settlements and urbanisation notes
MetLife Settlements and Urbanization
Residence and Settlement Definitions
Residence: The basic unit of settlement, consisting of any inhabited and spatially separated grouping of residential and non-residential buildings.
Settlement: Any inhabited and enclosed area that contains both residential and non-residential units; a territory where basic human activities of the population occur, such as housing, work, and culture.
Municipality: An independent self-governing territorial and administrative unit that consists of one or more settlements.
Settlement Classifications
City Characteristics
City: A residence or a group of residences, typically with a population ranging from 2,000 to 100,000. Notable characteristics include:
Concentration of manufacturing and non-manufacturing activities
High-rise buildings
Dense population
Well-developed infrastructure
Large City: A settlement with a population exceeding 100,000.
Metropolis: A city with a particular tributary area, often serving as a seat of central bodies and institutions. Four types of metropolises include:
World Metropolis (e.g., Tokyo, London)
Continental Metropolis (e.g., Brussels, Sydney)
State Metropolis (e.g., capital cities)
National Metropolis (e.g., Košice for East Slovakia).
Settlement Size and Services
Settlements can be classified according to their size and the range and number of services they provide, such as:
Hamlet: Comprising only five or six farms or houses in rural areas, lacking shops and services.
Village: A small community with several hundred people, possibly including a small shop and a primary school.
Town: Offers a wider range of services, transport links, and jobs, serving both residents and surrounding villages.
Settlement Patterns
Dispersed: Isolated buildings or hamlets separated by distance, typically in areas where natural resources are insufficient to support a large population.
Nucleated: Buildings clustered together, initially for defense, later for social or economic reasons, often featuring a central marketplace or water supply.
Criteria for a Village to Become a City (in Slovakia)
Population exceeds 5,000.
Population density of at least 100 inhabitants per hectare in built-up areas.
A minimum of 15% of houses must have three or more apartments.
No more than 10% of the economically active population should be employed in agriculture.
Existence of a secondary grammar school or other secondary education institutions.
Availability of a hospital or health center with at least five permanent medical posts.
Parts of the village must have sewerage and water supply.
Accommodation unit must exist with at least 20 beds.
Must possess an administrative function.
Must provide services to the surrounding area, not just local residents.
Site and Situation Factors in Settlement Formation
Site Factors:
Water supply
Flood risks
Defense capabilities
Availability of building materials (e.g., stone or wood)
Fertile land
Shelter from winds
Fuel supply (e.g., wood)
Aspect (south-facing slopes)
Flat land for ease of construction
Natural harbor availability
Situation Factors:
Route center availability
The lowest bridging point on a river
Ports for trade
Minerals available for export
Functional Structure of Settlements
Residences with Own Economic Base:
a) Monofunctional: One dominant function, such as industrial or transport.
b) Multifunctional: Multiple functions present.
Residences without Own Economic Base: Primarily serve a residential function, lacking economic activities.
Functions of Settlements
The primary purpose or activities within a settlement, including:
Port: Facilitates the movement of goods from one location to another, positioned on coasts or navigable rivers.
Industrial Town: Develops near raw material supply sources, evolving into industrial hubs.
Administrative Town: Develops around law and order and council offices, managing local governance.
Religious Center: Sites that emerge around major sites of worship.
Educational Towns: Locations known for education, such as Oxford, where institutions dominate the job market.
Tourist Areas: Grow via different types of tourism, often in attractive environments (e.g., coastal or forested).
Urbanization Causes
Early civilization featured organized urban settlements; however, the majority lived in the countryside, engaged in agriculture. Mechanization eventually resulted in job losses in farming, driving migrations toward cities seeking industrial work.
Global Urbanization Trends
Historical Patterns:
Until 1960: Slower urbanization rates.
Post-1960: Sharp increase in global urbanization.
Population Trends:
Over 80% in urban regions for Europe and North America.
In India, urban population rates are between 20-39%.
In 2007, over half the global population resided in urban areas.
Significant Historical Events:
1820-1840: Start of the Industrial Revolution leading rural-to-urban shifts.
1950s: Just 30% of the world's population lived in urban settings.
1970s: Chicago's population triples due to a construction boom.
1980s: China experiences rapid urbanization following economic reforms.
Urbanization Dynamics
Deurbanization: Movement from cities back to rural areas.
Suburbanization: Movement from cities to nearby countryside areas, specifically around 20 km from urban centers.
Slums: Emerge as a result of rapid, uncontrolled urban growth, particularly in less developed countries.
Developmental Trends in World Urbanization
Highly developed regions show extensive urbanization, sometimes leading to declines in urban populations as residents move to suburban areas roughly 20 km from city centers.
Less developed regions see significant rural to urban migration, resulting in rapid yet uncontrolled urban agglomerations characterized by poor infrastructure and often high crime rates (e.g., slums, ghettos).
Urban Change Over Time
Changes in the Inner City:
Traditionally an industrial area with worker housing, many inner cities have shifted as industries relocate, resulting in diverse land use now seen in these zones.
Example: Detroit has lost over 60% of its population since 1950 due to factory relocations, leading to increased unemployment and urban decay.
Proposed Solutions:
New businesses like media, finance, and advertising are moving into former factories, spurring job creation.
Repurposed buildings are now being used for housing, galleries, and museums.
Government efforts include grants for the development of modern and environmentally friendly public transportation systems.
Changes in Rural Areas
Past Situation: Farmers lived and worked locally with limited transportation links.
Present Situation: Wealthy new residents often have vacation homes, with a shift to commuting for work and shopping at distant supermarkets. Farm buildings are being converted into upscale homes, and transport links are improving.
Urban Size Structure
Size Categories:
Below 5,000 - Village
5,000 - 100,000 - City
Over 100,000 - Large City
Growth Dynamics:
Progressive (growth)
Stationary (stagnation)
Regressive (decline)
Hierarchical Structures and Theories
Central Places Theory: Settlements providing more goods and services are called higher-order places, while those providing frequently purchased goods are lower-order places.
Distribution: Higher-order places are fewer and more spaced out compared to lower-order ones.
Zipf's Curve: States that the size of each city is inversely proportional to its rank by size within a city system.
Functional Urban Models
Concentric Zone Model:
Central Business District
Zone of Transition
Zone of Independent Workers' Homes
Zone of Better Residences
Commuters’ Zone
Sector Model:
Central Business District
Transportation and Industry
Low-Class Residential
Middle-Class Residential
High-Class Residential
Multiple Nuclei Model:
Central Business District
Wholesale and Light Manufacturing
Low-Class Residential
Middle-Class Residential
High-Class Residential
Land Use Patterns in Cities
Cities often consist of distinct zones or rings around the central business district (CBD), comprising:
CBD: Hosts stores, banks, and entertainment venues, well-connected to all other zones.
Inner City: Originally industrial, now often redeveloped into apartments and other uses.
Suburbs: Residential areas with modern housing and some local services.
Rural-Urban Fringe: Larger homes and open spaces, providing a transition from urban to rural.
Inner-City Characteristics
Proximity to the CBD leads to high demand for land, resulting in densely packed neighborhoods and high property values.
Inner cities often contain:
Historical buildings (museums, libraries).
Redeveloped areas (factories turned into apartments).
Traffic congestion from commuting.
Growth Patterns of Cities
Horizontal Growth: Enabled by transport developments, leading to the creation of suburbs along main transportation routes and satellite cities in hinterlands.
Vertical Growth: Began in the late 19th century, driven by high land prices and innovative construction methods, leading to the rise of skyscrapers and urban density.
Population Insights
Most Populous Cities:
Tokyo: 37,435,191
Delhi: 29,399,141
Shanghai: 26,317,104
Sao Paulo: 21,846,507
Mexico City: 21,671,908
Cairo: 20,484,965
Dhaka: 20,283,552
Mumbai: 20,185,064
Beijing: 20,035,455
Osaka: 19,222,665
Megalopolis Definition and Examples
Megalopolis: A large, densely populated urban area formed by the merging of multiple metropolitan regions, characterized by:
Extensive transportation networks
Economic integration
Continuous development across cities.
Examples include:
BOSWASH (Boston to Washington)
CHIPITS (Chicago to Pittsburgh)
Tokyo-Osaka
Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.
Conclusion
The urbanization process highlights the complex interplay between settlements, their functions, and the factors that drive change over time. The development patterns and functional distinctions provided insights into how cities adapt and evolve in response to societal needs and environmental constraints.