Ch.6 Locations, spacing, size and functions of urban settlements

Urbanization and urban Growth :

1. Urbanization

2. Urban size

3. Urban growth

The Present World Pattern of urbanization

1. Highly urbanized regions(over 65% urbanized)

Moderately urbanized lands (35% - 65%)

Less urbanized lands (below 35% urbanized)

Settlement Classification

1. Types of settlement

2. Classification of settlements by size

3. Classification of settlements by form

~ Isolated dwelling

~ Hamlet

~ Small Village

~ Large Village

~ Town

~ City

~ Conurbation

~ Megalopolis

4. Classification of settlements by function

Central place function

Transport functions

Special function

Urban Functions and Locational Factors

1. Commercial functions and locational factors

~ Route intersections

~ Valley confluences

~ Junction of highland and lowland

~ lowest bridging point on a river

~ Head of estuary

2. Commercial ports and locational factors

Commercial ports

Outports

Fishing ports

Ferry ports/packet stations

3. Industrial functions and locational factors

Primary industry

Secondary industry

Tertiary industry

4. Cultural and religious functions

Education

Religion

5. Tourist functions and resorts

Coasts

Fashion

Spas

History

Administrative functions

Residential function

Diversified function

1. Christaller’s Central Place Theory

It is a theory stating that there was a pattern to the distribution and location of settlements of different sizes, and a pattern in the way in which they provided services to the inhabitants living within their sphere of influence.

2. Main aim

The main aim of central place theory is to explain the spatial organization of settlements and hinterlands, in particular their relative location and size

3. Assumption Unbounded uniform plain

Uniform population distribution

Central place function

Consumers minimize travel

Suppliers act as economic men

High order/low order centres co-exists

Uniform consumer income and demand

4. Principles

Market threshold

Range of a good

5. Hierarchy of services and central place

~ the comparsion of high order centres and low order centres

The marketing principle (k=3 network)

The traffic principle ( k=4 network )

The administrative principle (k=7network)

5. Application of Christaller’s model

Southern Germany

Southern and eastern Australia

South-west Wisconsin and southern England

6. Criticisms of Christaller’s central place theory

Isotropic surfaces

Modern technology

Population

Non-service centre

Overlapping market areas

Multi-purpose shopping

Mobility of people

Influence of government and planning agencies

Statics theory

Applicability

Spacing of settlements

Contribution of the central place theory

Christaller’s theory though hypothetical, theoretical and unrealistic, is still valuable as it illustrates the notion that urban networks are orderly systems and not just random arrangementsThe theory has stimulated work on retailing and consumer behaviour between settlements ,and within them,which is useful for town planning and economic development

Zipf’s Rank Size Rule

1. Introduction

Zipf’s observed the size and number of settlements in various countries. He noticed a common characteristic which has been called the rank-size rule. Having observed this order in the real world, he then sought to explain it. The rank-size rule is an empirical regularity

2. Main aim

The main aim of the rank-size rule is to find regularities concerning the characteristics of settlements in various countries,and to fit a graphical description to the size distribution of cities

3. The rank-size rule

The settlements within a defined area are ranked in descending order according to the size of their population

The size of a particular town can be predicted by observing its rank and the size of the largest city in the area

The town’s population is derived by dividing the largest city’s population by the town’s rank

Pr P1/r or pr=p1(r )-1

Where p is the population

r is the rank

p1 is the population of the first-ranked city

pr is the population of the rth ranked city

4. Explanations of the rank-size rule

1. Diversification and unification

Minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency

5. Present day examples fitting the rule

Modern American cities comply to a great extent with the rank-size rule

Chicago is smaller than expected, but in general the rule fits

6. Present day examples not fitting the rule

In Australia, there is a large gap between the “primate” or largest city and lower ranked cities. There is a deviation from the ideal straight rank-size line.This is because in Australia, the state capitals dominate each state’s territory

7. Validity of the rank-size rule

There is no reason why towns and cities should conform to this rule

There are problems involved in accurately delimiting both urban and regional boundaries when testing the rule

8. Comparison between central place theory

and rank-size rule

Christaller- functional classes or ordersZipf- concerned with ranking urban centres in descending order of population size

Central Place theory is deductive while rank-size rule is generally observed phenomenon is inductive and empirical The central place theory concerned with a regional scale while rank-size rule is applies to a national scale

Jefferson’s Metropolitan Primacy (Law of the Primate City)

1. Introduction

Mark Jefferson discovered that in many countries, in terms of population, the leading city is more than twice as large as the second city. In 1939, Jefferson formulated “the law of the primate city”

The law of the primate city

A primate city is one which far out-ranks all other cities of the country in which it is located,in terms of population, commercial activities, industrial output and political influences

3.Examples of primate city

The law of the primate city is mainly applicable to agricultural based, developing countries.It will show following characteristics

- small territorial extent

- Relatively high population densities

- Low per capita income

A high degree of dependence upon agricultural exports

High rates of population growth

A former colonial status

4. Factors giving rise to a primate city

Spread of colonialism

Strong centralized government

Economic factors

Industrial agglomeration

Rural-urban migration

Efficiency of modern transport