Impact of Geomorphic Attributes on Rural Settlement Distribution: A Case Study of Baghmundi Block in Purulia District, West Bengal

Studies of settlement types and patterns can proceed in two major ways, depending on the purpose of the study. One approach is to focus on the settlement types and patterns within a small area (village, town etc.) which may be called local or community settlement patterns. The other method takes as its subject the distribution of sites within a large geographical area (large city, district etc.) which may be termed regional or zonal settlement patterns. The settlement types, patterns and frequency of rural population dominated Baghmundi Block in Purulia District reflects the physical and cultural make up of the area. As the area is a part of Chotonagpur highland, the physical factors are most fascinating in conditioning the layout, type, pattern and size of settlement in Block and Gram Panchayet level also.

The present paper makes an attempt to describe the relationship between physical features and rural settlement distribution. For this, firstly, a detailed analysis of landform of the study area has been done on the basis of some selective geomorphic attributes i.e. Relative Relief, Average Slope, Dissection Index, Ruggedness Index and Drainage Density etc. secondly, study of population density and density of residential houses on GP level has been done and thirdly some scatter diagrams has been prepared to show the clear relationship between the geomorphic attributes and rural settlement frequency.

Studies of settlement types and patterns can proceed in two major ways, depending on the purpose of the study. One approach is to focus on the settlement types and patterns within a small area (village, town etc.) which may be called local or community settlement patterns. The other method takes as its subject the distribution of sites within a large geographical area (large city, district etc.) which may be termed regional or zonal settlement patterns. The settlement types, patterns and frequency of rural population dominated Baghmundi Block in Purulia District reflects the physical and cultural make up of the area. As the area is a part of Chotonagpur highland, the physical factors are most fascinating in conditioning the layout, type, pattern and size of settlement in Block and Gram Panchayet level also.

The present paper makes an attempt to describe the relationship between physical features and rural settlement distribution. For this, firstly, a detailed analysis of landform of the study area has been done on the basis of some selective geomorphic attributes i.e. Relative Relief, Average Slope, Dissection Index, Ruggedness Index and Drainage Density etc. secondly, study of population density and density of residential houses on GP level has been done and thirdly some scatter diagrams has been prepared to show the clear relationship between the geomorphic attributes and rural settlement frequency.