CBSE Class 12 Geography NCERT Solutions Chapter 4: Human Settlements

(i) The correct answer is (b) Bhopal. Agra is on the Yamuna, Patna on the Ganga, and Kolkata on the Hooghly (Ganga delta). Bhopal, however, is located around a series of lakes and is not primarily situated on a river bank.

(ii) The correct answer is (c) More than 75% of the population engaged in primary sector. According to the Census of India, a settlement is classified as a town if it has a population of over 5,000 persons, a density of 400 persons per square km, and at least 75% of its male working population is engaged in non-agricultural pursuits. The presence of a municipality, corporation, or cantonment board is also a criterion.

(iii) The correct answer is (d) Forests and hills in north-east. Dispersed rural settlements are typically found in environments with difficult terrain, dense forests, or hilly areas where isolation and scattered resources lead to houses being spread far apart. The north-eastern parts of India, with their forests and hills, are characteristic of this settlement type.

(iv) The correct answer is (d) Greater Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai. This sequence represents the approximate ranking of these major Indian cities by population size, with Greater Mumbai being the largest, followed by Kolkata, Delhi, and then Chennai.

(i) Garrison towns, also known as cantonment towns, are settlements primarily established for housing military troops. Their main function is to support defense activities and provide services for military personnel and their families. Examples include Ambala and Mhow.

(ii) An urban agglomeration is identified by the Census of India as a combination of a town with its adjoining urban outgrowths, or two or more contiguous towns, possibly with their outgrowths, forming a continuous urban spread.

(iii) In desert regions, villages are primarily located based on the availability of water sources, such as oases or underground water. The presence of camels, which are vital for transport and survival in arid conditions, also influences village locations.

(iv) Metropolitan cities are large urban areas with a population between 1 to 5 million, characterized by extensive infrastructure, industries, and commercial activities. They differ from urban agglomerations in scale and administrative definition, often encompassing multiple towns and surrounding areas tied socio-economically to a principal city.

(i) Rural settlements are characterized by their built-up area and the distance between houses. In India, compact or clustered villages are common, especially in the northern plains. Other forms include semi-clustered, hamleted, and dispersed settlements.

Features and Factors:

• Clustered Settlements: Houses are built close together, often found in fertile plains. They offer better security and social interaction.
• Semi-clustered Settlements: These may arise from fragmentation of larger villages or clustering in specific areas. Examples are seen in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• Hamleted Settlements: Settlements are divided into several physically separated hamlets, often due to ethnic or social segregation.
• Dispersed Settlements: Houses are spread far apart, typically found in hilly, forested, or arid regions where resources are scattered.

Factors responsible for these patterns include:

Physical Features: Terrain, altitude, climate, and water availability.

Cultural and Ethnic Factors: Social structure, caste, and religion influencing segregation or clustering.

Security Factors: Need for defense against thefts and robberies, leading to compact settlements.

(ii) While some towns might specialize in a primary function (like garrison towns for defense or university towns for education), it is rare to find a town that is exclusively one-functional. Cities typically become multi-functional due to several reasons:

• Economic Diversification: As cities grow, they attract various industries, commercial activities, and services, leading to a diverse economic base beyond a single function.
• Population Growth and Demand: Increasing population creates demand for a wide range of services, including housing, healthcare, education, and retail, fostering multi-functionality.
• Interconnectedness: Different functions within a city often support each other. For example, industrial growth requires transportation and commercial services, while a large population provides labor for industries and customers for businesses.
• Historical Development: Many cities evolve over time, starting with one primary function but gradually developing others as they grow and adapt to changing economic and social needs.

Therefore, most cities are multi-functional, offering a combination of administrative, commercial, industrial, educational, and residential roles.