(a) Identify, with examples, any four ways in which urban settlements differ from one another (b) In which four ways are rural settlements dependent on urba...

(a) Four ways in which urban settlements differ from one another

• Function: Settlements differ by their dominant role, for example industrial towns (Kano), administrative/capital cities (Abuja), commercial towns (Lagos), mining towns (Enugu) and port towns (Port Harcourt).
• Size of population: Some are large metropolitan cities of several million (Lagos) while others are small towns of a few thousand.
• Age and origin: Some are ancient, indigenous towns (Ibadan, Benin) while others are modern planned cities (Abuja).
• Site and situation/layout: Some have a planned grid layout with good facilities; others have grown haphazardly with a mixture of unplanned quarters.
• Level of development/infrastructure: Cities differ in the quality of roads, electricity, water and services they provide.

(b) Four ways in which rural settlements depend on urban settlements

• Market for produce: Rural areas sell their farm produce (food crops, livestock) to the urban centres.
• Supply of manufactured goods: Villagers obtain clothing, tools, fertilisers, machinery and other processed goods from the towns.
• Higher social services: Rural dwellers travel to towns for secondary/tertiary education, specialist hospitals, banking and administration.
• Employment and income: Urban centres provide jobs for rural migrants who often send money home (remittances).
• Processing and storage: Farm produce is processed and stored in urban factories and warehouses before final sale.