Settlement Types and Patterns

Start with places and patterns

Begin with the mind map Places we live in for an introduction to farms, villages, towns and cities as places where people live. Then open Rural settlement patterns to look at the shapes and spacing of settlements. It introduces linear and nucleated patterns as well as the settlement hierarchy and its functions.

As you study, compare the terms in the two maps. You can use the first to establish what a settlement is, then use the second to explore how settlements are arranged.

Explore sites and functions

The mind map Settlements 2 lists needs such as water, shelter, fuel, fertile soil and building materials. It also includes contour lines. Look at it alongside the settlement mind map that covers settlers' needs and dispersed, linear and nucleated patterns. This gives you another way to connect the factors people consider with the patterns shown in the resources.

The Settlement flashcard deck covers linear, nucleated and dispersed settlements, along with functions such as market, residential and industrial uses. Another flashcard deck introduces terms including site, situation and cruciform settlement. Use the cards to practice recalling the terms after studying the maps.

Put the resources together

There are no quizzes on this page, so flashcards offer a way to check your recall. Choose a term from a deck, explain it in your own words, and return to a mind map to see it in context. You can repeat this with settlement patterns and functions.

Settlement Types and Patterns is a section of Settlement and Rural Environments in Geography. Use these resources to explore this section of the unit. When you are ready, choose a map and a flashcard deck to study side by side.