Settlement Patterns *IGCSE*

Dispersed: An isolated building or a group of a few buildings forming a hamlet. The next set of buildings may be a few kilometres away. These types of settlements usually occur in adverse conditions, in places that have limited resources.

·      Nucleated: When several groups of buildings are grouped together initially for defensive purposes but now for social/ economic reasons. These usually occur every 5-10km. An example of this is the settlements in the English Midlands.

·      Linear: This occurs when buildings are strung along a main line of communication e.g. a river, or a state highway.