A settlement is a term used to describe a community or group of people who settle in a specific area with the intention of living and building their homes there. These settlements can be of different types, such as towns, cities, villages, or camps, and can vary in size and structure. There are different types of settlements and each of them has unique characteristics.
Therefore, in this article we are going to tell you about the different types of settlements that exist, their characteristics and importance.
What are settlements
In general, settlements are formed when a group of people decides to settle in a certain place due to various reasons. These reasons may include the availability of natural resources, such as water and fertile land, economic opportunities, such as work or trade, or cultural and social reasons, such as proximity to other members of the community or to places of historical or religious importance. If you're interested in the topic of valleys and their formation, you can read more about it in the following article: What is a valley and how is it formed?.
Settlements can grow and develop over time as more people decide to join them. Often houses and structures are built to provide shelter and comfort for the people living in the settlement. In addition to housing, settlements can also include public buildings and services, such as schools, hospitals, shops, markets, and recreational spaces.
These settlements They can vary in their level of development and quality of life. Some settlements may have access to basic services, such as electricity, potable water and sanitation, while others may lack them. In addition, on some occasions, settlements can arise informally, without proper planning and basic services, which can result in precarious conditions for those who live there.
Function of a human settlement
The immediate function of any human settlement is to provide shelter. As living beings, human beings need to seek protection from natural elements that may affect them or cause discomfort: rain, wild animals, other people, etc. As the settlements developed and their functions expanded or changed, their economic activities came to prominence.
Some other countries were formed first to serve as designated economic centers. This is the case of Norilsk, Russia, it was established in the northern area of the Arctic Circle, it is mountainous and with a cold climate, but rich in mineral resources and is an industrial center for mining and smelting. Today, it is one of the most polluted cities in the world, with a shortage of trees, but still a lot of people.
Before the XNUMXth century, the layout of a settlement largely depended on whether it was located in a place that was difficult to attack, such as a hilltop; it had flat terrain, it was close to forests and sources of fresh water, and it had some network as a means of communication, such as a river. Later, some of these features were lost, especially in difficult-to-attack positions, but others were added. Beautiful or pleasant environments are also important today.
Types of settlements
Human settlements can be permanent or temporary, depending on their long-term persistence. These people generally belonged to nomadic tribes or groups, foraging, or migrant. People in temporary settlements may return to them after abandoning them. As their name suggests, permanent settlements have not been abandoned.
developed settlements
It is planned and ordered in accordance with urban regulations. They are divided into:
- Urban: Cities are today the largest and most densely populated settlements. Cities are permanent areas larger than towns, with complex systems of public services, health, transportation, and housing. It has a high density of housing and other cultural structures such as highways, bridges, highways, and traffic routes. Most of the residents are engaged in non-agricultural activities. The fact that they belong to the group of developed settlements does not mean that they are developed cities, since some cities, such as Calcutta or Sao Paulo, belong to underdeveloped or developing countries. In fact, cities in developing regions are growing at a particularly fast pace.
- Metropolis: That is why a very large city is called a high economic, political and cultural center, like London or Tokyo. A metropolitan area is made up of multiple urban areas that share the same services and infrastructure. A megacity is formed when two or more metropolitan areas come together.
- Villas: Defined as human settlements larger than towns but smaller than cities, with populations between 2.500 and 20.000 people. They are not recognized by all countries, nor do they have other names.
- Suburbans: They are residential areas located on the outskirts of the city. They have a low population density and are mainly made up of single-family homes, as well as shops and other services. They also tend to have more space and less traffic than cities.
- Suburbs or periphery. They are the areas located after the suburban. They are primarily residential, and typically many occupants move to other areas, whether urban or suburban, to work. They are sometimes called "bedroom towns."
- Rural or towns. These settlements are larger than towns, but smaller than cities. They have low population densities and people tend to dedicate themselves to agriculture, livestock, mining or artisanal fishing.
- Villages: They are all very small settlements, but their characteristics vary from country to country. In some areas, villages may be comparable in size to cities, but what they all have in common is poor infrastructure and low population density. Its population is about 200 people.
- Farms: They are distinguished from other rural settlements by their smaller size and by the fact that residents often raise livestock. They are generally engaged in agriculture or livestock raising. The importance of rural settlements and farms can be related to the existence of mountains such as those in the Tatra Mountains.
Informal/irregular settlements
Unlike the previous plants, they are improvised, disorganized, sanitized, neglected or non-existent. The houses are made of flimsy materials like cardboard and foil, and the residents inside tend to crowd together. Depending on the country, they have different names: favelas, marginal neighborhoods, slums and suburbs, among others.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the types of settlements that exist and their characteristics.
