Question

What are the factors that affect settlements in an area?

Answer 1

1. The relief and climate of the area: Settlements are not found in steep hillside, marshy lands, or areas that become waterlogged. People tend to settle where the land is flat and arable.
2. Security: Communities are typically built on higher elevations to prevent flooding, providing safety for people and property. The community may expand in a strategic location as a defence centre. The settlement could be motivated by the need to protect people and property from adversaries and control access to key areas such as ports and factories.
3. Availability of transport and communication: Roads, rivers, and trains facilitate transportation and trade, leading to the development of towns and villages. Ports are located at the mouths of rivers and are connected by roads and rail.
4. Centrally located settlement: A settlement may grow if it is centrally positioned among other settlements (villages). It serves as both the administrative and trade centre for surrounding villages. Small towns and villages in India have markets and fairs (melas) for this reason.
5. The availability of water and land for cultivation and other purposes.
6. The potential for mining and industry.