(a) In what four ways does a town… | Geography

Question 1 Report

(a) In what four ways does a town differ from a village?

(b) With examples, describe four functions which a village may perform for a town.

Answer

Answer Details

(a) Four ways in which a town differs from a village:

Town	Village
Large population, often in thousands	Small population, usually a few hundred
People engage mainly in non-agricultural work (trade, industry, services)	People engage mainly in farming, fishing and other primary activities
Has many and varied functions and services (banks, hospitals, schools, industries)	Has few, simple services
Large built-up area with high building density and infrastructure (tarred roads, electricity, water)	Small area with scattered houses and little infrastructure

(A town also has a wider sphere of influence and a more complex social structure than a village.)

(b) Four functions a village may perform for a town (with examples):

Supply of food: surrounding villages produce foodstuffs (yam, cassava, vegetables, livestock) that feed the town, for example villages around Ibadan feeding the city.
Supply of raw materials: villages provide agricultural and forest raw materials (cotton, cocoa, timber) for the town's industries.
Supply of labour: villagers migrate to work in the town's factories, markets and construction, providing much of the urban workforce.
Provision of dormitory (residential) and recreational space: nearby villages serve as dormitory settlements where town workers live, and as places for weekend recreation and land for expansion; they also serve as a market for the town's manufactured goods.

(a) In what four ways does a town differ from a village? (b) With examples, describe four functions which a village may perform for a town.