Rural and Urban Habitats: Settlement Patterns and City Design
Where Do People Live?
People live in specific environments called habitats. There are two main types of habitats: rural and urban.
The Rural Habitat
People who live in a rural habitat live in the country. There are two types of rural communities:
- Scattered community: Dwellings are far apart, separated by the fields where families cultivate the land.
- Concentrated community: Dwellings and other buildings are grouped together to form villages or small towns. Agricultural activity is located around the village or town.
In rural environments, concentrated communities are more common. Their inhabitants have access to services, such as schools, health centers, shops, or churches.
Transformation of Farmland
In developing countries, the rural population makes a living from agriculture and stockbreeding.
In developed countries, this is not always the case. Many industries have left the city and moved to the country. Business parks and shopping centers have also been built there.
Moreover, many people who work in the city live in rural areas. These people commute daily from the country to the city.
The Urban Habitat
The urban habitat is the city or larger town.
The density of people and buildings is higher in urban centers than in rural communities.
In urban centers, most people work in industry and services, such as trade and commerce, healthcare, banking, and communications.
How Are Towns and Cities Built?
Location of Towns and Cities
Towns and cities are built in locations which are good for economic activity and communication.
These locations may be on the coast, on large rivers, in fertile valleys, or where roads meet.
City Layout
The layout of a city is the way its streets and buildings are distributed. There are different types of layout:
- When urban growth has not been planned, the layout of the city is irregular.
- When urban growth has been planned, the layout is regular.
Most cities have both irregular and regular areas. The irregular part shows that the city initially grew without any planning. The regular part shows that it was later extended following an urban development plan.
Buildings also reflect a city’s history. For example, modern skyscrapers may be found in the newer districts, while older buildings may be found in the historic center.
- Irregular layout: Has no particular order. The streets are narrow and winding, with few open spaces. Irregular layouts are typical of Muslim and medieval towns.
- Grid plan: Streets run at right angles to each other. This type of layout is typical of North American cities and newer districts in European cities.
- Radiocentric layout: Streets radiate out from a central point. This makes accessing the city center easy, but access to other parts can be difficult. Some Spanish cities feature this layout.
How Are Cities Structured?
City Structure
Today most towns and cities serve as places of residence, provide services, and have industries. These are generally located in different parts of the city and, consequently, this determines the structure of the city.
Residential Areas
Residential areas occupy the most space. Wealthier inhabitants live in the most elegant parts of the city, in renovated buildings in the city center, or in the outskirts. Poorer people live in less attractive districts, in old buildings in the city center, or in cheap housing developments in the suburbs.
Service Areas
Cities provide a wide range of services. The larger the city, the more services it offers. Many of these services are found in the city center.
Politics is the main function of all capital cities. London has the largest stock exchange in Europe and, thus, London is an important financial center. Rotterdam, in Holland, has the largest port in Europe and, thus, its main function is trade. Oxford and Salamanca have a cultural function because of their universities. Rome, Jerusalem, and Mecca are destinations for pilgrims from all around the world, so their primary function is religious.
Industrial Areas
In the 19th century, industries were started in the cities, which grew as a result. Today, very little industrial activity takes place inside the city. Most industries are located on the outskirts.