Settlements & Hierarchy - Sardinia
CIE iGCSE Geography Assessment
| 1.5 Settlements (rural and urban) and service provision | |
| Candidates should be able to:Explain the patterns of settlementDescribe and explain the factors which may influence the sites, growth and functions of settlementsGive reasons for the hierarchy of settlements and services | Further GuidanceDispersed, linear, and nucleated settlement patternsInfluence of physical factors (including relief, soil, water supply) and other factors (including accessibility, resources)High-, middle- and low-order settlements and services. Sphere of influence and threshold population |
| Case Study required for 1.5Settlement and service provision in an area | |
Nucleated Settlements – Dwellings that are bunched together around a specific point
Linear Settlements – Dwellings that are spread out in a line
Dispersed Settlements – Dwellings that are spread out with large areas of land between them
- Soil type/quality
- Water supply
- Natural threat
- Natural resources/raw materials
- Relief
- Accessibility
Hierarchy
- Settlements in an area can be put in order based on their size or the services they provide.
- Higher up the hierarchy the population size and number of services in the settlement increases.
- There are fewer large settlements
Sphere of Influence
- Settlements in an area depend on each other as people will use a variety of services found in different settlements.
The area served by a settlement is known as its sphere of influence.
- The size of this depends on the type and number of services offered by the settlement and the transport links to it.
RURAL SETTLEMENTS
- Few services – low order services
Low order services – Oftenly used e.g. small general store selling convenience goods
URBAN SETTLEMENTS
- Greater number and variety of services: lower order & higher order services
High order services – Not needed so often e.g. comparison goods – furniture, clothing. People are willing to travel further to buy them
Range – The distance people are prepared to travel to use a service
Threshold Population – A shop or service needs a minimum number of potential customers to make a profit.
- Services providing lower order goods/services require a lower threshold population
- Services providing higher order goods/services require a higher threshold population
Case Study: Sardinia
Location
- An Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea
- Population: 1.7 million people
- Until recently:
- Most of the population lived in inland areas
- Economy was based on agriculture & mining of coal, lead and zinc
- However…
- In the last 50 years tourist development has taken place in coastal areas
Function of Different Towns
Cagliari
- Capital city
- Main Commercial + Industrial centre
- One of the largest fish markets – vast ray of fish for sale to the public and trade
- One of the biggest container terminals in the Mediterranean area
Carbonia
- Built to provide housing for the workforce of the nearby mines
- The name *Carbonia* comes from the Italian word for coal – an abundant resource in this region
- However, the mines closed in the 1970s causing high unemployment
Bosa
- Small Town
- Located on the West coast
- Traditionally agriculture and fishing played an important part on the economy
- Has one of the most beautiful yet popular beaches in Italy
An Important Port
- Olbia is a town of over 50,000 inhabitants in north-east Sardinia
- Main connection between Sardinia and the Italian mainland
- Airport
- Passenger port
- Railway to Nuoro & Cagliari
7 Marks
Questions
- Define “sphere of influence”.
- Describe characteristics of a hierarchy.
- Explain what “Olbia” is.
- What is a “threshold population”.
- Describe the characteristics of a rural settlement.
- Describe the characteristics of an urban settlement
Answers
- Define “sphere of influence”.
The area served by a settlement
- Describe characteristics of a hierarchy.
Higher up the hierarchy the population size and number of services in the settlement increases.
- Explain the importance of Olbia
It is the main connection between Sardinia and the Italian mainland: airport, passenger port
- What is a “threshold population”?
A shop or service needs a minimum number of potential customers to make a profit.
- Describe the characteristics of a rural settlement.
Few services – low order services
- Describe the characteristics of an urban settlement
Greater number and variety of services: lower order & higher order services
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