(a) Differentiate clearly between… | Geography

Question 1 Report

(a) Differentiate clearly between urban settlements and rural settlements

(b) Explain four factors responsible for tl-increase in size of urban settlements

Answer

Answer Details

(a) Difference between urban and rural settlements:

Urban settlement	Rural settlement
Large population and high density	Small population and low density
People engage mainly in non-agricultural (secondary and tertiary) work: industry, trade, services	People engage mainly in primary activities: farming, fishing, herding
Well developed infrastructure and social amenities (good roads, electricity, hospitals, schools)	Fewer amenities and infrastructure
Complex land use with commercial, industrial and residential zones; buildings close together and often storeyed	Simple land use, mostly farmland and scattered/clustered dwellings

(b) Four factors responsible for the increase in size of urban settlements:

Rural-urban migration: people move to towns in search of jobs, higher wages and a better life.
Industrialisation and commerce: the growth of factories, businesses and services attracts and holds a large workforce.
Availability of social amenities: good schools, hospitals, water, electricity and entertainment pull people into towns.
Natural increase: high birth rate over death rate within the town, plus administrative, educational and transport functions that draw more people.

(c) Four problems associated with such growth:

Overcrowding and housing shortage, leading to the growth of slums.
Unemployment and crime as jobs fail to match the rising population.
Traffic congestion and pressure on transport.
Pressure on services and environmental problems: strained water, power, schools and hospitals, poor sanitation, waste disposal and pollution.

(a) Differentiate clearly between urban settlements and rural settlements (b) Explain four factors responsible for tl-increase in size of urban settlements ...