories of settlements;

on the basis of physiographic setting:
a) Plain settlement
b) Plateau settlement
c) Lacustrine settlement
d) Coastal settlement
e) Forest settlement and
f) Desert and useland

In the basis of spatial distance between dwellings and hamlets, settlements are grumped as

a) Dispersed settlements
b) Compact settlements
c) Isolated settlements
d) Semi compact settlements
e) Hamleted settlements

On the basis of occupations of settlers, settlements are group as

a) Agriculture settlements
b) Livestock raising settlements
c) Vegetable growing settlements

Function based classification is also done to differentiate Settlement patterns as

a) Agricultural villages
b) Fisherman’s villages

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 c) Pastoral Huts.

The Size – based classification is used to classify the kinds as

Farmstead
Hamlet
Town
City and
Metropolis .

Shape-based classification was proposed by Dickinson from Germany and was later modified by
Christaller.

They include:

1. Irregular clustered villages

2. Isolated farmsteads
3. Hamlets – Founded by landlords
4. Place villages
5. Angerdorfer (2 rows of farms on long space)
6. Street village
7. Linear villages
8. Estate villages
9. Urban villages
10. Suburban settlements
11. Modern industrial settlements

On the basis of forms or shapes, settlements can be differentiated into 12 kinds.

1. Linear
2. Circular
3. Radial
4. Triangular
5. Block
6. Arrow
7. Star
8. Fan
9. Beehive
10. Stair
11. Terrace
12. Checker board pattern.

Taylor of the Assn of Geographers proposed a classification of towns, with reference to stages of its
growth.
There are 7 stages and Unique classes in it.

1. Sub-infantile stage.
a settlement has one street with shops amidst residences.
2. Infantile stage.
Beginnings of a street-grid system
3. Juvenile stage
Exclusive and clear segregation of commercial shops etc at the centre of the town including
number of streets without residences.

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4. Adolescent stage – houses move away from the centre, early houses survive in the expanding
zones.

5. Mature city with 4 quadrant zones.

6. Late Maturity – planning of the town

7. Senile stage – No growth, expansion is abandoned

In India, B.K. Roy has provided 5 kinds of Settlement Patterns for the purpose of mapping the zones:

1. Block pattern – compact / rectangular / checkerboard.

2. Elongated and Linear pattern:
Elongated on levees, river fronts, ridges
Fish bone
Linear along beaches and canals
Elongated along highways
3. Fan pattern:
With convergence of lanes on a main road,
Lanes towards a pond
Lanes converging on temple, mosque or church.

4. Circular pattern:
Hollow circular
Radial settlements

5. Other patterns:

I – shaped settlements
T – shaped settlements
Dispersed (or) sprinkled settlements
Hamleted settlements
Irregular (or) amorphous settlements
Deserted settlements.

Settlement Geography also deals with rural or urban agglomerations.

These may be
a) Sendentary Agglomeration
b) Semi-sedentary Agglomeration
c) Mobile Agglomeration

Sendentary Agglomerations are further classified into

Small towns
Strong point villages with hamlets
Village Communities
Village.

Studies in Settlement Geography also include

a) Historicity
b) Analytical Approach to study Function and Form
c) Place Name Analysis
d) Methodological interpretations

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 e) Classification studies
f) Growth of settlement studies
g) Ecology, habitat and settlements.

5. Significance of studying Settlements:

R.Y Singh While describing settlement Geography has given the following significances for
settlement studies:

1. Settlement studies provide a clear understanding of where, why and how people settle in
temporal frame.
2. Provides a clear understanding of division of labour engaged with various types of
production.
3. Provides an insight into the modernization needs of growing of communities and behavior of
inhabitants.
4. Provides a better picture of the location and deployment of additional or new facilities.
5. Provides a better understanding of Pioneer, Secondary and other settlements.
6. Provide an understanding of the impacts of planned and improper settlements.
7. Provides an understanding of the inter and intra-regional relationships for modeling the
geospatial structure of the regional economy.
8. Provides information about socio-cultural values and etchic of people
9. Helps to search better conditions for improved quality of life with reference to housing,
sanitation and environment.
10. Helps to develop industries and provide other amenities.

Ekistics is the science of human settlements. Human settlements can be studied systematically.
Study of Human settlements will certainly help to create the cities of the future.
Ekistics deals (1) with the principles man takes into account when building his settlements
And (2) the evolution of human settlements through history in terms of size and quality.

The ultimate aim is to build the city of optimum size and a city which respects human dimensions.

None of the approaches tend to resist any development under any circumstances.

Human settlements have a very wide range from the most primitive to the most developed ones.

There are five elements concerning with human settlements as

Nature
Man
Society
Shells (Buildings) and
Networks

There are natural social and manmade elements which are dealing with the economic, social, political,
technological and cultural perspectives of settlements in a region.

Settlement Geography can help cities in their economic transitions. It can make recommendations
about land use, how to encourage or discourage settlement activity in a given region. There is also a
possibility to combact the effects of unsustainable population growth, while analyzing settlements. If
a city arose due to one particular industry and that industry has failed or faced problems, settlement
geographers can help overcoming the problems, by offering alternative solutions. It is seen in some
countries that cities shifted their focus from industry to another like culture, tourism, finance and
information technology.

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 Settlement Geography is an effective tool. Knowing where, why and how people choose to live in a
particular area helps to develop business plans and to locate new franchises. Such studies can also
help in focusing the developments of municipalities with fixed economy and targets. If an area has
high unemployment and low job availability, people need public transport and work places adjacent to
it.

Regional Planning make use of the theories of settlement Geography and also the data to balance the
growth dimension of a region. If a housing development starts adjacent to an old town, the sewage
treatment and water supply become essential requirements. It has been observed in some places,
during some seasons that water supply is done once in two days and also for an hour or two. The
dwellers are also supplied water using water tankers.

Settlement Geography can also be misused. Forcing people to live in the marginal areas is an effort
to control the growth of settlement. It may encourage migration to other places.

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