Human Settlement Information and Environment
Human settlement in that place, particularly where the people live their livelihood. Human settlement refers to the totality of the human community which involves the social, material, organizational, spiritual, and cultural elements that sustain within it. Any form of human dwelling, be it the smallest house to the largest city, the group of people that reside and pursue their life goals, are to be understood as settlement. Human settlements are of different forms, which can be permanent or temporary, rural or urban, mobile or sedentary, disseminated or in agglomerated form.
Human Environment Settlement Transport and Communication
Settlements are those places where people build their own homes. A human can settle in those places on a permanent or temporary basis. With settling in the places, the people are required to move from one place to another for trade here comes the definition of Transport.
Transport is the means of traveling which is made convenient for the people to move from one place to another. The four main means of transport are – the roadways, the railways, the waterways, and the airways.
After the transport comes the communication system which is another important facet of a settlement. Communication is the streamlined process of conveying any message to others. Mass media means communicating with the mass of people through newspapers, radio, or television.
Settlement Definition Geography
In geographical definition, a settlement is a place where people live and conduct their livelihood. Settlements may be small as a single house in a remote or a distant location or it can be an area as large as a megacity (where over 10 million residents reside together).
A settlement can be both permanent or temporary settlement. An example of a temporary settlement is a refugee camp, used by armies. However, a temporary settlement may also become a permanent settlement over time. This has happened to many refugee camps which have been built in conflict zones.
Temporary Settlement examples can be cities and towns, where the families can stay for years with their families.
Settlements are usually developed to perform a specific function. For example, the settlement in Southampton is for conducting port functions.
Early Man Communication
Early Man uses the following to communicate better:
Early Handwritten Documents/Books
Printing Press
Letter Writing and the Postman
Telegraph
Telephone
Radio
Photography
Ancient Means of Transport Pictures
House Boat
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Tonga
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Trams
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Hath Rickshaw
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Gauge Trains
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Palki
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Types of Settlement in Geography
Classification of the settlements in Geography:
Settlements can be classified according to their pattern, size, and housing density. They are also to be classified according to the functions which they perform.
Classified according to the pattern: There are 5 types of settlement classified according to their pattern - isolated, dispersed, nucleated, and linear.
Classification according to size and housing density: According to Size and Housing density:
Rural settlements are small houses and have low housing and population densities.
Urban settlements are the larger houses and have many houses built close to each other.
A farmstead is the two or more homesteads that usually are dispersed in farmland.
A hamlet is made up of several dispersed, nucleated, or linear homesteads with local shops, schools, or other service centers that are occupied by few hundreds of persons.
A village, which is like a hamlet, may be dispersed, nucleated, or both.
Towns are urban settlements are of up to several thousand persons. Houses are built together and the emphasis is more on secondary and tertiary rather than on the primary occupation.
Cities are the major towns of a country, where the major state capitals have administrative functions.
A conurbation that grows when two or more towns or parts of those towns have grown and joined together to form a big urban area of 1 million persons or its whereabouts.
Megapolis is the several cities or conurbations which have grown around the years and which have joined together to form a large sprawling urban settlement.
FAQs on Human Environment - Settlement, Transport and Communication
1. What do the terms settlement, transport, and communication mean in the context of the human environment?
In the context of the human environment as per the Class 7 Geography syllabus, these terms are defined as follows:
- Settlement: Refers to a place or community where people build their homes to live. Settlements can be permanent, where people live for long periods, or temporary, used for short durations.
- Transport: This is the system or means by which humans and goods are moved from one place to another. Major modes include roadways, railways, waterways, and airways.
- Communication: It is the process of conveying messages, ideas, and information to others. It has evolved from direct speech to include modern technologies like the internet and mass media.
2. What is the main difference between a rural settlement and an urban settlement?
The main difference lies in the primary activities and population density. In a rural settlement, people are typically engaged in activities like agriculture, fishing, forestry, and crafts. These areas are sparsely populated. In contrast, an urban settlement is densely populated, and its inhabitants are mainly involved in manufacturing, trade, and services.
3. What are the four major means of transport? Provide an example for each.
The four major means of transport are:
- Roadways: The most common form of transport for short distances, like buses and cars travelling on highways.
- Railways: Used for carrying heavy goods and many people over long distances efficiently, such as the Indian Railways network.
- Waterways: The cheapest mode for transporting heavy and bulky goods internationally. Examples include cargo ships and inland river transport.
- Airways: The fastest but most expensive mode of transport, ideal for long distances and emergencies. Examples include passenger airplanes and helicopters.
4. How do human settlements affect the natural environment?
Human settlements significantly impact the environment by modifying the natural landscape. This includes clearing forests (deforestation) for agriculture and housing, constructing dams that alter river flows, and generating pollution from industrial activities and vehicles. The increasing demand for resources like water and energy in densely populated settlements also puts a strain on the environment.
5. Why did early human civilizations choose to build settlements near river valleys?
Early human civilizations built settlements near river valleys for several critical reasons. The rivers provided a reliable source of fresh water for drinking, cooking, and irrigation. The land near the rivers, known as the floodplains, was extremely fertile, making it ideal for agriculture. Additionally, rivers served as an early form of transportation, allowing for the movement of people and goods.
6. What is the difference between a temporary settlement and a permanent settlement?
A temporary settlement is one that is occupied for a short period. People living in such settlements, like those practicing hunting, gathering, or shifting cultivation in forests and deserts, move in search of new resources. A permanent settlement, like a modern town or village, is one where people build homes to live in for an extended period, as they have stable sources of livelihood like agriculture or trade.
7. How has the development of modern communication technology, such as the internet, transformed the world?
Modern communication technology has revolutionised the world by making information exchange instantaneous and global. The internet has enabled faster communication through emails and social media, facilitated global trade through e-commerce, and provided access to a vast amount of information for education and research. This has effectively made the world a single, interconnected 'global village', reducing geographical distances in terms of interaction.
8. Why are roadways considered the most commonly used means of transport, particularly for shorter distances?
Roadways are the most common transport for short distances due to their high flexibility and accessibility. They provide door-to-door service, connecting farms, homes, and factories directly. Unlike railways or airways, the cost of constructing and maintaining roads is comparatively lower, and they can be built in diverse terrains, including remote and hilly areas, making them the most practical choice for everyday local travel and transport.
