What is a settlement?
A place where people live. It can be large or small, permanent or temporary.
What is a settlement hierarchy?
A diagram used to classify a number of settlements in order of importance.
What are the characteristics of a settlement hierarchy as you go up it?
Increased size and population. More urban. Far away from each other, less in country. Bigger range and number of services. Bigger sphere of influence
What is a settlement lower down a hierarchy referred to as?
A low order settlement.
What is a linear settlement?
A settlement in long, thin rows. Often along a road or track.
What are the reasons for a linear settlement?
What is a dispersed settlement?
A settlement containing scattered, isolated dwellings and small hamlets, with few villages.
What are the reasons for a dispersed settlement?
What is a nucleated settlement?
Dwellings clustered around a central point (e.g. crossroads), with few isolated villages. Compact shape.
What are the reasons for a nucleated settlement?
What is a market town’s function?
Service and process agricultural products and inputs.
What is a mining town’s function?
To exploit local minerals.
What is a port’s function?
On the coast for good movement of goods and people from land to sea.
What is a route centre?
The convergence of several natural route or nodal points resulting from economic development.
What is a commercial farm?
A farm that provides the needs of industry and business.
What is a cultural centre?
A settlement that attracts people for a short period, for religious or educational purposes.
What is an administrative centre?
A settlement that controls areas of varying sizes.
What is a residential settlement?
A settlement in which the majority of people live but do not work.
What can a tourist settlement be?
Spa towns, coastal and mountain resorts.
What is a sphere of influence?
The area served by a settlement.
What does the size of a sphere of influence depend on?
What is the threshold population?
The minimum number of people needed to provide a large enough demand for a service.
What is the range?
The maximum distance that people are prepared to travel in order to obtain a service.
…Or, the number of DIFFERENT services in an area.
What are convenience goods?