2. .
Human settlements
means the totality of
the human
community - whether
city, town or village -
with all the social,
material,
organizational,
spiritual and cultural
elements that sustain
it. The fabric of
human settlements
consists of physical
elements and
services to which
these elements
provide the material
support.
4. An urban area is characterized
by higher population
density and vast human
features in comparison to the
areas surrounding it. Urban
areas may be
cities, towns or conurbation
5. Distribution of Population
1. Relief of land
Relief is the most important physical
factor which affects the distribution of
the population. Generally mountains
and plateaus do not have a high
density of population due to lack of
basic facilities. Mountains and plateaus
have other problems also such as cold
climate, lack of cultivable land. Lack of
transportation and communication
facilities.
ii) Climate
Areas having high temperature and
very low temperature are unfit of
habitation. Rainfall also affects
distribution of population.
iii) Soils
All the fertile plains have high density
of population because fertile plains
form the Ganga - Brahmaputra delta is
very high due to fertile soil.
6. iv) Minerals
The availability of minerals in a region also
affects human population. Areas rich in
minerals have high density of population for
example, north- west Europe.
v) Economic factors
Economic factors like development of industry,
technological developments, urbanization,
means of transportation and communication
have a direct impact on density of population.
7. Transport: Transport is very important in our lives. We need to move
from one place to another everyday, every time. We can walk or take a
car. We can use the train and see the scenery or the airplane to soar
the skies.
There are mainly 3 types of transportation:
i) Water
ii) Air
iv) Land transport: i) Roadways- It is a major medium of land
transport. It varies from ways and un-metalled roads to national
and international highways. The roads link the fields and farms to
factories, factories to markets and the goods can delivered right at
the doorstep of every consumer. Roads have major advantage
because these can be constructed at hilly area and remote areas.
ii) Railways- Railways are quick means of transport and can hold a lot
of load. Raw materials can be transported from one place to
another at low cost. The first rail in India was developed in 1853
between Mumbai and Thane. At present. India has more than 6200
kilometers of rail tracks.
8. Air transport
Air transport: This is the fastest means of
transportation. This is the most suited for
transporting light, costly and perishable
commodities. It is a very useful method of transport
in mountainous regions.
Pipelines: Pipelines are the most recent modes of
transport. Pipelines are mostly used for the
transportation of mineral oil, natural gas and water.
Countries like Russia, Iraq, Iran etc. have a dense
network of pipes.
9. Water Transport
i) Inland-Rivers, lakes and canals are main inland water.
It is the cheapest mode of heavy commodities like
coal, iron ore, wood etc. it also causes less pollution.
ii) Ocean routes: Oceans provide cheaper and easier
transportation. Most of the trade of the world is carried
through ocean routes. Major ocean routes are
a) North Atlantic route
b) Suez Canal route
c) Cape of Good Hope route
d) Pacific route
e) South Atlantic route
f) Panama Canal route
10. Communication: Communication means the exchange of
information. The world seems to be shrinking due to
modern telecommunication, which enables us to send
messages across the globe in an instant.
Telecommunication means the use of technology to send
and receive information such as speech, music, pictures
and documents over long distances. The devices that
make this possible include telephones, radios, satellites,
television and computers.
Means of communication like radio, T.V., computer are also
sources of education and entertainment. These provide
information on national and international issues. Means of
communication have played a very vital in develop world
trade. All these means of communication play a n
important role in bringing about national integration by
uniting the people politically, economically and culturally.
11. At the opening of the twentieth century, the amount of information
available was doubling about every one hundred years. Today, it is
doubling about every four years, largely because of the computer. The
rate of information build-up is likely to increase because each technical
advance opens a new door to new applications and refinements.
Most of the information systems in today generation use today share a
common bas-computers. Modern computers make it possible to store
and process huge amounts of information. They also allow users to
share that information with many other users. A device called modem
allows information to be sent from one computer to the other over
telephone lines. A large group of users who communicate using modems
make up a network.
Another modern way to communicate is the facsimile machine.
Communicating by telephone has become more convenient with
invention of mobiles. Workers at airports and large construction sites
can communicate with each other using talkies.
Communication today has entered a whole new era. People can share
information more quickly and inexpensively than ever before.
Information Age
12. As early people, began to communicate on one-to-one
basis, they wanted to share information with many
people in many places. As a result, means of mass
communication were developed. Mass communication
is a way to learn about the world and the events which
are occurring in the world. It is a way of passing
information from one generation to another. It is a way
for a person to be informed and entertained so that he
or she can make choices and decisions based on many
facts instead of just a few. Radio, television and
newspaper are probably the most popular forms of
mass communication. Through these mediums,
millions of people can be contacted at the same time.
Radio and television bring new, sports, entertainment
and education into the home so that people can
receive all information for warnings of bad weather or
other dangers.
Mass Communication