SETTLEMENT STUDIES
_SETTLEMENT_ a structure where human beings reside e.g
hut, hamlet, town etc
- Settlements however can be classified as either urban or
rural according to their function and form
_SITE_ the space or position occupied by a settlement
_LOCATION OR SITUATION_ the position of a settlement in
relation to its surrounding e.g. between mountains or other
settlements
SETTLEMENT HIERACHY ACCORDING TO RANK ORDER
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-Settlements can be described according to their size,
structure and function
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FACTORS INFLUENCING LOCATION OF SETTLEMENTS
[Link] factors_ on high ground which was easy to defend in
times of war e.g. Great Zimbabwe (ancient city), Nyanga on hill
sites
_factors of legislation and land tenure also determine the origins
of present settlements patterns
_in ancient Europe pronounced meanders also formed important
defensive sites for settlement
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2.Accessibility_ settlement is usually located where transport
routes converge e.g. roads, railway lines or water routes. These
are referred to as nodal settlements.
3. Availability of resources _settlements are attracted to areas
where humankind has access to natural resources that are
necessary for their livelihood e.g water, minerals ,wood ,fertile
soil and grass
[Link] preferences and available technology _In modern times
availability of appropriate technology and skills as well as
planning has communities to overcome previous settlement
barriers
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_people can develop settlements in sloppy environments
SETTLEMENT PATTERNS
Refers to the manner or way settlements are arranged/laid
out in an area.
LINEAR- normally consists of a line of huts or houses
following a road, river ,footpaths or cultivated areas.
_it can develop along a watershed or a mountain range.
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CIRCULAR PATTERN
_Common around dwalas or volcanic hills, a centre area
where a family gathers for traditional ceremonies or around
wells in semi-arid areas
RADIAL PATTERN_usually develops at road junctions or nodal
points including most rural service centres and growth point
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NUCLEATED PATTERN_develops when villages are grouped
together for a particular reason e.g. grazing land, fertile soils,
[Link] population densities also lead to
this pattern
DISPERSED SETTLEMENT_common in areas with low
population densities, mountainous areas where large
commercial farming is practised. In these areas farm
buildings are widely spaced and the pattern maybe
haphazard
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CLASSIFICATION OF SETTLEMENT
These can be classified on the basis of size, location and the
functions they perform
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FUNCTIONS OF RURAL SETTLEMENTS
1. RESIDENTIAL e.g. Mazowe, Domboshawa, Dema which are
around Harare have many of their residents working in
Harare
2. AGRICULTURAL_is usually in form of large scale
commercial farming or communal farming
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3. MINING_engage in small mining such as alluvial gold
mining. Most mining centres for large companies are also
located in rural [Link] in Shurugwi rural and other
parts of Midlands in Zimbabwe engage in small scale gold
mining
4. Fishing-In Malawi most villagers are engaged in fishing due
proximity to Lake Malawi however they require permits to
undertake fishing activities.
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FUNCTIONS OF URBAN SETTLEMENTS
1. Administrative-these provide administrative services to
their inhabitants, the capital city usually administers the
whole country e.g. Harare. Head offices and other
organisations are located here
2. Mining_ this has led to development of towns e.g.
Hwange_coal ,Zvishavane_ asbestos, Copper belt of Zambia
[Link],Mufilira
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3. Industrial/Manufacturing large proportion of working
population is employed in industries.e.g. Harare and
Bulawayo have many different types of industries. Gweru has
Bata Shoe Company
4. Commercial -these are urban centres where trade and
commercial or tertiary activities take place e.g. Harare,
Bulawayo ,Johannesburg ,Kinshasa ,Blantyre etc.
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5. Marketing/Agricultural towns-these centres devote
themselves to buying and selling for the surrounding areas
e.g. Harare ,Masvingo ,Gweru and Gokwe centre in
Zimbabwe and Kumasi in Ghana
6. Ports_ these have become most important urban
[Link], Lagos. Oil from overseas countries
comes to Zimbabwe via Beira port in Mozambique, such
ports are called entrepots. An entrepot is a port where goods
are received and deposited free of duty for export to another
port or country
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7. Resorts or recreation centres. These are important in as
far as tourism is concerned e.g. Eastern Highlands, Victoria
Falls and Lake Kariba (boating and surfing) these may also be
cultural centres e.g. Great Zimbabwe .These also provide
facilities such as playgrounds, hotels, golf courses, swimming
pools and night clubs
N.B_settlements can change over time e.g. due to planning
policy etc.
SERVICES IN SETTLEMENTS
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Settlements can be arranged into a hierarchy according to
their population size ,range of service and distance apart.
CENTRAL PLACE THEORY_put forward by Christaller from
research in Germany .It attempts to explain the size and
spacing of settlements and services they offer.
_on the diagram the hinterlands are hexagon shape because
they fit together without overlap or gaps
A=a village
B=small town
C=a large town
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GOODS-purchased regularly such as bread, newspapers etc.
are low order goods or convenient goods. Usually available
in the village or cornershop .Goods purchased irregularly are
called high order goods or comparison goods e.g. television,
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clothing, furniture etc. People are prepared to travel further
to centres or retail parks.
RANGE OF GOOD maximum distance that people are willing
to travel for a service .They travel further for higher order,
comparison goods
THRESHOLD POPULATION_the minimum number of customers needed to maintain a
service .Small local shop need a small threshold population buying low order goods. Comparison goods shops need a large
threshold population because goods are bought infrequently
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, URBAN FIELD, CATCHMENT AREA, MARKET AREA AND HINTERLAND_all mean the same thing. It is
the area served by goods, services, administration and employment provided by settlement or central place which
provides agricultural produce and leisure facilities such as country parks, golf courses etc. for settlement
HIERARCHY a ranking of settlements or shopping centres according to some measure of their importance e.g. number of
services, size, population etc.
URBAN LAND USE MODELS
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THE CONCENTRIC MODEL BY BURGESS 1924
The city could be divided into a number of
concentric land use zones
SECTOR MODEL BY HOYT 1939
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Sector model comprises sectors that radiate from the centre. The sectors grow outwards along lines of communication
such as roads, railway and rivers in form of wedges e.g. Dzivarasekwa , Mufakose , Rugare etc.
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It shows different land uses clustered together and there may be several centres which are nearly as important as the
C.B.D.1945 model
CHARACTERISTICS OF C.B.D
_stiff competition
_high land costs and high rise buildings
_mainly used for commercial purposes
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_office blocks, specialist shops, departmental stores, finance house, banks, insurance, hotels etc.
_high traffic and population densities during the day but low at night
_few residential areas are evident
ZONE OF TRANSITION OR TWILIGHT OR INNER CITTY
_the area of order housing, declining industry and some derelict land
_transit population of migrant labourers, the poor aged and unemployed
_C.B.D expands into this zone some houses are turned into shops
_in modern cities shanty towns can develop in this zone .This is an area of wholesale manufacturing
LOW INCOME RESIDENTIAL/HIGH DENSITY
_occupied by factory workers, single houses of cheap material
-located close to industries
-located in areas prone to pollution
_small yards and untarred roads
-poor quality houses
_noise pollution
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_overcrowded
_e.g. Mbare,Glen Norah,Mufakose,Dzivarasekwa etc.
MIDDLE CLASS RESIDENTIAL
_large house with yards
_broad tree lined streets
_small commercial centres and green belts can be found
_pre-schools and school are common
_market gardening may be practised
_e.g. Westlea,Mabelreign etc.
LOW DENSITY /HIGH CLASS RESIDENTIAL
_spaced houses and gardens
_high income,3 or 4 quality cars per house
-there are worker’s quarters
-good transport links with the city centre
_tarred roads
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_very low or zero noise except from generators
_can commute daily to work by own car
_ Swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts
_e.g Borrowdale
LAND VALUE AND DISTANCE FROM THE CITY CENTRE
REASONS FOR SURBURBAN SHOPPING CENTRES E.G .WESTGATE
-traffic congestion in the C.B.D makes the C.B.D less accessible
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-high crime rate in the C.B.D makes it unsafe for customers
-there is lack of parking space and expense in the C.B.D
-an increase in car ownership means that new skilled workers and customers can afford to go out of town
-high rents exist in the C.B.D
-there is need for large open space
-increased noise and pollution exist in the C.B.D
-increased of street children and vagrant exist in C.B.D
FACTORS AFFECTING LANDUSE IN SETTLEMENTS
_accessibility
_competition for land
_the mixing of land uses
_the specialised needs of certain land uses
COUNTER-URBANISATION-the movement of people and employment away from the large cities to small settlements
within countryside
URBANISATION is the increase in proportion of people living in towns and cities
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CAUSES OF URBANISATION
-migration from rural areas to urban areas
-higher birth rates in urban areas due to youthful age structure
-higher death rates in rural areas due to diseases, unreliable food supply, famine, decreased standard of living in rural
areas ,poor water, hygiene and medication
-rural areas being reclassified as urban areas
URBAN SPRAWL is the unplanned, uncontrolled growth of urban areas into the surrounding countryside
URBAN GROWTH is the increase in size of towns and cities
PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH URBAN GROWTH
-congestion in the CBD
-very high land prices in the city centre
-overcrowding
-housing shortages
-traffic congestion
-unemployment
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-racial conflict
-urban decay and dereliction
-deprivation
-pollution of air and water
MILLIONNAIRE CITIES-_places with a population of more than one million
MEGACITIES-cities with more than eight million people.
URBANISATION PROBLEMS IN [Link]
_unemployment due to rural -urban migration
_shortage of accommodation leading to squatter settlements
_pollution of water, air, land and noise caused by industrial activity, increased number of vehicles on roads, uncollected
domestic and industrial waste, burst sewage pipes
_rapid spread of diseases due to overcrowding
_loss of cultural values
_prostitution due to unemployment and also drug abuse, crime
_limited space for expansion
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_urban sprawl
_traffic congestion
SOLUTIONSTO URBAN PROBLEMS
_encourage people to use public transport
_building new roads or widening the existing ones
_establishment of solar traffic lights, roundabout and road signals
_heavy fines for breaker of environmental laws
_public education about causes and consequences of pollution
_improving disposal and collection
_repair burst sewage pipes
_create employment
_building flats or affordable houses
_develop growth points to reduce rural migration into towns
_housing loans given at low interest
_build more water treatment plants, dams, reservoirs, drilling boreholes
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_conserving water through education awareness
_improve industrial technology to recycle
-education awareness
-clean up campaigns
-increase quantity of housing with proper water, sanitation, electricity and space
-quantity of housing having enough units to demand
-availability and affordability of housing
-housing tenure (ownership or rental)
-Government support for low income self –built housing
-flexible loans to help shanty town dwellers
-slum upgrading in central areas
-improved private and public rental housing
-support for the informal sector/small businesses operating at home
-site and service schemes
-encouragement of community schemes
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-construction of health and educational services
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN URBAN AREAS
-land degradation
-noise pollution from generators, parties etc
-water pollution due to dumping of waste and agricultural fertilizers
-land pollution due to burst sewage pipes and dumping of waste on open spaces
-deforestation due to power cuts
-air pollution from vehicles, factories and veld fires when clearing land for agriculture
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