Human Settlements

Rural Settlements in India: • India is predominantly a rural country — despite rapid urbanisation, about 65% of Indians still live in villages (2011 Census: 833 million rural; 377 million urban). • India has approximately 600,000 villages. Types of Rural Settlements: 1. Compact/Clustered Settlements: • Houses are clustered closely together in a nucleated form. • Common in: The fertile plains of the Ganga basin (UP, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana). • Reasons: Productive agricultural land — people live close to each other for social interaction, security, and sharing of community facilities (well, school, market). • Also found in: Flood-prone areas where people cluster on elevated ground. 2. Scattered/Dispersed Settlements: • Houses are spread out over a large area — with fields interspersed between homes. • Common in: Hilly areas (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Northeast), forest areas (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand), areas where water sources (wells) are widespread. • Reasons: Difficult terrain, each family living next to its land, water sources spread out. 3. Semi-Clustered/Hamleted Settlements: • A main village with smaller satellite hamlets (padas, paras, naglas) nearby. • Common in: Rajasthan, UP, Bihar. • Reasons: Caste divisions, tribal sub-divisions — different social groups live in separate clusters. 4. Linear Settlements: • Houses arranged in a line along a road, river bank, or canal. • Common in: Along NH highways, rivers (Ganga ghats), canals. Factors Influencing Settlement Patterns: Physical Factors: • Relief: Plains → clustered; mountains → scattered. • Water supply: Settlements cluster near water sources (rivers, wells, tanks). • Soil: Fertile areas attract denser, clustered settlement. • Flooding: People settle on higher ground — avoiding flood-prone areas. Social Factors: • Caste: Caste-based segregation influences settlement layout — different castes in different mohallas or separate hamlets. • Ethnicity and tribe: Tribal communities in forests have dispersed settlements. Economic Factors: • Agricultural economy: Farming communities cluster near their fields. • Pastoralism: Nomadic herders have no permanent settlements.

Urbanisation in India: • India's urban population has grown dramatically since independence — from 62 million (1951) to 377 million (2011), with projections of 600+ million by 2031. • Urban population share: 17.3% (1951) → 31.2% (2011) — still lower than the world average (56%). • India is the world's second-largest urban population in absolute numbers (after China). Definition of Urban Area (Census of India): An area is 'urban' if it meets any of these criteria: 1. A Statutory Town: Any town with a municipal corporation, municipality, or notified area council. 2. A Census Town: Place with (a) minimum 5,000 population, (b) density of 400/km², (c) 75%+ male workforce in non-agricultural activities. Urban Class Sizes (Census): • Class I: 100,000+ population. • Class II: 50,000–99,999. • Class III: 20,000–49,999. • Class IV: 10,000–19,999. • Class V: 5,000–9,999. • Class VI: Below 5,000 (towns). Major Urban Agglomerations: • Urban Agglomeration (UA): A city and its continuously urbanised outgrowths — includes the main city plus satellite towns. Largest UAs in India (2011 Census): 1. Delhi: ~16.3 million — India's capital and largest UA; rapidly expanding NCR. 2. Mumbai: ~12.5 million — India's financial capital; maximum city. 3. Kolkata: ~14.1 million — historic capital; major port city. 4. Chennai: ~8.9 million — South India's commercial hub. 5. Bengaluru: ~8.5 million — IT capital of India; fastest-growing metro. 6. Hyderabad: ~7.7 million — IT hub; pearls and biryani city! Mega-cities in India: • Delhi and Mumbai are among the world's top 10 megacities (population > 10 million). • Delhi is projected to become the world's largest city by 2030. Challenges of Urbanisation in India: • Infrastructure deficit — inadequate water supply, sanitation, transport. • Slums: About 65 million people live in slums (2011) — Dharavi (Mumbai) is Asia's most famous. • Air and water pollution — Delhi's air quality is among the world's worst. • Traffic congestion — most major cities face severe congestion.

Functional Classification of Cities in India: • Cities can be classified based on their dominant economic function — the activity that defines the city's character and draws its population. 1. Administrative Centres: • National capital: New Delhi — centre of national government, diplomacy, Parliament. • State capitals: Lucknow, Jaipur, Bhopal, Patna — state government and administration. • Chandigarh: Planned capital shared by Punjab and Haryana — designed by Le Corbusier. 2. Industrial Centres: • Cities dominated by manufacturing. • Jamshedpur (Jharkhand): India's first planned industrial city — Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) — steel and heavy engineering. • Bhilai (Chhattisgarh): Steel plant (SAIL). • Surat (Gujarat): Textiles, diamond cutting and polishing. • Ludhiana (Punjab): Hosiery, light engineering. • Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu): Textiles, small engineering. 3. Transport Hubs / Port Cities: • Mumbai: India's largest and busiest port — financial capital. • Kolkata: Port city on the Hooghly — historically the most important port for northeastern India. • Chennai: Major port on the Coromandel coast. • Vishakhapatnam: Major port and shipbuilding centre. 4. Commercial Centres: • Cities dominated by trade and commerce. • Ahmadabad: Textile trading, cotton market. • Kanpur: Leather goods, trading centre of UP. 5. Religious Centres: • Varanasi: Hinduism's holiest city — pilgrimage, religious education. • Haridwar, Mathura, Vrindavan, Puri, Tirupati, Amritsar (Golden Temple). 6. Educational Centres: • Pune: 'Oxford of the East' — Pune University, Symbiosis, defence research. • Manipal, Vellore: Medical education. 7. Tourist Centres: • Agra (Taj Mahal), Jaipur (Pink City), Goa (beaches), Shimla, Mussoorie. 8. Defence Cantonment Cities: • Cities with large military presence — Ambala, Meerut, Pune, Secunderabad. 9. Mining Towns: • Towns that grew around mineral extraction — Dhanbad (coal), Kolar (gold, Karnataka).