Human Settlements and Land Use
1. What is a human settlement?
Answer: A human settlement is a place where people live together, build houses, and carry out economic activities. It ranges from small hamlets to large cities. Physical, cultural, and economic factors influence their development.
2. Why do people prefer to live in groups?
Answer: Humans are social animals and like to live in groups to fulfill social needs and bonding. This leads to the formation of settlements where people construct houses and work together.
3. What are the main physical factors affecting settlements?
Answer: Physical factors like relief, altitude, climate, soil, drainage, and water availability affect settlements. For example, settlements often develop near water sources in dry regions.
4. How do economic factors influence settlements?
Answer: Economic factors like job opportunities, trade, and industries encourage settlement growth. People settle in areas with economic activities to support their livelihoods.
5. What is a nucleated settlement?
Answer: A nucleated settlement is a compact, closely packed group of houses. It often develops in areas with limited resources, like water, for security or convenience.
6. What is a dispersed settlement?
Answer: A dispersed settlement has houses spread out over a large area. It is common in rural areas with vast agricultural land or rugged terrain.
7. What is a linear settlement pattern?
Answer: A linear settlement pattern occurs along a road, railway, or river in a straight line. Houses follow the shape of the feature, like a riverbank.
8. What is a radial settlement pattern?
Answer: A radial settlement pattern grows around a central point, like a market or temple. Settlements spread outward from this central object.
9. How is land use different in rural and urban areas?
Answer: In rural areas, land use focuses on agriculture, while urban areas use land for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes. Urban areas are more compact.
10. What is the rural-urban fringe?
Answer: The rural-urban fringe is the transitional area between urban and rural regions. It has mixed characteristics of both, with urban sprawl and commuting patterns.
11. What are suburbs?
Answer: Suburbs are smaller towns or cities near a major city, like Kalyan near Mumbai. They develop due to the growth of the main city.
12. What is mixed land use?
Answer: Mixed land use is an area where residential, commercial, and industrial activities coexist. For example, houses, shops, and schools are found together.
13. What is land cover?
Answer: Land cover refers to the physical surface of the land, like forests, water, or bare rock. It describes what naturally covers the land, unlike land use.
14. What is a low-order service settlement?
Answer: A low-order service settlement, like a village, has a small population and limited services, such as one general store, catering to basic needs.
15. What is a high-order service settlement?
Answer: A high-order service settlement, like a city, has a large population and many specialized services, such as chain stores and hospitals.
16. Why do cities become multi-functional?
Answer: As cities grow, they develop multiple functions like trade, education, and industry. Population growth and economic needs lead to diverse activities.
17. What is urban sprawl?
Answer: Urban sprawl is the expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural regions. It occurs as cities grow and need more space for housing and industries.
18. What is the difference between barren and wasteland?
Answer: Barren land, like deserts, cannot be cultivated with current technology. Wasteland, like fallow land, can be reclaimed for cultivation with effort.
19. How does climate affect settlement patterns?
Answer: Climate influences settlement by determining water and resource availability. For example, settlements in dry climates cluster near rivers or oases.
20. What changes occurred in Ichalkaranji’s land use from 2007 to 2017?
Answer: In Ichalkaranji, wasteland scrub turned into industrial areas, sparse residential areas became denser, and mining increased. Urban growth expanded along roadways.
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