GR 12 Settlement Geography Part 2 Summaries
GR 12 Settlement Geography Part 2 Summaries
SETTLEMENT GEOGRAPHY
2.1 How site and situation affect the location of rural
settlements
PHYSICAL FACTORS:
✓ Early settlements develop around a subsistence farming
✓ Choice of site is linked to physical aspects of site
2. Farming factors
Fertile and arable land or land that provides good grazing for livestock
Land that are flat or gentle are also preferred.
3. Availability of building material and energy resources
Stone, clay, mud, grass and wood were used to build houses. Burning of wood
was used as a source for heating and cooking.
4. Positive effects of microclimate
Southern hemisphere – settle on north-facing slopes: direct sunshine, heat and
light.
Hilly areas – settlements on warmer inversion layer
Not settlements in hill tops or valley floors: low temperature specially at night.
ECONOMIC FACTORS
✓ Fertile, well-drained soil and grazing land attracts commercial farming
settlements.
✓ Natural harbour, close to productive fishing grounds leads to the development
of settlements.
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✓ Tourist attractions can lead to the development of settlements.
DISPERSED
Advantages:
✓ Farmer works for him/himself and keeps own profits
✓ More efficient farming
✓ Farmer can use his/her own initiative
✓ Farmer lives on his/her own single tract of land
✓ Farmer can maximise the use of machinery as it does not have to be shared
with other farmers.
Disadvanrages:
✓ No social contact, far from neighbours
✓ No protection: lack of security as people living on their own are more
vulnerable
✓ No help if farmer is sick or disabled
✓ Essential services are far away, which can be dangerous it there is an
emergency
NUCLEATED
Advantages:
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✓ Daily social contact – community involvement
✓ People do not live in isolation from one another in time of need
✓ Protection is easier when people are together
✓ There are enough people to share the workload
✓ Possibility of co-operative farming system. Farmers can agree each to plant a
different crop and share the cost of ploughing and fertilising land.
Disadvantages:
✓ No independent decision-making
✓ Individuals cannot show initiatives
✓ Fields are scattered, which wastes time
✓ Machinery is shared
✓ Difficult to be economically successful
✓ Travelling from the village to the farm is time-consuming and uneconomic.
✓ Plots may be too small to be economically viable
✓ Modern farming methods cannot be applied effectively.
FUNCTION:
All rural settlements only focus on one function e.g. farming – Mono-functional
settlements. Most inhabitants are involved in this activity.
Urban settlements are multifunctional as there are a number of economic activities in
different economic sectors where inhabitants are involved.
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2.4 Land use in rural settlements
✓ Agricultural areas where crops and stock faming occur
✓ Conservation areas where the natural vegetation and habitat is conserved
with the animals of the areas
✓ Recreation areas – ecotourism, flying / landing strips
✓ Plantations / forestry
✓ Farm workers housing
✓ Rural – Urban fringe activities: airports, waterworks, waste dumps, sewage
works, informal settlements and market gardens
✓ Reservoirs, irrigation, fishing, hydro-electric power plants
✓ Hazardous activities (far from large groups of people) Toxic industries,
nuclear power stations, military camps and security areas, rubbish dumps.
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1.1 Identify the rural settlement pattern in FIGURE 1 (1 x 1) (1)
1.2 Give ONE reason for your answer to QUESTION 1 (1 x 1) (1)
1.3 Identify the primary economic activity that most people
living in this settlement would be involved in. (1 x 1) (1)
QUESTION 2:
Refer to FIGURE 2 showing a nucleated village
FIGURE 2: SETTLEMENT TYPE
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2.1 Describe the shape of the village. (1 x 1) (1)
2.2 Discuss TWO disadvantages for farmers living in this village. (2 x 2) (4)
2.3 Discuss ONE advantage for farmers living in this village. (1 x 2) (2)
2.4 Write a paragraph of approximately EIGHT lines in which you
suggest sustainable measures to prevent people from leaving this
village to live in cities. (4 x 2) (8)
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ANSWERS:
1. Rural Settlement Pattern
1.1. Dispersed/Isolated/Scattered (1 x 1) (1)
1.2. Buildings are scattered/far apart (1 x 1) (1)
1.3. Farming/Agriculture/Cultivation(1)
[NOT cultivated land] (1 x 1) (1)
1.4 The availability of water from the river (2)
Flat land (2)
Fertile soil (2)
Access to transport (2)
Enough arable land for farming (2)
[ANY TWO - ACCEPT OTHER REASONABLE ANSWERS] (2 x 2) (4)
2. SETTLEMENT TYPE
2.1. Circular/round (1) (1 x 1) (1)
2.2. Access to the village is restricted when the river floods (2)
Not all cultivated areas have access to the river (2)
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Quality of roads affects transport (2)
Farmer bound to communal decisions (2) (2 x 2) (4)
2.3. The village green provides a market for the cultivated crops (2)
Access to the transportation networks (roads) for some
of the farmers (2)
Access to the river for some of the farmers will enable irrigation (2)
[ANY ONE] (1 x 2) (2)