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Origin Of Human SettlementsHuman settlement is defined as a
community or a group of people living together in a particular
place to realize certain objectives.Human settlements (be they
rural or urban) could only exist if certain conditions could exist
or were fulfilled. These conditions were:1.Security: If a place was
secure, then communities could settle. A place where it was
possible to shelter from attacks by other communities, wild beasts,
pests and/or parasites and harsh climatic conditions was considered
ideal for settlement. In Africa, some sites were considered not to
be culturally suitable for settlement and hence were avoided even
when they met the other conditions. Give examples.
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Origin of settlements contd2.Production of Surplus Food: if a
community could produce a reservoir of food to last till the next
season, then settlement would be possible e.g. River basins
Euphrates and Tigris for early civilization.3Specialization of
Activities &Division of Labour. If a community could practice
division of labour such that some members were free from the
routine of producing food, then, some members could be utilized in
the production of other goods and services. Where such was possible
then settlement could take place or flourish.
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Origin of settlements contd4.Exchange of Goods and Services
through Trade Communities tended to flourish where there was an
organization or organized exchange of goods and services.5.
Availability of basic buildings materials: such as timber, wood,
water, stone/mud, straw from the wetlands. All these things
influenced settlement of communities as these materials are
necessary in the construction of shelter and other functional
buildings/structures
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Functions of Human SettlementsHuman settlements mainly offer
three functions:Residential Accommodation especially for those
people who derive their livelihood from non-farm activities. It is
assumed that those in rural areas/agricultural areas have their own
accommodation. Care must, however, be taken to ensure that even
those in agriculture farms have better shelter.
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Functions of Human Settlements contdService Function: Human
settlements have to offer the following services /
facilities:EducationalHealth AdministrativeSocial-Cultural /
Religious Judicial-courts, prisons and Remand homes
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Functions of Human Settlements contdEconomic Functions Human
settlements usually offer markets, goods and services, employment
and income generating opportunities and also enable people to
access manufactured goods.NBThe more efficiently the above
conditions and functions were met, the higher the level of
civilization of the human settlements / communities. If the
conditions ceased the settlement or settled communities also
ceased.
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Basic forms of Rural SettlementsLinear HamletsSome of the
hamlets have a linear form. That is, buildings are clustered along
features such as roads or streams as shown in this figure.
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Grouped HamletsSometimes hamlets are groups of buildings
clustered at the intersection of several roads.
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String VillageLike hamlets, some villages are grouped along
rivers, roads, streams, or other linear features. These places are
called string villages.
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Cluster Village.Some Villages group around road intersections
and these are called cluster villages
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Rounded VillageDefense is one of the reason houses in a village
are clustered together. Other settlement forms may also leave the
best land available for farming. By occupying hilltops or rocky
areas, for instance better farmland is available for farming
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Skeleton Grid
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Walled VillageHistorically, houses in villages were clustered
together for defensive reasons. People could defend themselves
against outsiders by grouping themselves together. In fact many old
villages and walled villages are often clustered together in this
way. Many old cities around the world began behind strong defensive
walls.
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Rural DispersalOn the other hand, a rural community may take the
scattered or dispersed pattern of settlement, e.g. in the arid and
semi-arid areas of Kenya
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Hierarchy of Human SettlementsIt is usually difficult to
determine the difference between rural and urban settlements but
using the rural/urban continuum one can see how these settlements
have evolved from basically rural agrarian economies to
non-agrarian economies or communities Settlements are arranged in a
hierarchy. A hierarchy is similar to a pyramid or a continuum. A
continuum of human settlements can be used, for instance, to show
the progression of each activity say shopping, education and
leisure as illustrated below.
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CitiesRural Urban Settlement Pyramid
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Rural-Urban Settlement Continuum
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A Continuum of Low High Order Goods/Services
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The lower order centres, have local activities / lower order
goods and services, which are not specialized. Such services are
available also at the other higher levels. While the higher order
centres, have more specialized activities; with the highest order
centres, offering the most specialized activities; which are not
found at the other levels.Ask the class to give examples of such
centres and the goods they offer.
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