Settlements and Their Patterns
Look at how houses are arranged in your village or city: some along one main road, some close together in a crowd, some far apart in fields. This arrangement of houses is called the pattern of a settlement.
A human settlement is a place where people build houses and live permanently. Two types: rural (village) and urban (city). By arrangement of houses the patterns are nucleated (clustered) and dispersed.
Key idea 1 : Rural and urban settlements — In a village farming and related occupations are main, the settlement is small and facilities (school, health centre, gram panchayat, weekly market) limited. In a city industry, trade and services are main; the settlement is large, dense and has more facilities (large hospital, university, metro, theatre). Some facilities are in both, e.g. shop, petrol pump, bus station.
Key idea 2 : Nucleated settlement — In this, houses are built close together in a group. Such a settlement forms where facilities like water, fertile flat land and transport are in one place or where living together is convenient for safety. In India it is found in the plateau of the Narmada valley, in paddy-growing regions of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and on the Vindhya plateau. In Brazil the Sao Paulo area is an example of a nucleated settlement.
Key idea 3 : Dispersed settlement — In this, houses are far apart, scattered in fields or on hill slopes. It is found where the land is uneven and dissected, and where weather, climate or water make living together difficult. In India it is seen in the tribal regions of central India, eastern and southern Rajasthan and the Himalayan slopes. In Brazil the north-eastern highlands and the Amazon interior have sparse and dispersed settlement.
- Easy : Settlement in a fertile flat village? — Nucleated.
- Medium : Settlement on Himalayan slopes? — Dispersed.
- Exam-type : Which facility is more in cities? — University, metro, large hospital.
In the figure: Types and patterns of settlements.
Close = nucleated, far = dispersed.
Nucleated does not mean only a city; a village can also be nucleated.
Memory clue: Nucleated = houses close; dispersed = houses apart. Memory clue: "Nucleus = together, dispersed = scattered".
Spot the difference
| Point | Nucleated | Dispersed |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | Close together | Far apart |
| Terrain | Flat, fertile | Uneven, hilly |
| In India | Narmada valley, Bihar | Himalayan slopes, tribal areas |
Practice questions
- 1What is a human settlement?
- 2State the difference between rural and urban settlements.
- 3What is a nucleated settlement like?
- 4Where is a dispersed settlement found and why?
- 5Why do settlements grow only in specific places?
- 6Which is the pattern of your village’s settlement and why?
- 7List five facilities available in villages and cities.
- 8Write the difference between settlements in the Ganga basin and the Amazon basin.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1A place where people build houses and live permanently.
- 2Village: farming, small, fewer facilities; city: industry, large, more facilities.
- 3Houses close together in a group.
- 4Hill slopes, tribal areas; uneven land.
- 5Facilities like water, fertile land, transport, safety.
- 6Student writes according to own village.
- 7Village: school, gram panchayat…; city: metro, university…
- 8Ganga basin: nucleated, dense; Amazon: sparse, dispersed.
Settlements in India and Brazil
People come to live where there are markets, schools and water; where these are absent a settlement does not grow. The same is seen on the map of a country.
The location and pattern of a settlement depend on climate, water, slope of land and level of development.
Key idea 1 : Settlements in India — In India various patterns are found by climate, availability of water, slope of land and level of development. Nucleated settlements are found in the Narmada valley plateau, paddy-growing regions of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the Vindhya plateau and many other agricultural parts. Dispersed settlements are found in tribal parts of central India, eastern and southern Rajasthan, Himalayan slopes and dissected uneven land.
Key idea 2 : Dense settlement of Brazil: the coast — The older settlements of Brazil were formed mainly by people who came from Europe in the coastal areas; now they are developed and densely populated. Although the coast is hot and humid and flat land is limited because of rugged relief, it has good water supply and plenty of natural resources. Sao Paulo has fertile land suited for coffee, iron ore nearby, steady energy supply and good transport; so it is a nucleated settlement area.
Key idea 3 : Sparse settlement of Brazil: the interior — In the north-eastern highlands severe droughts make farming difficult and settlement sparse. Settlement becomes sparser towards the middle of the country because of dense equatorial rainforest, climate unsuitable for living, limits on use of natural resources and lack of transport. In the Amazon basin settlements are only in a few places, along the river.
- Easy : Where are older settlements in Brazil? — Coastal areas.
- Medium : Why did settlement grow in Sao Paulo? — Fertile land, minerals, energy, transport.
- Exam-type : Why sparse settlement in north-east Brazil? — Severe droughts.
In the figure: Facilities lead to dense settlement.
Facilities → jobs → crowd.
Brazil’s coast is densely settled though hot and humid; because of facilities and resources.
Memory clue: Brazil: coast dense, interior sparse. Memory clue: "Crowded coast, empty forest".
Spot the difference
| Region | Settlement | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Sao Paulo (Brazil) | Dense, nucleated | Fertile land, minerals, transport |
| North-east Brazil | Sparse | Severe drought |
| Amazon interior | Sparse | Rainforest, no transport |
Practice questions
- 1State the factors affecting settlement patterns in India.
- 2Why is settlement dense in the coastal area of Brazil?
- 3How did Sao Paulo become a nucleated settlement?
- 4Why is settlement sparse in central Brazil?
- 5Where are nucleated and dispersed settlements found in India?
- 6Compare settlement patterns in both countries.
- 7Explain the effect of drought on settlement in north-east Brazil.
- 8Describe a settlement from a satellite image.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Climate, water, slope, development.
- 2Facilities, resources, water and industry.
- 3Fertile land, iron ore, energy, transport.
- 4Rainforest, unfavourable climate, lack of transport.
- 5Nucleated: Narmada, Bihar; dispersed: Himalaya, tribal areas.
- 6India: dense in plains; Brazil: dense on coast.
- 7Drought makes farming difficult; fewer people live.
- 8Student writes after looking at the image.
Urbanisation in India
Over the years many people from villages go to cities for jobs; so cities grow while villages do not grow as much. This process is called urbanisation.
Level of urbanisation = (urban population ÷ total population) × 100. That is, what percentage of a country’s people live in cities.
Key idea 1 : India’s level — As per the textbook the level of urbanisation in India in 2011 was 31.16 per cent, which is low compared with developed countries. From 1961 to 2011 the growth of urbanisation remained slow, but urban population is increasing because of expansion of cities and emergence of new towns.
Key idea 2 : Differences between states — In India urbanisation is higher in the south than in the north. Goa is the most urbanised state (about 62 per cent of people in cities) and Delhi is more than 80 per cent. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala have more urbanisation. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Rajasthan have less.
Key idea 3 : Ancient cities — The Indian subcontinent has a very long history. People have lived in river basins, plateaus and mountains for ages. Indraprastha (Delhi), Mithila, Varanasi, Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Ujjain and Pratishthan (Paithan) were urban settlements of earlier times. This shows India has a great tradition of urbanisation.
- Easy : 31 of 100 people in cities means? — Urbanisation 31 per cent.
- Medium : Which state is the most urbanised? — Goa.
- Exam-type : A city of earlier times? — Harappa / Ujjain.
In the figure: Points on urbanisation in India.
In Census 2011 India’s urban population was about 37.7 crore, i.e. 31.16 per cent of the total; Goa highest (62.17 per cent) and among union territories Delhi about 97.5 per cent (as per several sources; check with the book).
Urban ÷ total × 100.
Low urbanisation does not mean cities are not growing; cities grow but the share of villages is still large.
Memory clue: Urbanisation = urban ÷ total × 100. Memory clue: "Out of hundred, how many in cities?".
Spot the difference
| Point | More urbanised | Less urbanised |
|---|---|---|
| States | Goa, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala | Himachal, Bihar, Rajasthan |
| Direction | South | North |
| Facilities | Industry, services | Agriculture |
Practice questions
- 1What is urbanisation?
- 2Why is urbanisation growth in India called slow?
- 3Name the most urbanised states.
- 4Write the states with low urbanisation and reasons.
- 5Which were the ancient urban settlements of India?
- 6How is the level of urbanisation found?
- 7Write advantages and disadvantages of rising urbanisation.
- 8Prepare a choropleth (coloured) map of urbanisation.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Process of increase in the proportion of people living in cities.
- 2Only 31.16 per cent in 2011 from 1961.
- 3Goa, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala.
- 4Himachal, Bihar, Rajasthan; farming or hilly.
- 5Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Ujjain, Varanasi, Paithan.
- 6(Urban ÷ total) × 100.
- 7Advantages: jobs, facilities; disadvantages: crowding, pollution, slums.
- 8Student colours the map.
Urbanisation in Brazil and Comparison
Some cities suddenly become large because there are plenty of jobs. Sao Paulo in Brazil is such a fast-growing city.
Brazil is a highly urbanised developing country. Its rapid urbanisation happened mainly in the south and south-east.
Key idea 1 : Growth of urbanisation in Brazil — As per the table in the textbook Brazil’s urban population was 47.1 per cent in 1960, 56.8 in 1970, 66 in 1980, 74.6 in 1990, 81.5 in 2000 and 84.6 in 2010. Today about 86 per cent of Brazilians live in cities. The textbook says this growth of Brazil is unique and one of the factors behind its present rapid economic growth. The definition of ‘urban’ is not very clear in Brazil.
Key idea 2 : Urbanisation by region — In Brazil urbanisation is more in the coastal states than in the interior states. States like Sao Paulo, Goias and Minas Gerais have more urban population than the north. As population is less in the Amazon basin and highlands urbanisation is also less; but Manaus, a port at the confluence of the Negro and the Amazon, has urbanised. To reduce pressure on a few areas the Brazilian government has brought the ‘Go West’ policy.
Key idea 3 : Comparing India and Brazil — In Brazil most people live in cities (about 85 per cent), in India fewer (about 31 per cent). In Brazil urbanisation was rapid between 1960 and 2000; in India it is slow. Urbanisation is rising in both countries, but in India most people still live in villages. In both, settlement is dense in coastal and fertile areas and sparse in difficult terrain.
- Easy : In which period did Brazil urbanise fastest? — 1960–1980 (about 9–10 points per decade).
- Medium : Why did Manaus urbanise? — Port at Negro-Amazon confluence.
- Exam-type : Aim of Go West policy? — Reduce population pressure on a few areas.
In the figure: Growth of urban population in Brazil.
47 → 66 → 81 → 85.
Though Brazil is a developing country its urbanisation is very high; more than India.
Memory clue: Brazil 85% urban; India 31% urban. Memory clue: "Brazil urban, India rural".
Spot the difference
| Point | India | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Urban population | About 31 % (2011) | About 85 % |
| Pace of growth | Slow | Rapid (1960–2000) |
| More urban areas | South, Delhi | Coastal states, Sao Paulo |
Practice questions
- 1Write information about urbanisation in Brazil.
- 2Compare urbanisation in India and Brazil.
- 3Why is urbanisation higher in coastal states of Brazil?
- 4What is the ‘Go West’ policy?
- 5Write the importance of Manaus.
- 6Draw a line graph from the 1960–2010 table and write five sentences.
- 7Which factors affect urbanisation?
- 8Write a paragraph on settlement and urbanisation of India and Brazil.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1About 85 % urban; rapid growth in south-south-east.
- 2Brazil more and rapid; India less and slow.
- 3Industry, transport, jobs and facilities on the coast.
- 4Development towards the west to reduce pressure on crowded areas.
- 5Port at Negro-Amazon confluence; a city in the forest.
- 6Student draws the graph.
- 7Industry, trade, transport, climate, migration.
- 8Student writes own.