This document provides an overview of urban and rural settlement types and definitions. It discusses how settlements are classified based on size and function into urban and rural areas. Urban settlements tend to have non-agricultural economies with high population densities and infrastructure, while rural settlements rely on agriculture and have lower population densities. The document also defines terms like city, town, suburb, and provides the criteria for declaring an area urban under Bangladesh law.

1. Welcome to Lecture 01
to Lecture 01We
DSMHT 305: Urban and Regional Planning:
Risk Mitigation Concept
Department of Disaster Science and Management
University of Dhaka
Bangladesh
Prepared by-
BAYES AHMED
22 November 2015
Welcome to Lecture 02

2. Settlement Types
Men construct houses and develop settlements to protect
themselves against the oddity of weather and to enjoy
social life.
Settlements are classified on the basis of size and function
into URBAN and RURAL.

3. Urban Settlements
 These types of settlement are nodal in character and have
secondary and tertiary activities.
 The chief occupation of the people of urban areas is
non-agricultural i.e. industry, trade and services. Less
than 50% of adult male population is engaged in
agricultural job.
 The major function of an urban area are trades and
commerce, transport and communication, mining and
manufacturing, defense, administration, cultural and
recreational activities.
 Population density is high and the settlement size is large.
 Most roads are developed in a planned way.
 Settlements are generally concentrated.
 Buildings are of durable materials in most cases.
 High level of concentration of linear utility service.

4. Rural Settlements
 These settlements are mainly concerned with primary
activities such as agriculture, mining, fishing, forestry etc.
 Most of the people (more than 50% of adult male) of rural
settlement are engaged in agricultural work.
 Population density is small and the settlement size is
small.
 Roads are developed spontaneously and often
meandering (zigzag).
 Settlements are generally clustered.
 Buildings are of non-durable materials in most cases.
 Linear utility services are rare in most cases.

5.  The rural settlements derive their life support or basic
economic needs from land based primary economic
activities, whereas, urban settlements, depend on
processing of raw materials and manufacturing of
finished goods on the one hand and a variety of services
on the other.
 Cities act as nodes of economic growth. Urban
settlements provide goods and services to the people of
the rural settlements and in return rural settlement provide
food and raw materials. This functional relationship
between the urban and rural settlements takes place
through transport and communication network.
Rural vs. Urban

6.  Rural people are less mobile and therefore, social
relations among them are intimate. In urban areas, on the
other hand, way of life is complex and fast, and social
relations are formal.
 Rural settlements are small in size because they depend
on extensive land for cultivation etc. whereas urban
settlements are large and compact.
Rural vs. Urban

7. Declaration of City Area (Bangladesh)
According to Bangladesh Gazette, 52 no. ordinance of 2010
Ordinance issued for the amendment of local government
(municipality) ordinance, 2009 (page 6698):
(1) Government can express intention to declare any rural
area to city area by notification through gazette
analyzing issues like as-
(a) population,
(b) density of population,
(c) local income sources,
(d) percentage of non-agricultural profession, and
(e) economical importance of such area.

8. Declaration of City Area (Bangladesh)
(2) Before publishing circular by gazette according to sub-
section (1) have to be confirm about following issues that,
declared area-
(a) Three-forth of the people is involved with non-
agricultural profession.
(b) 33 percent land is non-agriculture type.
(c) Density of population is not less than 1500 in average
in each sq. km.
(d) Population will not be less than 50 thousand.

9. Definition of Urban Places
City
 The term “city” is essentially a political designation
referring to a place governed by some kind of
administrative body or organization. Thus the term in
itself has no size connotation, although normally a city is
larger is larger than a town or village.
 Nucleated settlement with multi-function and
activities.
 It has defined central business district, residential and
non-residential land uses.

10. Definition of Urban Places
Town
 Settlement meeting a prescribed minimum population
threshold.
 A town occupies a particular position with in the
administrative framework for local government.
 Less functional complexities than cities but have a
nuclear business concentration (e.g. growth center).
 No specific size range, to distinguish a town from a city.

11. Definition of Urban Places
Suburb
 Located outside the boundaries of central city.
 Homogeneous residential community separately
incorporated and administered.
 It can be exclusively residential, industrial and
commercial.
 Due to the specialization of land uses they are not
individually self-sufficient.

12. Definition of Urban Places
Central Business District (CBD)
 Nucleus of urban area, major concentration of
commercial land uses.
 Most accessible location in the city.
 High land value.
 Around the core less intensive land uses, usually
includes certain light industrial activity and ware houses.
 Ex. Motijheel commercial area.

13. Definition of Urban Places
Mega city
 Urban agglomeration having 5 million or more
population.
 Mexico, Tokyo, London, Paris, Dhaka are some examples
of mega cities.

14. Definition of Urban/Rural Places
Household
Persons, either related or unrelated, living together and
taking food from the same kitchen constitute a household.
A single person living and eating alone forms one-person
household.
Community
It refers to the following 5 lower geographic, administrative
or revenue units:
i) Union: Smallest administrative rural geographic unit
comprising of mauzas and villages and having union
parishad institution.

15. Definition of Urban/Rural Places
ii) Mauza: Mauza is the lowest administrative unit having a
separate jurisdiction list number (J.L. No.) in revenue
records. Every mauza has its well-demarcated cadastral or
revenue survey map. Mauza should be distinguished from
local village since a mauza may consist of one or more
villages.
iii) Village: Lowest rural geographic unit either equivalent
to a mauza or part of a mauza.
iv) Ward: Smallest administrative urban geographic unit
comprising of mahallas and having ward council institution.
v) Mahalla: Lowest urban geographic unit having
identifiable boundaries.

16. Definition of Urban/Rural Places
Urban Area
It corresponds with area developed around a central place
having such amenities as metalled roads, improved
communication, electricity, gas, water supply, sewerage,
sanitation and also having comparatively higher density
of population with majority population in non-
agricultural occupations.
i) City Corporation: It includes city corporation area
declared by the Ministry of Local Government.
ii) Paurashava/Municipality Area: It includes paurashavas
incorporated and administered by local government
under Paurashava Ordinance, 1977.

17. Definition of Urban/Rural Places
Source: District Statistics 2011 Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
(BBS) Statistics and Informatics Division (SID), Ministry of Planning, Government
of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.

18. Functional Classification of Cities
Employment and occupational data are used for the
classification. Followings are the major categories of towns
according to function:
1. Administrative Towns
It includes all the centers of province, state, distinct and
other administrative divisions of the country. Ex: Tokyo,
Dhaka.
2. Defensive Town
At the medieval period most of the towns and cities
developed as a defensive site. It has cantonments, barracks,
training facilities for armed forces. Ex. Halifix (Canada).

19. Functional Classification of Cities
3. Cultural Centers
Numerous towns and cities in the world perform cultural,
educational and religious function. Ex. Oxford and
Cambridge (educational towns in England), Mecca,
Vatican City (religious function).
4. Collection Town
 The mining towns, fishing ports, lumbering centers are
included in this type. Kuwait and Tehran hub of oil extraction
industries. Fishing towns have fishing port and fishing related
businesses are more pronounced (Male, Maldives). Example
of timber towns are Sabah (Malayasia), Grand Falls
(Canada).

20. Functional Classification of Cities
5. Production Centers
 Major function is some kind of manufacturing
industries. Transportation plays a very important role. Ex.
Osaka, Tokyo, Detroit.
6. Transfer and Distribution Center
 Main functions performed at transfer centers are the
trade, commerce and services. Ex. Seaports (Mumbai,
Chittagong, New York), financial towns (Frankfurt in
Germany, Amsterdam in Netherlands.
7. Resort
 Gifted with natural beauties and amenities. Sea side
recreation areas, mountainous areas. Resort towns have
tourist facilities and accommodation for visitors. Ex. Sylhet,
Cox’s Bazar, Maldives.

21. Thank You for Listening!
Any Question?
Contact Email:
bayesahmedgis@gmail.com