3 RURAL AND URBAN

SETTLEMENTS AROUND
THE WORLD

YOU WILL LEARN TO…

● Identify the characteristics of

rural and urban settlements.
● Analyse the process of
urbanisation based on the layout
of a settlement.
● Recognise the problems of city
life.

Which city is shown in this photo? Which country is it in?

Name two Ancient cities that are currently the capitals of
their respective countries.
Name three types of houses found in rural areas.
What do you think the main problems of city life are?
 Final task +
www

Interpret a city’s layout

A city’s layout is the product of its origin, historical
development and characteristics.
The location of the city, the type of buildings it has and
the way in which they are distributed are the result of its
functions, the way it has developed over time and the
needs of its inhabitants.
By looking at a city’s layout and images from different
periods, we can learn about the city, its history and its
characteristics.

In this task you are going to interpret the layout

of a city of your choice. At the end of the task your
class will have a catalogue with information about
noteworthy cities.
3

1. SETTLEMENT

Settlement is the process through which a group of people establishes homes in a

particular place, as well as the way in which their homes are distributed.

We can distinguish between rural and urban settlements based on their size and the
economic activities that their inhabitants carry out.

1.1. Rural and urban settlements

Historically, most of the population was rural, but nowadays more than half of
the world’s population lives in cities. This figure is likely to rise in the future.

The difference between a rural and an urban settlement varies depending on the
country. In Spain a settlement with more than 10 000 inhabitants is considered to be Passau (Germany), at the confluence of
a city, or urban settlement. In other countries, such as Japan, a settlement with more the Danube with the Inn and the Ilz
than 20 000 inhabitants is considered to be a city, while in the United States a settle-
ment with more than 2 500 inhabitants is considered to be a city.

1.2. The area around a settlement

The characteristics of the area are decisive in the location of settlements.

As regards the place where a population settles, we can distinguish two types of
location.
❚❚ Situation: this refers to a settlement’s location in relation to the surrounding area
(district, region, country and continent). In the case of cities this is particularly
important, since they exert a great influence over the rest of the area in which
they are located. Historically, settlements situated in a central location have
been the dominant pattern, as this constitutes a meeting point between various
regions. Examples include Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Mexico City, Santiago de Chile
and Zaragoza.
❚❚ Site: this refers to the specific place where a settlement is located. In many cases
a settlement’s site explains its original function. For example, Rome, Toledo,
Cuenca and Lugo are located on high ground because their original function
was defensive. Paris, Vienna and Córdoba are next to rivers because they were
originally crossing points. London, Buenos Aires, Lisbon and Bilbao are at or
close to river mouths because they communicated between the coast and inland
regions. Other settlements are on the slopes of valleys in order to avoid occupying
fertile agricultural lands.

THE RURAL–URBAN DISTRIBUTION OF WORLD POPULATION

1970 2000 2015 2030

Rural Rural Rural Rural

63% 53% 47% 40%

Urban Urban Urban Urban

37% 47% 53% 60%

46 Geography
 3

1.3. Settlements and the environment

Rural settlements are usually integrated with and take advantage of the surrounding
environment. However, urban settlements transform and sometimes exhaust the
surrounding environment.

❚❚ Rural settlements are strongly linked to the surrounding environment, which

they take advantage of and transform according to their needs and level of
development. They are integrated with their surroundings, use materials available
locally for building (earth, stone, wood and even ice), and buildings are adapted
to their particular use: either as homes or workplaces.
❚❚ Urban settlements have larger populations than rural settlements. They occupy
more space and make more demands on the surrounding environment, which
they also transform radically. For example, forests and marshes are destroyed,
rivers are diverted into canals, and there is air and water pollution. Rural settlement (Japan)

1.4. Settlements and economic activity

The economic activities carried out by the population affect a settlement, including
its form and the types of buildings it has.

This relationship is more limited in rural settlements than in urban settlements. This is
because in cities there is a diverse range of economic activities and these are usually
less related to the natural environment. As a result, urban settlements tend to be more
uniform. However, we can identify various types of rural settlements.
❚❚ Arable farming zones: in areas of extensive agriculture, such as those with
cereal, olive and grapevine cultivation, settlement is usually concentrated in large
towns or villages. Areas of market gardening and irrigated agriculture generally
have more dispersed settlement, with homes situated on the plots where crops
are grown.
❚❚ Livestock farming zones: settlement is usually dispersed among family farms.
In some places, such as in the African Savannah, there are small, circular villages,
protected by thorny hedges to defend the herds from predators.
❚❚ Fishing villages: these settlements are located around ports where boats are Urban settlement (Hong Kong, China)
docked and fish is sold. Nowadays these settlements are often very big and
have diversified economies (for example they engage in tourism and in the
canning industry).
❚❚ Mining towns: these were originally located next to the mines, but many have
been abandoned due to high levels of pollution and the dangers of mining.

Remember Analyse

1. How is the location of a settlement influenced by 4. Burundi’s population is almost 90% rural, while Qatar’s
the characteristics of the area surrounding it? population is almost 100% urban. Where are these two
2. Name and describe the different types of rural countries located and how do their locations help explain
settlements. the different rural–urban population distribution?

Apply Evaluate

3. Look at the photos above. Which type of settlement 5. Write an essay on your town or city and include the
best conserves the natural environment? Why? following elements: whether it is rural or urban, its site
What is the relationship between urban settlements and situation, the main economic activities and how the
and the surrounding environment? settlement has affected the surrounding environment.

3. Rural and urban settlements around the world 47

3

2. RURAL SETTLEMENTS
Rural settlements around the world have historically been an important part of culture
and economic activity.

2.1. Rural houses around the world

Rural houses are usually used both as homes and workplaces, and they frequently
have outbuildings such as barns, stables and storehouses. They are usually built
using materials from the surrounding area and are adapted to the climate.

Rural houses vary depending on the part of the world in which they are located.

❚❚ Forests and rainforests: houses in these regions are usually made of wood, such
as the isbas or cabins of Siberia, which are also found in Canada and Finland.
Alpine houses in the mountains of Europe are made of a combination of wood
and stone.
In tropical rainforests stilt houses are built. These are dwellings that are raised
on stilts or posts in order to protect them from moisture. In Central Africa the Wooden isba (Russia)
Pygmies build small huts which serve as temporary homes using branches and
leaves.
❚❚ Savannah and steppes: these are areas with very few trees where the main
economic activity is nomadic livestock farming. The main type of dwellings are
tents made from animal skin. Some examples include the yurts of the Siberian
and Mongolian steppes and the now rare Native American tepee.
❚❚ Dry climate zones: houses are adapted to the lack of rain and great variations in
temperature. Mud huts and adobe huts (made of straw and mud) are common
in the Maghreb, the African Savannah, Central and South Asia, and dry zones of
America. In Spain these types of houses are found in Aragón, Castilla y León and
the Comunitat Valenciana, and are known as barracas.
Cave houses are carved into rock and are isothermal1. They are common in
North Africa (Tunisia), and in Spain they are typical of Granada (Guadix), Zamora
and León (Valle del Esla), Madrid (Valle de Tajuña) and Albacete (Valle del Júcar).
In desert zones tents made of fabric or skin are used by the Tuaregs in the Sahara
and the Bedouins in the Arabian Peninsula.
❚❚ Temperate zones: houses are usually made of stone, sometimes combined with
wood, bricks or adobe, and have tiled or slate roofs. This type of house is typical
in Mediterranean and Atlantic countries. In Spain examples include the masía
(Cataluña and Aragón), the cortijo (Andalucía) and outbuildings such as the Cave house (Matmata, Tunisia)
hórreo (Asturia and Galicia).
❚❚ Cold zones: houses are
adapted to the extreme cold
of the Arctic Circle and to the
lack of available materials.
Examples include the Inuit
igloo (made of ice) and the
reindeer-skin tents of Lapland.

1
isothermal: maintains a constant
temperature Reindeer-skin tent (Lapland, Finland)

48 Geography
 3

RURAL SETTLEMENT PATTERNS

Rural settlements group together houses and outbuildings in rural areas, and are smaller than cities. Their inhabitants organise and
develop this space, forming a municipality. There are three types of rural settlement, based on their different shapes.
❚❚ Dispersed settlements: houses are dispersed across the area, either because of the economic activities carried out or because
the land is hilly. This type of settlement is found in mountainous areas where livestock farming predominates, in areas of market
gardening such as Valencia and Murcia, and in areas of intensive agriculture.
❚❚ Concentrated settlements: houses are grouped together to form a village or town. There are various models, depending on the
pattern formed by the houses.

Linear settlements Houses are built along a road, Nucleated settlements The layout is organised
river or railway line. This is the case with the villages along the around a central point, usually the main square. From this point
Camino de Santiago, in the Great Plains of the United States the streets follow either a radial pattern or a circular pattern.
and Canada and in tropical rainforest zones. The latter is usually the case in Medieval European settlements.

Hermigua, Gomera (Spain) Eguisheim (France)

❚❚ Interspersed settlements: this is a combination of the dispersed and concentrated models. It has a main nucleus, various smaller
nuclei and houses dispersed throughout the surrounding area. This type of settlement is found in hilly livestock farming areas, such
as Galicia and Cantabria, and in Alpine regions.
In general concentrated settlements predominate throughout the world, although their size can vary significantly. The concentrated
model allows for a better provision of services such as schools, shops, local government and healthcare.

Remember Create

6. Define these terms: concentrated settlement, 9. Many towns and villages along the Camino
dispersed settlement, interspersed settlement. de Santiago are linear. Look at a map of this
7. What is the relationship between rural houses and route and write a short essay in your notebook
the surrounding environment? including:
❚❚ why the settlements follow this pattern.
Evaluate
❚❚ the function of these towns and villages for pilgrims.
8. What do you think the advantages and disadvantages ❚❚ examples of towns and villages whose names are
of cave houses are? related to the Camino de Santiago.

3. Rural and urban settlements around the world 49

3

3. URBANISATION !
Important
In Ancient History, certain cities were important economic and cultural centres.
Nowadays we recognise these cities as the origin of our civilisation. Cities are identified by:
❚❚ the number of inhabitants
Since the Industrial Revolution, cities have developed, grown in number and evolved (more than 10 000 people
to become the cities we know today. in Spain).
❚❚ their size and the space they
3.1. Preindustrial cities occupy.
❚❚ the economic activities
In general, cities before the Industrial Revolution were smaller in size than they are carried out there (industry,
today, but they already carried out many of their current functions. They governed construction and services).
the surrounding area and were political, religious and commercial centres.
❚❚ the types of buildings (high-
density residential areas, tall
Throughout history cities have emerged in different periods.
buildings, blocks of flats,
❚❚ Ancient History: the cities were the centre of civilisation and the capitals of large community buildings).
their respective states. The oldest cities were in Mesopotamia (Ur, Babylonia and
❚❚ the area they govern (this
Nineveh), Egypt (Memphis and Thebes) and Lebanon (Tyre and Sidon).
can be a district, region or
Later on, Greek civilisation developed in Athens and Corinth during the Classical the whole country).
Period, and in Alexandria during the Hellenistic Period.
Rome was the centre of a huge empire, which also established a number of
other cities: Cologne, London, Belgrade and Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul).
Examples in Spain include Mérida, Italica, Tarragona, Lugo, Zaragoza and León.
❚❚ The Middle Ages: before the 13th century, the Muslim cities such as Baghdad,
Damascus, Tunisia, Cairo and Córdoba were the most significant and influential.
Except for Paris and Constantinople (Byzantium), Christian cities had small
populations and were not important until the 14th century. Good examples
are the Italian cities of Florence, Siena, Pisa and Venice. These cities were dense
settlements with narrow streets, small squares and no urban planning.
❚❚ The Early Modern Age: the discovery of America and increased trade caused
European cities to expand. Examples included Lisbon, Sevilla, Amsterdam,
Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent. Spain took a model for a planned colonial city to
America. Colonial cities had straight roads and a large central square called the
plaza de armas. Examples of colonial cities include Mexico City, Lima, Cuzco,
Quito, Santiago de Chile, Santo Domingo and Cartagena de Indias.

Medieval city (Siena, Italy) Colonial city (Cuzco, Peru)

50 Geography
 3

3.2. Cities in the 19th and 20th centuries

The Industrial Revolution led to the rapid growth of cities in Europe and North
America.

During the 19th century cities were expanded and new suburbs known in Spain
as ensanches2 were created. In Paris, Baron Hausmann designed and oversaw the
expansion of the city and the construction of new wide avenues. This project served
as a model for other cities such as Vienna and Barcelona. In the 20th century satellite
towns3, also known as new towns, emerged.
The development of cities varied in different parts of the world during this period.
❚❚ The United States received large numbers of immigrants from Europe and China.
The already-established port cities on the East Coast expanded (New York and
Boston), and newer cities emerged, such as Chicago, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.
❚❚ Central and South America experienced a period of rapid urban growth in the
late 19th century. This was caused by the arrival of migrants from rural areas Ensanche de Barcelona
and immigrants from Spain and Italy. They settled in cities such as Buenos Aires,
Mexico City, Havana and Rio de Janeiro.
❚❚ The largest cities in the world developed in Asia, particularly in Japan (Tokyo),
China (Beijing and Shanghai) and India (Mumbai and New Delhi).
❚❚ In Australia most of the population is concentrated in planned cities, such as
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
❚❚ Africa has some very old cities, such as Cairo and Alexandria. There is also
unplanned urban sprawl4 consisting of shanty towns5 around large cities such
as Lagos and Kinshasa. 2
ensanche: new suburb characterised by a
regular layout with wide, straight avenues
3.3. Cities in the 21st century 3
satellite town: smaller urban nucleus
Nowadays, the cities that are expanding tend to be those with political functions, or located close to a large city; it is often
where trade or technological development is important. Examples include Dubai, Abu mainly residential and specific industrial
or commercial activities are carried out in
Dhabi and Kuwait on the Persian Gulf and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Trade and tourism have
it.
led to the expansion of pre-existing cities such as Singapore, Las Vegas and Miami. 4
urban sprawl: uncontrolled and
Cities in developed countries are either maintaining or increasing their activities and unplanned spread of urban development
populations. However, there is also a desire to improve the quality of life in these cities, into nearby areas
which has led to the introduction of broad urban renewal programmes, especially 5
shanty town: neighbourhood
in industrial areas and in the rundown city-centre neighbourhoods of cities such as containing small dwellings made of
Pittsburgh, London and Bilbao. waste material or of very poor quality,
and which are often not fit for human
In the immediate future cities are likely to continue to expand, both in terms of habitation
population and in terms of the diversification and importance of the economic
activities carried out in them.

Remember 12. Look at the photo of Barcelona. What features can you see?

10. Define satellite town, urban sprawl Create

and shanty town. 13. Choose three historical cities in your autonomous community
Apply and describe:
❚❚ two buildings or monuments in each.
11. Look at the photos of Cuzco (Peru)
❚❚ the importance of these cities in the past.
and Siena (Italy). Compare the layout
of these two cities. ❚❚ their principal function nowadays.

3. Rural and urban settlements around the world 51

3

4. URBAN LAYOUT AND ITS DEVELOPMENT

The layout of a town or city shows the spatial distribution of all of its elements
(streets, squares, neighbourhoods and green zones). It is also the product of that
town or city’s development over time.

4.1. Traditional urban layouts

There are three main types of urban layouts.

❚❚ The orthogonal grid layout: this type of layout has a grid of straight streets that
cross one another at right angles and form square blocks. This layout first appeared
in Ancient Greece (Miletus) and it was extended throughout the Roman Empire. For
example, it was used in León and Mérida. Spain exported the orthogonal grid layout
to its American colonies in the 16th century, and in the 18th century it was used in The radiocentric layout
cities such as Aranjuez and La Carolina. From the 19th century onwards this layout
was the model used for urban extensions (ensanches) and new towns and cities. This
layout facilitates transport and communications, and also allows for the unlimited
expansion of the town or city. It is the most commonly used urban layout in America.
❚❚ The circular or radiocentric layout: this type of layout resembles a spider’s web.
It consists of a series of rings, with the streets as axes that begin at the centre of
the rings. The blocks become larger as we move further away from the centre,
and they contain other networks of streets. This layout is often found in walled
cities or towns built on flat land, as the circular arrangement facilitates the town
or city’s defence. Examples of this layout include Moscow, Milan and Vitoria.
❚❚ The irregular layout: this type of layout is typical of Medieval and Muslim cities.
There is a dense grid of winding streets, with no open spaces or straight avenues.
This layout often emerged in places that were easy to defend, either because they
are next to a river or on high ground. Examples in Spain include Toledo, Cuenca,
Granada and Sevilla. In North Africa, Rabat, Tunis and Cairo are good examples,
and in Asia Jerusalem and Damascus have this layout.

4.2. Today’s cities

Today’s cities have expanded their area and changed some of their functions.

❚❚ Expanding outwards: in the mid-20th century suburbanisation AV

E A
began. Cities grew beyond their historical centres and original NI
VI
A

DA
DA
CI
EN

BA

EN
suburbs (ensanches), and new suburbs were established on the
ND

TR
RI

ER
PE

A
ID

RI
outskirts. The character of these suburbs varies: they can consist
DE

EN

O
IN

S Congreso
AV
A

Nacional
mainly of residential housing estates containing single-family
ID

NO
EN

RA
AV

homes or blocks of flats, industrial or commercial zones, areas for

LG
BE

AV Plaza del
ES

playing sport, parks and also shanty towns. E Congreso AV

NT

NI
DA E
IE

NI
RR

DA
CO

❚❚ Internal transformation: city centres began to deteriorate as a

Teatro
O

result of suburbanisation: wealthy residents left the centre to live

AY

San Martín CA
M

LL
AO
DA

in the suburbs. In recent years almost all European and American

NI
E
AV

cities have regenerated their historical centres, renovating

DE

9
BA

buildings and pedestrianising some streets. City centres have

O
RD
A
ID

CÓ
EN

taken on new functions: commercial (specialised and luxury DE

DA
AV

Plaza
NI

Gral. Lavalle
shops, shopping centres), governmental (municipal, regional and
E
AV

FÉ

JU Teatro
LI Colón
TA

Plaza
national government buildings), tourism-related (monuments,
DA

Catedral O
N

de Mayo
NI

SA
E

A
AV

restaurants and hotels), and business – the Central Business Plaza

ID

Casa Libertad
N

Parque Rosada
E
AV

District, with its banks and offices. Colón

The orthogonal grid layout of Buenos Aires

52 Geography
 3

THE IMPRINT OF HISTORY ON THE CITY

Córdoba

A city’s past and its historical importance are reflected in its buildings and monuments. These represent its cultural heritage and its
identity. The past is also reflected in the city’s layout. Two areas of the city are especially important.

The historical city centre The original site of The original suburbs (ensanches) The original area of
the city explains its origins, characteristics, historical urban expansion does not have the same historical importance
buildings and the layout of its streets. as the city centre, but these suburbs exemplify the bourgeoisie’s
important role in urban planning, as well as the dominant
Many historical city centre districts were progressively
architectural styles of the time.
abandoned over a long period of time and their buildings
deteriorated because they did not meet the new needs of These suburbs are generally upper and middle-class residential
the city’s inhabitants. Examples include palaces, cathedrals, areas that include mansions, museums and unique buildings.
churches, convents and even historical monuments. Good examples can be found in Barcelona, which has numerous
examples of Modernist architecture, including the Sagrada
Nowadays, people are more aware of the value of these
Familia Church and Parc Güell. Other examples can be found in
buildings and many have been renovated, making them
Paris (Place Charles de Gaulle, the Champs-Élysées and the Eiffel
more accessible and converting them into symbols of
Tower), Rome, Berlin, New York, Boston, Budapest and Madrid.
the city and tourist attractions. This has been the case
in cities such as Rome, Florence, Córdoba, Sevilla, Some areas of these suburbs, as well as maintaining their
Barcelona, Vienna, Prague, Athens and Istanbul. residential and commercial functions, specialise in luxury retail,
especially in fashion and IT.

Remember Apply

14. What do we call the business area of a city centre? 17. Look at the plan of the centre of Buenos Aires.
What is suburbanisation and what effect did it have What type of layout is it? Why was this layout
on city centres? adopted there? When and where did this layout
originate?
Understand
Analyse
15. Listen and write which type of layout is being
described. 18. Look at the photo of Córdoba. Describe the site
16. Describe the history of the orthogonal grid layout of the city and its layout. Why does Córdoba have
and explain why it has been so popular. this layout?

3. Rural and urban settlements around the world 53

3

5. CITY LIFE
Life in most major cities is fairly similar, although there are differences between
developed countries and less-developed countries.

Workers in cities have similar timetables and travel from their homes to their offices
every day. This is called commuting.
❚❚ Developed countries: cities are dominated by tall buildings, with skyscrapers
in the Central Business District and blocks of flats in the rest of the city, thereby
concentrating a large population in a limited space. In the suburbs there are
residential housing estates, shopping centres and transport hubs that connect
the city with the surrounding area. Tertiary-sector6 activities predominate,
although there are also secondary-sector industries in the suburbs and on the
outskirts of these cities.
In the city centre public transport is most common (underground trains, buses 6
tertiary sector: provision of services,
and trams), whereas in residential areas private transport (cars) predominates, such as transport, healthcare, tourism
producing high levels of pollution and traffic congestion. Cities in developed and retail
countries provide their inhabitants with a full range of services: governmental,
educational, health, commercial, recreational and leisure, sports, cultural,
insurance, transport and financial services.
❚❚ Less-developed countries: in general, these cities have grown and expanded
rapidly in recent years, with little urban planning and great socioeconomic
inequalities that can be seen in housing provision. There are luxury residential
areas and blocks of flats next to shanty towns inhabited by poor people who
have migrated from rural areas and who are largely unskilled and unemployed.
The population living in residential areas has access to the same services as the
inhabitants of cities in developed countries. However, the shanty towns and
other marginalised areas often lack basic infrastructure or have poor supplies of
water and electricity, and educational, healthcare and public-safety provision is
usually substandard.
In these cities both tertiary and secondary-sector activities are carried out.

Dharavi suburb (Mumbai, India) Opera House (Sydney, Australia)

54 Geography
 3

5.1. The major cities of the world

Cities with more than 10 million inhabitants are known as megacities. Nowadays there
are 29 megacities around the world, but the number will increase, especially in Asia, where
the urban population is growing rapidly.
❚❚ Europe: Paris, Moscow, London and Istanbul (between Europe and Asia).
❚❚ America: in North America, Mexico City, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago;
in South America, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
❚❚ Asia: Tokyo (the largest city in the world, with more than 37 million people),
Osaka, Guangzhou, Mumbai, Shanghai, Seoul, Delhi, Jakarta, Beijing, Dhaka,
Kolkata, Karachi, Bangkok, Manila and Tehran.
❚❚ Africa: Cairo, Lagos and Johannesburg.
❚❚ Australia: Australia has no megacities as the country has a relatively small
population. The largest city is Sydney, with 4.5 million people.

Shanghai (China)

5.2. Spain’s major cities

In Spain 77% of the population is urban. The largest cities are Madrid (3.2 million
inhabitants, or 6 million including the surrounding area) and Barcelona (1.6 million
inhabitants, or 4.5 million including the surrounding area). Four other cities have more
than half a million people: Valencia (786 000), Sevilla (697 000), Zaragoza (666 000)
and Málaga (567 000). Although Bilbao has 347 000 inhabitants, this figure is 900 000
including the population of the area surrounding the ria. However, medium-sized cities
predominate in Spain (those with between 50 000 and 500 000 inhabitants). Examples
include Vitoria, Pamplona, Segovia, Santander, Alicante and Palma de Mallorca.

Remember Evaluate

19. What are the characteristics of city life in developed 22. Look at the photo of Shanghai and answer the
and less-developed countries? questions.
20. What is a megacity? What are some megacities in a) Describe the buildings.
Europe? What type of city predominates in Spain? b) Is this city in a developed, developing or less-developed
country? Why?
Understand
c) Would you like to live in this city? Why?
21. Listen and answer the questions.

3. Rural and urban settlements around the world 55

3

6. URBAN PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS !

Important
Cities have many problems, but solutions to these problems are also available.
Urbanisation
6.1. Urban expansion and the environment Urbanisation has brought
growth and development
Urban expansion seems to be unstoppable for the foreseeable future. […] However, it has not been
able to provide the solutions
These are some of the consequences of urban expansion. to the many problems it has
produced, such as urban
❚❚ Occupation and destruction of the land: the space occupied by large cities
sprawl, traffic congestion,
continues to increase, with some of these cities merging to form a continuous
pollution, the emission of
urban belt, or conurbation. For example, between Boston and Washington
greenhouse gases, increased
D.C. there is a conurbation that is 600 km long, containing a series of large and
urban poverty, segregation,
medium-sized cities with a total of 50 million inhabitants. These large conurbations greater inequality and other
consume large amounts of water, energy and food, as well as requiring large negative consequences. All of
amounts of wood and stone for building. This puts a lot of pressure on the these problems are produced
environment and can exhaust it. by a model of urbanisation
❚❚ Pollution: cities often have high levels of pollution and produce a lot of heat. that is not sustainable.
This is caused by vehicles, industry and heating systems, and is worsened by tall Habitat Report III, UN, 2014
buildings, as these block the flow of air currents that would otherwise reduce
pollution levels. Air pollution is bad for people’s health. In addition, cities produce
greenhouse gases which increase global warming.
❚❚ Solutions: city councils have taken measures to reduce pollution, and also carry
out activities designed to regenerate urban spaces and improve the environment:
water purification, closing down industries that produce pollution, creating parks,
gardens and other green spaces, regenerating landfill sites, cleaning up polluted
spaces, educating the public about taking care of the environment, creating
pedestrian zones, and encouraging the use of public transport and electric
vehicles in the city.

Air pollution Urban motorway network (Shanghai, China)

56 Geography
 3

6.2. Social and cultural diversity

Economic and cultural differences between social classes are greater in cities than
in rural areas.

Inhabitants of urban areas usually live in neighbourhoods that reflect their level of
wealth, professional status and social class.
Wealthier people live in residential areas with more green spaces, larger and more
comfortable houses, and better transport and services.
Less wealthy people live in neighbourhoods with blocks of flats, smaller houses,
fewer green areas and high population density.
The arrival of immigrants has brought greater cultural diversity to the cities. Migration
has connected many countries with other societies and cultures. Large cities in the
developed countries of Europe, Asia and America have become meeting points for
people with different cultures, languages and ethnicities. Nowadays urban societies
are multicultural and multiethnic.
In cities there are also sometimes tensions and instances of discrimination against 7
xenophobia: hostility towards foreigners
people of different origins or ethnic groups. This is called xenophobia7 or racism8. 8
racism: hostility towards and discrimination
against people of a different ethnic origin
6.3. Social changes and conflicts
Economic and social changes
often take place in cities
because they contain a high
concentration of people.
In addition, the centres
of power (government),
universities (which bring
together large numbers
of young people) and the
most influential sections of
the media are located in the
cities. There are also various
industries and companies
that employ thousands of
people. As a result, protests
relating to the economy,
society and politics are
common in cities.
An urban protest

Remember Evaluate

23. Define racism and xenophobia. 25. Read the text on page 56 and answer the
questions in your notebook.
Understand
a) What problems are described in the text?
24. Look at the photo of a protest. Why is this type of b) Write a short essay suggesting measures that could
event common in cities? help to solve these problems.

3. Rural and urban settlements around the world 57

3

6.4. The city as engine of progress !

Important
Cities can be considered as engines of progress in various ways.
❚❚ Training and innovation: universities and research and innovation centres Cities and their
(linked to the government or to big companies) are usually located in cities. opportunities
❚❚ Organisational capacity: historically, cities have been the reference points Cities can be extremely
around which the rest of the country is organised. Nowadays large cities have efficient. It is easier to
global influence, because the political and economic decisions taken and the provide water and sanitation
events that take place in them have ramifications that affect the whole continent, services to large numbers of
or even the entire world. people living close together.
❚❚ Employment: in cities there are many jobs and opportunities for professional It is also easier to have
development. This is because large companies and key industries are located there. access to health, education
As a result, cities attract people who want to improve their working conditions and other social and cultural
services. However, as cities
and progress in their careers.
grow, the cost of meeting
❚❚ Quality of life: cities offer a wide variety of services (transport and communications, people’s basic needs and the
healthcare, education and culture). As a result, people move to cities from other pressure on the surrounding
parts of the country, or even from other countries, looking for work, training and environment and natural
a better quality of life. resources also increases.
Desarrollo urbano,
World Bank
(Translated)

Shopping centre in Toronto (Canada)

Remember Apply

26. In what ways are cities engines of 28. Look at the photo. What aspects of the city as an engine of
progress? progress can you see?
Understand Create

27. Read Cities and their opportunities 29. Choose a large city in a developed country somewhere in the
and answer the questions in your world. Look for information on the Internet and write a profile
notebook. of it, including:
a) Why is it easier to provide services in ❚❚ the number of universities and research centres based there.
cities? ❚❚ the names of important industries and large companies based there.
b) What problems occur when a city grows? ❚❚ the number of migrants and immigrants who have moved there in
recent years.

58 Geography
 KEY CONCEPTS 3
SETTLEMENT
❚ Settlement is the process through which a group of people
establishes homes in a particular place, as well as the way in
which their homes are distributed. Settlements can be either
rural or urban, depending on their size and the economic
activities carried out there.
❚ Historically the majority of the population has been rural,
but today more than half of the world’s population lives in
cities.
❚ The specific place where a settlement is located is called its
site, and its location in relation to the surrounding area is
called its situation. Fishing village (Norway)

Rural settlements Urban layout

❚❚ Rural houses are often both homes and workplaces. ❚❚ The layout of a city shows the spatial distribution of all
❚❚ A town or village is a settlement that is smaller than
of its elements and is a product of its development over
a city. It is situated in a rural area and contains homes time. The main types of urban layout are orthogonal grid,
and outbuildings. Different types of rural settlement circular (or radiocentric) and irregular.
include: concentrated (linear or nucleated), dispersed and ❚❚ Cities have three main areas: the historical city centre,
interspersed. the original suburbs (ensanches) and the new suburbs
❚❚ Rural settlements are closely linked to the natural or outskirts.
environment (building materials usually come from the
surrounding environment) and to the economic activities
carried out in rural areas. City life

❚❚ Cities in developed countries are very similar to one

another. They generally have tall buildings, good
infrastructure and high-quality services.
❚❚ Cities in less-developed countries have greater
socioeconomic inequalities, lower quality public services
and residential areas next to shanty towns.
❚❚ Large cities with more than 10 million inhabitants are
called megacities.
❚❚ Spain has mainly medium-sized cities.

Urban problems and their solutions

❚❚ Citieshave positive and negative effects on the

Irregular layout (Jerusalem, Israel)
environment. They reduce the amount of land available and
cause pollution. However, cities have also taken measures
Urbanisation to reduce their impact on the environment.
❚❚ Preindustrial cities were smaller than modern cities but ❚❚ There are greater economic and cultural differences
they carried out the same functions: governmental, cultural, between social classes in cities.
political, religious and commercial. ❚❚ Economic and social changes often occur in cities because
❚❚ Cities in the 19th and 20th centuries expanded, creating they contain a high concentration of people.
new suburbs and satellite towns. ❚❚ Cities are engines of progress with regards to training,
❚❚ Nowadays, cities are developing due to new businesses, research and development, organisational capacity,
technology and political functions. employment and quality of life.

3. Rural and urban settlements around the world 59

3
CONSOLIDATION
30. Look at the map and answer the questions. 33. Match the rural houses to the correct environment.

Urban population Igloo

Less than 20% Between 55% and 90%
Between 20% and 55% More than 90% Masía
Stilt house
Barraca
Cortijo Forest or rainforest
N Plains or steppes
Yurt
0 6 000 km Isba Dry climate
1:446 000 000
Tepee Temperate climate
a) Why does the majority of the population live in large Cold climate
Cave house
cities?
Adobe hut
b) Do you think this is beneficial or harmful to rural areas?
Why? Tent

31. Are these sentences true or false? Correct the false Hórreo
ones in your notebook.
34. Look at this plan and answer the questions.
Adobe huts are made of stone and wood.
Monasterio de
The site is the specific place where a settlement Santa Cruz la Real

is located. Alcázar

The cities established by Spaniards in America Torre de

Hércules
are called colonial cities.
Plaza
Stilt houses are found in urban areas. Catedral Mayor

The radiocentric layout is also known as the  Paseo

del Sa
Cárcel Real
Acueducto
lón

orthogonal grid layout. Plaza del

Plaza de la
Alhóndiga Azoguejo
In linear settlements, houses are built along 
a road or river.
Large cities are integrated with their natural a) W
 hat type of layout does this settlement have?
surroundings. b) What type of relief is this layout generally associated
with? Why?
32. Look at the photo and answer the questions.
c) W
 hy was this layout used?
d) W
 here do the streets begin?
e) N
 ame three cities that have this layout.

35. India currently has a population of 1 314 million, 32%

of which lives in rural areas. Use this information to
answer the questions.
a) W
 hat percentage of the Indian population is urban?
b) What are some of the problems that the growing urban
Monteriggioni (Siena) population could cause in India?
a) Is this a village or a city? Why? c) H
 ow will the environment be affected?
b) Is this a dispersed or nucleated settlement? Why?
d) Find out the names of the five most important cities in
c) What evidence of this settlement’s history can we see? India, and their current populations.

60 Geography
 3

36. Copy and complete the table in your notebook. 39. Read the text and write an essay analysing the
contribution of rural areas to society.
Settlement Rural Urban

Linear X Elderly people in rural and urban societies

Satellite towns The rural population carries out a service to the rest of
society that is often ignored in our day-to-day lives, a
Outskirts service to which elderly people contribute greatly. Through
Dispersed its presence the rural population protects the land, the
natural environment and a large proportion of our cultural
Original suburbs and architectural heritage, all of which would otherwise
(ensanches) be abandoned.
Cortijo María Ángeles Durán
CSIC, Madrid
Layout (Translated)
Skyscrapers
40. Look at the photo of Tokyo, which is the
11 000 inhabitants
largest city in the world and has more than 37
Interspersed million inhabitants. Explain what you think the
advantages and disadvantages of living in this
37. Look at the photo of apartment blocks in Hong city are.
Kong and answer the questions.

a) W
 hat are the advantages of this type of building?
Explain your answer.
b) Why are most of the buildings in Hong Kong so tall?
c) W
 hat are some of the disadvantages of living in this
type of building?
d) What is another name for this type of building?
41. Copy and complete the table showing the
38. Read the text and answer the questions. advantages and disadvantages of living in a rural
area.
Central and South America have culturally diverse
populations, especially in rural areas. However, studies Advantages Disadvantages
predict that by 2050 only 11% of the population will be
living in rural areas.

a) H
 ow will this change affect the cultural diversity of the
population?
b) H
ow will this change affect agriculture and food
production?
c) What will happen to biodiversity?

3. Rural and urban settlements around the world 61

 INTERPRET A CITY’S LAYOUT
391
MATE
OUP00_CABECERO_BLANCO
How many cities have you visited? You probably used city plans when you
OUP00_CABECERO_BLANCO❚❚ Note RIALS
book
visited these places to help you get around. City plans show a city’s layout, ❚❚ Plan
s and
of you phot
as well as helping you to not get lost. A city’s layout tells us about its origin, r chos os
(histor en
evolution and characteristics. In this task you are going to interpret a city’s ical an city
urban d curren
layout. In a group or ❚❚ Com and tourist) t,
individually puter
access with In
ternet

Preparation

❚❚ Organise your group: each group should have four to five members.
❚❚ Choice of city: the photos of Rome below are here to help you get an idea of the task. We recommend
you choose a European city that has a long history and well-conserved historical buildings (for example,
Paris, Moscow, London, Prague, Florence or Istanbul). You can also choose your own city or one nearby.
❚❚ Organisation and distribution of work: after
choosing the city, before you begin you should
divide up the work between the members of the
group to avoid duplicating, missing key pieces of
the task or otherwise wasting time.

Aerial view of Rome

The Vatican and the Tiber

Procedure

Collect the information and materials you need. As well as using the Internet, if you are researching
your own city it would be a good idea to visit a tourist information centre or the city council to obtain
information.
❚❚ Historical: you need to look for information about the main periods of development in the city’s history
in order to appreciate the impact of the past and the changes that have occurred.
❚❚ Maps and plans: you need a set of plans (general, historical/artistic, tourist) and aerial or satellite photos
of the city and of any important suburbs.
❚❚ Photos: you need photos of the main monuments, views or models of the city, photos of unique buildings,
streets, squares and parks, as well as of elements that explain the site of the city, such as rivers, hills and
ports.

62 Geography
History
 Final task

Interpret the city’s layout, including these aspects.

❚❚ Location: the site of the city and its situation.
❚❚ Type of layout: orthogonal grid, circular or irregular.
❚❚ Historical development: the city’s origin and the main stages of its historical development, including the historical city centre,
original suburbs (ensanche), newer suburbs, squares and gardens.
❚❚ Current situation: you should highlight these aspects.
◗◗ Heritage: historical, artistic, natural and cultural.
◗◗ Diversity of suburbs and functions: historical city centre, residential areas, commercial, business and industrial areas.
❚❚ Final conclusions: summarise the information, highlighting the characteristics that define the city.

Communication and publication

Your group will present your city

to the rest of the class. You should
project a plan of the city so that your
classmates can see it during your
presentation.
Use slideshow software to prepare a
presentation with no more than 20
slides, following the steps outlined in
the task.
Finally your group should answer any
questions asked by your classmates.

Weblink:
o2ebi0301w
http://inicia.oupe.es/ge

Tourist city plan of Rome

SELF-ASSESSMENT
1. What are the uses of a city plan?
2. What elements of a city tell us about its past?
3. Which area of the city would you choose to live in? Why?
4. What sources did you use to help you interpret your city’s layout?
5. List the problems that you came across when you were researching your city.
6. What were the most difficult parts of this task?
7. Which of the cities presented by your classmates did you like the most?
8. How did you organise the work in your group? What was your contribution?

3. Rural
1. The
and
Ancien
urbanRégime
settlements
and the
around
Enlightenment
the world 63