Rural Settlements: Types and Patterns

Rural settlements are characterized by their primary occupation (agriculture, animal husbandry, etc.) and their organic growth. In settlement geography, they are classified based on two main criteria: the spacing between houses (Types) and the geometric arrangement (Patterns).

Types of Rural Settlements

The “type” refers to the degree of dispersion or concentration of the dwellings. This is largely determined by physical security, ethnic factors, and the nature of the terrain.

1. Clustered / Agglomerated Settlement

• Structure: Houses are built very close to each other with narrow, winding lanes. The living area is distinct from the surrounding farms and pastures.
• Factors: Found in fertile alluvial plains (Indo-Gangetic Plain) and for defense purposes (Bundelkhand).
• Social Aspect: Often reflects high community cooperation but may also show social segregation.

2. Semi-Clustered / Fragmented Settlement

• Structure: Results from the fragmentation of a large compact village. A dominant community occupies the central part, while people of lower social status live on the periphery.
• Factors: Common in Gujarat plains and parts of Rajasthan.

3. Hamleted Settlement (Panna, Para, Palli)

• Structure: The settlement is physically separated into several units bearing different names, but they remain part of a single administrative village.
• Factors: Driven by social and ethnic fragmentation. Found in the middle and lower Ganga plains, Chhattisgarh, and lower valleys of the Himalayas.

4. Dispersed / Isolated Settlement

• Structure: Consists of isolated huts or a few houses in small hamlets on hills or fields.
• Factors: Caused by fragmented nature of terrain and limited resource base. Found in Meghalaya, Uttaranchal, and Himachal Pradesh.

Patterns of Rural Settlements

The “pattern” refers to the geometric shape formed by the arrangement of houses, usually influenced by the site’s topography and transport features.

1. Linear Pattern

• Description: Houses are built along a line of attraction such as a road, railway line, river, or canal.
• Examples: Common in the Himalayan foothills and coastal Kerala.

2. Rectangular Pattern

• Description: The most common pattern in plains. Lanes intersect at right angles, forming a grid.
• Examples: Found in the fertile plains of North India and wide intermontane valleys.

3. Circular Pattern

• Description: Houses are arranged in a circle around a central water body (tank/pond) or a common pasture for safety.
• Examples: Common in the Upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab and parts of Africa.

4. Star-Shaped Pattern

• Description: Emerges at the convergence of multiple roads. Dwellings spread out along these routes in all directions.

5. T-Shaped, Y-Shaped, and Cross-Shaped Patterns

• T-Shape: At a junction where a minor road meets a major road.
• Y-Shape: Where two roads converge into one.
• Cross-Shape: Develops at a four-way crossroads (Chauraha).

Summary Table: Types vs. Patterns

Determinants of Rural Housing

Rural house types are a direct response to the Micro-Climate and Local Building Materials:

• Roof Design: Steeply sloping in heavy rain areas (Assam/Kerala); flat in hot, arid regions (Rajasthan).
• Walls: Thick mud/adobe walls in deserts for insulation; stone in the Himalayas; bamboo/stilt (Chang) houses in flood-prone Northeast India.
• Materials: Predominantly “Geomaterials” like mud, thatch, unburnt bricks, and local stone.

UPSC Trivia: Rural Settlement Facts

• Dry-Point Settlements: Settlements built on elevated land (levees/mounds) to avoid floods (e.g., in the Deltaic regions).
• Wet-Point Settlements: Settlements built near water sources in dry areas (e.g., Rajasthan).
• Village Nucleus: In India, the nucleus is often a place of worship (Temple/Mosque) or a central well.
• Social Segregation: Traditional Indian villages often feature caste-based layouts where specific groups are relegated to the ‘downwind’ or peripheral area