In examining human settlement in relation to water and transportation, it is helpful to know how settlement patterns are classified. Settlement geography is the study of resource use, density patterns, and settlement growth. Density patterns are studied to determine their underlying causes, and what sustains or changes them.
There are three distinct types of settlement pattern:
1. Dispersed
Settlement is relatively uniform in density and does not occur around a specific point.
This type of settlement is common in Southern England, for example. The landscape there is primarily agricultural, and consists of fields intersected by rural roads and lines of trees.
2. Linear
Settlement occurs along rivers or transportation routes like railroads and highways.
Champlain, Québec, has remained visibly linear. Many towns expand outward along the line of origin and can become less distinguishable over time.
3. Nuclear
Settlement occurs around a single point: a bay or inlet, crossroads, river mouth, industrial centre.
These three types have recurred throughout the existence of civilization, and is highly relevant to urban planning, transportation, infrastructure, and business.
Alex Willms
November 9, 2010
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"What Is Settlement Geography? | eHow.com." eHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles. http://www.ehow.com/about_4623934_what-settlement-geography.html (accessed December 10, 2010).
"The dispersed settlement pattern ." High Weald. www.highweald.org/home/research/all-research-list/87-development-of-dispersed-settlements-in-the-high-weald.html (accessed November 7, 2010).
"Linear village - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_village (accessed December 10, 2010).
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