a. Outline five characteristics of rural settlements in Tropical Africa
b. In what five ways does rural settlement depend on urban settlement?
Explanation
(a) -Sparse Population: Rural settlements in tropical Africa tend to have a relatively low population density compared to urban areas. The population is often scattered across vast areas of land, with larger distances between individual households or villages.
-Agricultural economy: Rural settlements in tropical Africa are predominantly agrarian, with agriculture being the primary economic activity. People rely on subsistence farming, livestock rearing, and small-scale agricultural production for their livelihoods.
-Traditional housing: Rural settlements often have traditional housing structures made of locally available materials such as mud, thatch, or wood. These structures are designed to suit the local climate and cultural preferences.
-Limited infrastructure: Rural settlements in tropical Africa often lack adequate infrastructure compared to urban areas. Basic amenities like electricity, clean water supply, healthcare facilities, and transportation networks may be limited or lacking altogether.
-Close-knit communities: Rural settlements typically have close-knit communities with strong social ties and communal values. People often live in extended family units and engage in collective activities such as farming, celebrations, and community decision-making.
-Limited access to services: Due to their remote locations, rural settlements may have limited access to essential services such as education, healthcare, and government institutions. Access to quality education and healthcare facilities may be inadequate, resulting in challenges for rural residents.
-Traditional social systems: Rural settlements in tropical Africa often have traditional social structures and systems that play a significant role in community life. This includes kinship systems, communal decision-making processes, and the influence of local chiefs or elders in governance and dispute resolution.
(b) -Technology and information: Urban areas often serve as centers of technological advancement and information dissemination. Rural settlements rely on urban areas for access to modern technologies, internet connectivity, and information resources that can enhance agricultural practices, education, healthcare, and overall development.
-Education and healthcare: Urban areas typically have better educational and healthcare facilities compared to rural settlements. Rural residents often depend on urban schools, colleges, and universities for higher education, and they may travel to urban centers to access specialized healthcare services.
-Market access: Rural settlements rely on urban settlements as market centers for selling their agricultural produce and acquiring necessary goods and services that are not available locally. Urban centers act as economic hubs where rural farmers can sell their surplus produce and purchase items they cannot produce themselves.
-Supply of goods and services: Rural settlements depend on urban settlements for the supply of goods and services that are not available in rural areas. This includes items like machinery, fertilizers, construction materials, healthcare services, and educational resources.
-Employment opportunities: Many rural inhabitants depend on urban settlements for employment opportunities. People may migrate from rural areas to urban areas in search of better job prospects and higher wages, particularly in non-agricultural sectors such as manufacturing, construction, and services.
-Transportation and logistics: Urban areas provide transportation networks and logistics services that facilitate the movement of goods and people between rural and urban settlements. Rural communities rely on urban transportation systems for the shipment of agricultural produce, the transportation of essential goods, and the movement of people.
-Infrastructure development: Urban areas are often the hubs of infrastructure development. Rural settlements rely on urban centers for the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, electricity grids, telecommunications networks, and other vital infrastructure.
-Government services and administration: Rural settlements often depend on urban settlements for government services and administration. Government offices, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and other essential services are usually concentrated in urban areas. Rural residents may need to travel to urban centers to access these services or engage with government institutions