Types of Rural Settlements| Class 12 Geography Notes

Class 12 Geography Notes: Types of Rural Settlements is an important topic in CBSE Class 12 Geography. These notes are made by subject experts and cover all the different kinds of rural settlements found in India.

From clustered and semi-clustered settlements to hamleted and dispersed ones, you’ll learn about each type and what makes them different. These notes make it easy to understand with clear explanations and examples. They’re a great resource for students who want to do well in their geography exams.

What is a Rural Settlements?

Rural settlements are places where people live in areas with a low population density and typically rely on activities like:

• Agriculture: This is the big one! Growing crops or raising livestock is the main way of life in rural areas.

• Fishing: Catching fish from freshwater lakes, rivers, or oceans is another common way people make a living in rural settlements near water.

• Forestry: Cutting down trees or managing forests for resources like timber is an important activity in some rural areas.

Here are some other key features of rural settlements:

• Smaller populations: Compared to cities, rural settlements have much fewer people living close together.

• Land focus: The way of life in rural areas is centred around using the land for agriculture, forestry, or other resource-based activities.

• Community: People in rural settlements often have close-knit communities where everyone knows each other.

The way rural settlements are laid out can vary depending on factors like access to water, historical circumstances, and cultural practices. Some common layouts include:

• Clustered: Houses are built close together in a central village area, with farms and fields surrounding the village.

• Linear: Settlements develop along linear features like roads, rivers, or coastlines.

• Scattered: Homesteads or farmsteads are spread out across the landscape with some distance between them.

Types of Rural Settlements

Different types of settlements in India are determined by factors like the size of the built-up area and the distance between houses. While compact villages with clustered houses are common, especially in the northern plains, there are also other forms of rural settlements in various areas.

These settlement types are influenced by factors such as physical features like terrain and climate, cultural factors including social structure and religion, and security considerations like defence against theft and robbery.

Rural settlements in India can be categorized into four types:

1. Clustered or nucleated settlements
2. Semi-clustered or fragmented settlements
3. Hamleted settlement
4. Dispersed or isolated settlements

1. Clustered, agglomerated, or nucleated: In clustered rural settlements, houses are closely packed together in a compact area. These villages have a clear separation between the living area and the surrounding farms and pastures.

The layout of the houses and streets often follows recognizable patterns like rectangular, radial, or linear shapes. This type of settlement is commonly found in fertile alluvial plains and the northeastern states of India.

2. Semi-clustered or fragmented: Semi-clustered or fragmented settlements may arise when houses cluster in a restricted part of a dispersed settlement. Sometimes, this pattern occurs due to the segregation or fragmentation of a large compact village into smaller units.

3. Hamleted: Hamleted settlements occur when a village is divided into several physically separated units, each with names like panna, para, or angle.

This division is often influenced by social and ethnic factors. Hamlets are frequently found in the middle and lower Ganga Plain, Chhattisgarh, and the lower valleys of the Himalayas.

4. Dispersed or isolated: Dispersed or isolated settlements in India consist of isolated huts or small hamlets scattered across remote jungles or hillsides. This pattern arises due to the fragmented nature of the terrain and land resources.

Conclusion

Rural settlements come in different types like clustered, semi-clustered, hamleted, and dispersed. Each type shows how people live in different places, based on things like geography, culture, and social factors.

Understanding these types helps us see how rural communities are shaped and how they connect with their environment. It gives us a clearer picture of how people live in different parts of the country.

While rural settlements are traditionally associated with agriculture, some have evolved in recent times. For example, some people might choose to live in a rural area and commute to a job in a nearby city.

Types of Rural Settlements- FAQs

What are rural settlements?

Rural settlements are areas where people live outside of cities or towns, often in smaller communities or villages.

How are rural settlements classified?

Rural settlements can be classified into different types based on factors like their layout, size, and how houses are arranged.

What is a clustered settlement?

A clustered settlement is a compact or closely built-up area of houses where the living space is distinct from surrounding farms and pastures. These settlements often have recognizable patterns like rectangular, radial, or linear shapes.

What is a semi-clustered settlement?

Semi-clustered settlements are areas where houses are grouped together in a restricted part of a larger dispersed settlement. This can happen due to various reasons such as social factors or fragmentation of a larger village.

What are hamleted settlements?

Hamleted settlements consist of several physically separated units bearing a common name. These units may be fragmented due to social or ethnic factors and are often found in specific regions like the middle and lower Ganga plain or the lower valleys of the Himalayas.