Changes in human settlements
Today we live permanently in a house, village or city. But earlier humans moved from place to place in search of food. Places where people live are called settlements.
A place where people build houses and live together is called a human settlement. Over time settlements changed from nomadic settlements to primitive settlements, villages and cities.
Key idea 1 : Nomadic life — Early humans moved in search of food, cloth and shelter. Hunting and gathering fruits and roots was their only livelihood.
Key idea 2 : Settled life — To farm, humans began to live near sources of water. Farm output increased, was sold in the market and trade began. Settled life brought security, unity and growth of knowledge, art and culture.
Key idea 3 : From villages to cities — Small settlements together formed villages. As population grew villages turned into cities. In cities industries, trade, schools, colleges, hospitals and services develop more than farming.
- Easy : A society moving about hunting? — Nomadic settlement.
- Medium : A settlement on a riverbank for farming? — Settled settlement.
- Exam-type : A settlement with factories, colleges and hospitals? — City.
In the figure: Growth of settlements.
Nomad → farming → village → city.
Not all settlements become cities at once; a village becomes a city only when population and facilities grow.
Memory clue: Nomadic → farming → village → city. Memory clue: "N-F-V-C": Nomad, Farm, Village, City.
Spot the difference
| Stage | Life | Livelihood |
|---|---|---|
| Nomadic | Moving | Hunting, gathering |
| Primitive | Settled near water | Farming |
| City | Dense, well-served | Industry, services |
Practice questions
- 1What is a human settlement?
- 2Where and how did early humans live?
- 3Why did humans settle in one place?
- 4Write three advantages of permanent settlements.
- 5How does a village change into a city?
- 6How did farming lead to trade?
- 7How does collective work increase unity? Give an example.
- 8Why do we live in a village or city? Write your reasons.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1A place where people build houses and live together.
- 2Moving; by hunting and gathering roots.
- 3Farming needed living near water.
- 4Security, unity, growth of knowledge, art and culture.
- 5As population and facilities grow.
- 6Surplus produce began to be sold in the market.
- 7Through harvesting, festivals, building wells.
- 8Student writes own.
Rural and urban settlements
In a village houses are far apart and open, and fields are near. In a city houses are close together, with crowd, noise and many shops and hospitals. So villages and cities are different kinds of settlements.
A settlement with few houses, low population and farming as the main occupation is a rural settlement (village). A settlement with high population, dense houses, plenty of facilities and industry-service occupations is an urban settlement (city).
Key idea 1 : Rural settlement — More space between houses, low population, primary occupations like farming and animal husbandry, and a quiet, open surrounding. Most people do work based on local natural resources; e.g. fishermen live on the coast, farmers on riverbanks, tribal communities in forests.
Key idea 2 : Urban settlement — Less space between houses, high population, plenty of facilities such as roads, hospitals, schools and banks, and secondary-tertiary occupations. The surrounding can be crowded, noisy and polluted.
Key idea 3 : Village and city depend on each other — Villages supply grain, vegetables and milk to the city, while the city gives machines, medicines, education and a market to the village. Both have their own advantages.
- Easy : A fishing settlement? — Rural.
- Medium : Big market and factories? — Urban.
- Exam-type : More facilities, more crowd? — Urban.
In the figure: Rural and urban settlement.
Village = farming; city = services.
A city does not have only advantages; crowd, noise and pollution exist too. A village has its own advantages.
Memory clue: Few people + farming = village; many people + services = city. Memory clue: "Village open, city crowded".
Spot the difference
| Point | Rural | Urban |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | Far apart | Close together |
| Population | Low | High |
| Occupation | Farming, animal husbandry | Industry, services |
Practice questions
- 1What is a rural settlement?
- 2What is an urban settlement?
- 3Write three differences between rural and urban settlements.
- 4Where do fishermen, farmers and tribal communities live?
- 5State three problems of cities.
- 6How do villages and cities depend on each other?
- 7List the facilities in your village/city.
- 8Complete the table of rural and urban settlements with examples.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Few houses and people, farming main occupation.
- 2High population, dense houses, facilities, industry-services.
- 3House spacing, population, occupation (see table).
- 4Fishermen on coast; farmers on riverbanks; tribals in forests.
- 5Crowd, noise, pollution.
- 6Village gives grain; city gives machines, medicines, market.
- 7Student writes own.
- 8Student does own.
Factors affecting location of settlements
Most big cities are on riverbanks, flat land or near ports. There are few settlements in deserts and high icy regions. So where a settlement grows depends on many factors.
Physical, social-cultural, economic and other factors together affect the location and growth of settlements. Settlements grow faster where proper facilities and opportunities are available.
Key idea 1 : Physical factors — Water bodies: settlements grow where drinking and irrigation water is plentiful. Climate: more people in favourable climate; fewer in very hot deserts and very cold regions like Ladakh. Soil: fertile alluvial soil suits farming so settlements are dense. Topography: farming, roads and houses are easier on flat land; settlements are scattered in hills.
Key idea 2 : Social and cultural factors — Health services, educational institutions, tourism, historical places and religious places attract people and settlements grow there. E.g. Pune because of education, Matheran because of tourism, Pandharpur for religious reasons.
Key idea 3 : Economic and other factors — Trade, industry and transport-communication increase employment and settlements grow; e.g. textile industry at Bhiwandi. Safety (settlement near a fort) and government schemes (industrial estate) are other factors.
- Easy : Why does a city grow on a riverbank? — Because of water.
- Medium : A place grown due to tourism? — Matheran.
- Exam-type : A city grown due to factories? — Bhiwandi.
In the figure: Factors of location of settlements.
Examples given in the textbook: the Krishna river bank and Varanasi on the Ganga (water), Pune (education), Matheran (tourism), Pandharpur (religious), Bhiwandi (textile); of these Bhiwandi and Pandharpur are widely known (as per the textbook; check with the book).
Physical, social, economic, other.
A settlement does not grow for one reason; many factors act together.
Memory clue: Four factors: physical, social-cultural, economic, other. Memory clue: "P-S-E-O".
Spot the difference
| Factor | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Physical | Water, flat land | Dense settlement |
| Social-cultural | Education, tourism, shrine | People are attracted |
| Economic | Trade, industry, transport | Employment grows |
Practice questions
- 1State the four factors affecting the location of settlements.
- 2What is the effect of water bodies on settlements?
- 3Why are settlements scattered in hilly areas?
- 4Why is population dense due to fertile soil?
- 5Give two examples each of places grown due to education and tourism.
- 6State the effect of transport-communication on settlements.
- 7Why does a settlement grow near a fort?
- 8Classify and write the factors affecting your settlement.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Physical, social-cultural, economic, other.
- 2Plenty of water makes the settlement grow.
- 3Roads and houses are hard to build.
- 4Farming is good and food is available.
- 5Education: Pune, Latur; tourism: Matheran, Malvan.
- 6Trade and employment grow and the settlement grows.
- 7It gives safety.
- 8Student does own.
Changing nature of settlements
Today we live in solid houses, but how were villages in our grandparents’ time? And how will settlements look after 50 years? The size, shape and nature of settlements keep changing.
Due to agriculture, industry, trade, population growth, safety and technology, settlements changed from caves to modern buildings. As human life changes, the nature of settlements changes.
Key idea 1 : How a village becomes a city — When population grows in rural areas, services such as roads, hospitals, offices, banks, markets, transport and hotels develop. Then primary occupations lose importance and the village becomes a city. Religious, historical, commercial, educational and tourism reasons also cause such a change.
Key idea 2 : Employment and migration — With development and industrialisation employment grows and people from nearby areas come for work. So population increases further and the settlement becomes bigger.
Key idea 3 : What next? — In future settlements should be more planned, eco-friendly and technology-linked. So while planning settlements water, trees and facilities must be considered.
- Easy : Bank, hospital and market grew in a village? — Moving towards a city.
- Medium : Outsiders came due to a factory? — Population growth.
- Exam-type : Cave to building? — Changing nature of settlements.
In the figure: Changing nature of shelter.
Population up, services up, village became city.
A city is not made only by population growth; services and non-farming occupations must grow too.
Memory clue: People + services + industry = village → city. Memory clue: "P-S-I".
Spot the difference
| Cause | Change | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Employment grows | People come |
| Population growth | Roads, services grow | Village → city |
| Technology | Buildings, transport | Modern settlement |
Practice questions
- 1What causes the nature of settlements to change?
- 2Explain how a village becomes a city.
- 3What is the effect of industrialisation on a settlement?
- 4Why does the importance of primary occupations fall in a village?
- 5Write two causes of urbanisation.
- 6How do you think a settlement should be after 50 years?
- 7Compare a village of your grandparents’ time with today’s village.
- 8What would you consider while planning settlements?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Agriculture, industry, trade, population, safety, technology.
- 2Population growth, growth of services, less importance of primary occupations.
- 3Employment grows and people come.
- 4New occupations and services grow.
- 5Industry, education, trade, tourism.
- 6Student writes own.
- 7Student writes own.
- 8Water, trees, roads, facilities, environment.