Human Settlements Class 7 Geography Notes Maharashtra State Board
Human settlements flourished at places with favorable geographic conditions such as the availability of water, a conducive climate, fertile land, etc.
In the early settlements, the occupations of the people were dependent on the locally available natural resources. This gave rise to separate settlements of people engaged in a particular occupation. For example, people along the sea coast are engaged in fishing. Their settlements became fishing hamlets (Koliwada). Forest dwellers or tribal people use forest produce for their livelihood. They live in forest areas in ‘tribal hamlets’ (Adivasi padas). Agriculture is practiced in fertile areas. Farmer families build their houses in or near their fields. These settlements gradually grow bigger. The settlements where the original occupations of the majority of the people are based on natural resources are called rural settlements. Agriculture, fishery, etc are some of these occupations.
With time, other associated occupations also developed gradually in this rural settlement. As a result, people from surrounding areas migrate and settle there leading to an increase in the rural population. Houses are built and different facilities are developed for the growing population. The importance of secondary and tertiary occupations increases, and the proportion of people engaged in primary occupations declines. This process leads to the transformation of rural settlements into urban settlements. Due to religious, historical, commercial, educational, and administrative reasons and also due to tourism, the original settlement may transform into an urban one. If the population and the necessary amenities increase on a large scale, the urban areas grow into metropolitan cities.
After considering various settlements, we realize that people settle down in different geographical conditions and adapt themselves to the conditions in the region. Patterns of human settlements evolve by the natural conditions. In this lesson, we are going to study the major patterns of human settlements and the reasons behind them.
Using the resources from the surroundings, man constructed houses and started living in them. In the modern era of science and technology, people have made remarkable progress in the construction of shelters. They have even built skyscrapers. Man is thinking of constructing colonies on other planets and their satellites, too, in the future.
Settlements have provided man with stability. Rural settlement is the first step towards a stable life in human history. Urban settlements have evolved through the expansion and growth of rural settlements. A certain way of life is preserved in rural settlements. The increase in the population of rural settlements is the beginning of urbanization. Life in urban settlements is more dynamic. There are large-scale economic correlations between rural and urban settlements. The day-to-day food requirement of the urban population is fulfilled by rural settlements. Modernization, science, and technology led to transformation in both types of settlements. The types of settlements and the characteristics of their distribution can be described as follows:
Scattered Settlements:
In scattered settlements, houses are few and far from each other. Generally, such settlements are found in areas of high relief, dense forests, grasslands, hot deserts, and extensive agricultural lands.
Characteristics of Scattered Settlements:
- Distance between scattered settlements can be seen.
- These settlements have limited populations as in small hamlets. (pada, wadi, etc.)
- Facilities and services in these settlements are not adequate.
- As these settlements are closer to nature, they are free from pollution.
- They depend on the centrally located villages for their day-to-day requirements.
Nucleated Settlements:
These settlements are generally close to water sources like brooks, rivulets, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, etc. In the deserts of Rajasthan, we find nucleated settlements near assured sources of water. Fertile plains, transport hubs, and mining centers, commercial centers often lead to the development of this type of settlement. Besides these reasons, defense, health, education, and other social and religious factors can also give rise to nucleated settlements.
Characteristics of Nucleated Settlements:
- In these settlements, houses are close together.
- Social services are available in these settlements.
- As these settlements develop in certain places over certain periods they attain particular shapes.
- Roads are narrow in the old parts of these settlements.
- People from different castes, religions, races, and ideologies live together in these settlements and hence they have a better social life.
Linear Settlements:
Linear settlements are seen along roads, railways, rivers, sea coasts, and in foothill regions, etc. These types of settlements are narrow in shape and they spread along a straight line.
Characteristics of Linear Settlements:
- Houses in these settlements are along a single line. As the settlement grows over time, multiple lines emerge.
- Roads are parallel to each other.
- Besides houses, some shops can be seen too.
- These settlements grow along with the roads.
- For example, such settlements are found along the coastal tracts, major rivers, and National or State highways in our country.
Factors Influencing the Location of Human Settlements:
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