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What is Settlement?
– Settlement is a place where people live.
– Settlement is any form of human dwelling, from the smallest house to the largest city.
– Settlement is a place or location where people live and establish their livelihood.
– Settlement as a place or housing unit where a group of people live together.
– Settlement is the place where people live together and engage in various social, economic, and political activities. Example: industrial activities, Agricultural activities, educational activities.
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| Settlement |
Housing units not only refer to buildings where people live permanently but also include structures such as schools, hospitals, factories, churches, warehouses, and other buildings.
A settlement may be as small as a single house in remote area or as a large as a mega city. A settlement may be permanently or temporary. An example of a temporary settlement would be a refugee camp.
However, a temporary settlement may become permanent over time. This happens to many refugees’ camps that have been built in conflict zones.
Actual piece of land upon which a settlement is built is known as the settlement site.
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| Settlement, Mwanza |
TYPES OF SETTLEMENTS
There are two types of settlements which are urban and rural settlements. The characteristics which define a settlement include the size, population density and activities being undertaken in these two types of settlements.
1. RURAL SETTLEMENTS
The definition of a rural settlement depends on the country. In some countries, a rural settlement is any settlement in the areas defined as rural by the government. This may include even rural towns. In some others, rural settlements traditionally do not include towns.
In developing countries, like Tanzania, the basic unit of a rural settlement is the homestead. The inhabitants in this kind of settlement occupy isolated homesteads that form their homes.
Often, homesteads are owned by people of common ancestry or kinship. These people are mainly farmers or peasants. This gives a clear indication that agriculture is the mainstay of rural dwellers.
In Tanzania, about 80% of the population live in rural areas. To supplement their farming activities, some rural communities engage in other traditional activities such as weaving, carving, fishing and harvesting of timber from the forest.
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| Rural Settlement |
Characteristics of Rural Settlements
There are several characteristics which distinguish a rural settlement from an urban settlement. Characteristics of a rural settlement include the following:
1. Exhibits distantly-placed houses, some several kilometres apart.
2. Agriculture is the major activity undertaken in rural areas.
3. It is characterized by simple houses; many thatched with grass and few with iron sheets, and smeared with mud.
4. Many temporary and very few permanent buildings, some of which are inherited from family members.
2. URBAN SETTLEMENTS
An urban settlement is a densely populated area comprising mostly of man-made structures that contain all of a society’s administrative, cultural, residential and religious functions.
Urban settlements are characterized by continuous buildings with people of mixed ancestry and kinship. The main economic activities of urban dwellers include trade, commerce, and social and industrial activities.
In general, urban areas are densely populated compared to rural areas which are sparsely populated.
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| Urban Settlement |
Characteristics of Urban Settlements
Many characteristics distinguish urban settlements form rural settlements. Characteristics of a rural settlement include the following:
1. The number of urban settlements and their boundaries will change over time, depending on construction activities and change of present population.
2. The boundary line of the urban settlements is independent of the administrative boundaries.
3. Urban centres are characterised by a denser population and which is engaged in industrial activities.
4. Trading is a major activity undertaken in urban areas.
