Human Settlements(Unit - II, Indian Geography)
- UniDrill
- Feb 25
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 3
Human Settlements: Definition and Classification
A human settlement is defined as a cluster of dwellings of any type or size where human beings live. For this purpose, people erect houses and other structures and command a specific territory as their economic support base.
The process of settlement inherently involves the grouping of people and the apportioning of territory as their resource base.
Settlements range in scale from small hamlets to massive metropolitan cities. As the size of a settlement increases, its economic character, social structure, ecology, and technology also change.
Broadly, settlements are divided into rural and urban, which differ significantly in several ways:
Economic Base: Rural settlements derive their life support from land-based primary activities (agriculture, fishing, mining), while urban settlements depend on manufacturing (processing raw materials) and a variety of services.
Functional Relationship: Cities act as nodes of economic growth, providing goods and services to rural hinterlands in exchange for food and raw materials. This relationship is facilitated through transport and communication networks.
Social Structure: Rural social relations are intimate and less mobile. In contrast, urban life is complex and fast, with formal and impersonal social relations.
I. Rural Settlements: Types and Distribution
The type of rural settlement is determined by the extent of the built-up area and the distance between houses. In India, several factors influence these patterns, including physical features (terrain, climate, water), cultural factors (caste, religion), and security factors (protection against theft).
1. Clustered, Agglomerated, or Nucleated Settlements
These are compact or closely built-up areas of houses. The living area is distinct and separated from the surrounding farms, barns, and pastures.
Patterns: Streets and houses often form recognisable geometric shapes, such as rectangular, radial, or linear.
Distribution: They are widely found in fertile alluvial plains and the northeastern states.
Specific Drivers: In the Bundelkhand region of central India and in Nagaland, people live in compact villages for security and defence. In Rajasthan, water scarcity necessitates compact settlements to maximize the use of limited water resources.
2. Semi-Clustered or Fragmented Settlements
These result from the tendency of clustering in a restricted area of a dispersed settlement or the fragmentation of a large compact village.
Social Segregation: Often, one or more sections of society are forced to live away from the main cluster. Typically, the land-owning dominant community occupies the central part of the village, while people of lower social strata or menial workers settle on the outer flanks.
Distribution: These are widespread in the Gujarat plain and parts of Rajasthan.
3. Hamleted Settlements
Sometimes a settlement is fragmented into several units that are physically separated but bear a common name.
Local Names: These units are locally known as panna, para, palli, nagla, or dhani.
Drivers: This segmentation is frequently motivated by social and ethnic factors.
Distribution: These are common in the middle and lower Ganga plain, Chhattisgarh, and the lower valleys of the Himalayas.
4. Dispersed or Isolated Settlements
This pattern appears as isolated huts or tiny hamlets in remote jungles or on small hills with farms or pastures on the slopes.
Drivers: Extreme dispersion is caused by the extremely fragmented nature of the terrain and the land resource base.
Distribution: Found in parts of Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Kerala.
II. Urban Settlements: Definition and Evolution
1. Defining Urban Settlements in India
The Census of India (1991) defines an urban area based on the following criteria:
Places with a municipality, corporation, cantonment board, or notified town area committee.
A minimum population of 5,000 persons.
At least 75 per cent of male workers engaged in non-agricultural pursuits.
A population density of at least 400 persons per square kilometre.
2. Evolution of Towns in India
Towns have existed in India since prehistoric times (e.g., Harappa and Mohenjodaro). They are classified based on their period of evolution:
Ancient Towns: These have a history of over 2,000 years and mostly developed as religious and cultural centres. Examples include Varanasi (most important), Prayag (Allahabad), Pataliputra (Patna), and Madurai.
Medieval Towns: About 100 existing towns have roots in the medieval period, often serving as headquarters of kingdoms. These are frequently fort towns built on ancient ruins, such as Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Agra, and Nagpur.
Modern Towns: Developed by the British and other Europeans.
They started as trading ports like Surat, Daman, Goa, and Pondicherry.
Later, nodes like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata were consolidated in British style.
They also established administrative centres, hill-towns as summer resorts, and military cantonments.
Post-1850, towns based on modern industries evolved, such as Jamshedpur.
After Independence, planned administrative headquarters (Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar) and industrial centres (Bhilai, Durgapur) were developed.
III. Urbanisation and Distribution in India
Urbanisation is measured as the percentage of urban population to total population. In 2011, India's level of urbanisation was 31.16 per cent, which is low compared to developed nations but has grown eleven-fold during the 20th century.
High Urbanisation States: Goa and Mizoram have high proportions, with Goa having more than half its population in cities.
Low Urbanisation States: Himachal Pradesh and Bihar have very low proportions of urban population.
Regional Trends: Urban growth is most conspicuous along main road and rail links in the North Indian Plains and around industrial hubs like Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Delhi. Conversely, degree of urbanisation remains low in agriculturally stagnant areas, remote hilly regions, and flood-prone parts of Peninsular India.
IV. Functional Classification of Towns
Towns are often known for a specific activity or service, though most cities are multifunctional, with functions becoming more intertwined as they grow into metropolises. Indian cities are classified based on their dominant function:
Administrative Towns: Support higher-order administrative headquarters (e.g., New Delhi, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Jaipur, Chennai, Srinagar, Gandhinagar).
Industrial Towns: Industries are the primary motive force (e.g., Mumbai, Jamshedpur, Bhilai, Salem, Coimbatore, Modinagar, Hugli).
Transport Cities:
Ports: Primarily engaged in export/import (e.g., Kandla, Kochi, Vishakhapatnam, Kozhikode).
Inland Hubs: Hubs of rail or road transport (e.g., Agra, Mughalsarai, Itarsi, Katni).
Commercial Towns: Specialise in trade and commerce (e.g., Kolkata, Saharanpur, Satna).
Mining Towns: Developed in mineral-rich areas (e.g., Raniganj, Jharia, Digboi, Ankaleshwar, Singrauli).
Garrison Cantonment Towns: Established for military purposes (e.g., Ambala, Jalandhar, Mhow, Babina, Udhampur).
Educational Towns: Centres of education or major campus towns (e.g., Roorkee, Varanasi, Aligarh, Pilani, Allahabad).
Religious and Cultural Towns: Gained prominence due to religious significance (e.g., Varanasi, Mathura, Amritsar, Madurai, Puri, Ajmer, Tirupati, Haridwar).
Tourist Towns: Major destinations for tourism (e.g., Nainital, Mussoorie, Shimla, Pachmarhi, Jodhpur, Ooty, Mount Abu).
V. Modern Urban Challenges and Perspectives
1. Rural-Urban Migration and Slums
The flow of population from rural to urban areas is driven by the demand for labour in cities and a lack of job opportunities in villages. This often leads to the growth of slums, which are residential areas of "least choice" marked by dilapidated houses, poor hygiene, and overcrowding.
Dharavi: Located in central Mumbai, it is Asia’s largest slum. Despite its poor living conditions (uncollected garbage, foul water), it is a hub of economic activity, producing ceramics, embroidery, leather goods, and high-fashion garments.
2. Urban Waste Disposal
Urban areas generate enormous quantities of solid waste (metals, glass, plastic, ash) from domestic and industrial sources. In major metropolises like Mumbai and Delhi, about 90% of waste is collected, but disposal remains a massive challenge.
Untreated sewage and industrial waste dumped into rivers lead to severe water pollution downstream.
3. Smart Cities Mission
To address urban challenges, the Indian government launched the Smart Cities Mission. Its objective is to provide core infrastructure, a clean environment, and a decent quality of life through "smart solutions". This includes making areas less vulnerable to disasters and using fewer resources to provide cheaper services.
Summary Table for CUET Revision
Feature | Rural Settlements | Urban Settlements |
Primary Activity | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing | Manufacturing, Services, Trade |
Social Relations | Intimate, less mobile | Formal, complex, fast-paced |
Settlement Types | Clustered, Semi-clustered, Hamleted, Dispersed | Administrative, Industrial, Commercial, etc. |
Distribution Factors | Terrain, water availability, security | Industrialisation, transport, admin status |
Indian Census | 68.8% of population (2011) | 31.16% of population (2011) |
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