Human Settlements in India

India: People and Economy, Unit II. Covers Rural settlements; Urban settlements.

Geography/Geology10 questions2 topics
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About this unit

This unit deals with the settlements in which people live – villages and towns. It explains the types of rural settlements and the factors behind them, and the evolution, classification and functions of urban settlements in India. Settlements reflect how people adapt to physical conditions and economic opportunities.

Key ideas

  • A settlement is a cluster of dwellings of any type or size where people live.
  • Rural settlements depend mainly on primary activities; urban settlements on secondary and tertiary activities.
  • Rural settlements are classified as clustered, semi-clustered, hamleted and dispersed.
  • Indian towns evolved in ancient, medieval and modern periods.
  • Urban places are classified by population size and by their main function.

How to prepare

Learn the four types of rural settlements with their typical regions and the factors that create them. Memorise examples of towns by period and function, and the Census criteria for an urban place. Expect example-matching and reasoning questions.

Topics in this chapter

Rural settlements

Types and distribution.

5 questions

Urban settlements

Types, distribution and functional classification of towns.

5 questions

Practice questions

Local names such as panna, para, palli, nagla and dhani refer to units ofEasy
Compact villages surrounded by fields are most typical ofEasy
In parts of Rajasthan, houses are grouped close together around a common water source. The main factor behind this patt…Medium
Isolated huts scattered on slopes in Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh are an example ofMedium
In a village, the dominant community lives in the centre while other groups live on the outskirts, forming a separate c…Hard

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