SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENT PLANNING URP 213
Course content
1. What is the Human settlement all about in terms of Nature, Functions, Size, Origin,
2. What is Sustainability? Types of sustainable development in terms of physical,
economic, social and cultural
3. What are Sustainable development goals? What is the provision for each goals abd
the target of the goals
Definition and Meaning of Human Settlement
According to Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements (1976) human settlements is
defined to mean the totality of the human community - whether city, town or village - with all
the social, material, organizational, spiritual and cultural elements that sustain it. The fabric of
human settlements consists of physical elements and services to which these elements provide
the material support. The physical components comprise the followings:
Shelter, i.e. the superstructures of different shapes, size, type and materials erected by mankind
for security, privacy and protection from the elements and for his singularity within a
community;
Infrastructure, i.e. the complex networks designed to deliver to or remove from the shelter
people, goods, energy or information;
Services cover those required by a community for the fulfilment of its functions as a social body,
such as education, health, culture, welfare, recreation and nutrition.
Therefore the concept of human settlement refers to any form of human habitation where people
live, work, and organize their socio-economic and cultural activities. It includes the physical
structures such as houses, infrastructure, roads, water supply systems, schools, markets, and
other facilities that support daily life, as well as the social and economic systems that operate
within them.
Human settlements therefore represent the spatial organization of human life. They are not
merely physical structures but complex systems that integrate population, economic activities,
governance structures, cultural practices, and environmental interactions. In planning literature, a
human settlement is often defined as:
A place or locality where people establish a community and organize their economic, social, and
cultural activities through built structures and supporting infrastructure.
OBJECTIVES OF HUMAN SETTLEMENT
The overall human settlement objective is to improve the social, economic and environmental
quality of human settlements and the living and working environments of all people, in
particular the urban and rural poor. Such improvement should be based on technical cooperation
activities, partnerships among the public, private and community sectors and participation in the
,decision making process by vulnerable groups such as women, the elderly and children, who are
our future leaders. Human development is one of the main objectives of sustainable
development. But what is the actual situation on the ground or have the living standards been
improved in Nigeria? Do people have basic amenities?
Types of Human Settlements
A Settlement may either be rural or urban; it may be linear, disperse, compacted or nucleated.
Chapter two expatiated on Human Settlement morphology. However, rural settlements tend to be
comparatively small and few people who live in them either farm their surrounding lands or
provide services to those who do the farming. Rural communities in many parts of the world, and
especially in Nigeria, have been known for their indigenous and self-reliant strategies in food
production, provision of functionally efficient and appropriate shelter, efficient planning and
management of settlement, and alleviation of ill-health, protection of forest and, fragile
ecosystem.
Human settlements range from small rural hamlets to large metropolitan cities. They are
influenced by factors such as availability of natural resources, economic opportunities, security,
transportation networks, and government policies. From a planning perspective, human
settlements are composed of three key components:
1. Physical Components These include housing, infrastructure, transportation networks,
public facilities, utilities, and land use patterns.
2. Social Components These involve population characteristics, social institutions,
community interactions, and cultural practices.
3. Economic Components These include employment opportunities, markets, industries, and
other productive activities that sustain livelihoods.
Because settlements influence environmental conditions, economic productivity, and social well-
being, their planning and management are critical for sustainable development.
2. Classification of Human Settlements Human settlements can be classified in several ways
depending on the criteria used. These classifications help planners understand settlement
patterns and design appropriate planning interventions.
A. Classification by Nature (Rural and Urban Settlements)
Rural Settlements Rural settlements are communities with relatively small populations and
where the dominant economic activities are agriculture, fishing, forestry, or mining.
Characteristics include:
Low population density
Limited infrastructure and services
Strong relationship with natural resources
Simple housing patterns
Agriculture-based economy
, Examples include villages, hamlets, and farmsteads.
Urban Settlements
Urban settlements are areas with high population concentration and where the dominant
activities are industrial, commercial, administrative, and service-oriented.
Characteristics include:
High population density
Advanced infrastructure
Complex land-use patterns
Diverse economic activities
Higher standard of social services
Examples include towns, cities, and metropolitan areas.
B. Classification by Size
Settlements can also be classified based on population size and spatial extent.
Hamlet A very small settlement consisting of a few houses or families.
Village A rural settlement larger than a hamlet but still relatively small, usually dependent on
agriculture.
Town A settlement larger than a village with moderate population and economic activities such
as trade and small industries.
City A large settlement with advanced infrastructure, diverse economic activities, and
administrative functions.
Metropolis A very large city serving as an economic, political, and cultural center for a large
region.
Megacity A metropolitan area with a population exceeding 10 million people.
C. Classification by Function
Settlements often develop based on specific functions or economic activities.
Administrative Settlements These serve as centers of government administration. Examples
include capital cities.
Commercial Settlements These settlements develop primarily around trade and commerce.
Industrial Settlements These are dominated by manufacturing and industrial activities.
Mining Settlements These settlements develop around extraction of minerals.
Educational Settlements These emerge around universities and educational institutions.
Religious Settlements These develop due to religious significance and pilgrimage activities.
D. Classification by Origin
Planned Settlements These are settlements deliberately designed and developed through formal
planning processes.
Examples include government housing estates and new towns.
Unplanned Settlements These develop spontaneously without formal planning.
They often include informal settlements or slums.
E. Classification by Pattern/ Morphology
Course content
1. What is the Human settlement all about in terms of Nature, Functions, Size, Origin,
2. What is Sustainability? Types of sustainable development in terms of physical,
economic, social and cultural
3. What are Sustainable development goals? What is the provision for each goals abd
the target of the goals
Definition and Meaning of Human Settlement
According to Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements (1976) human settlements is
defined to mean the totality of the human community - whether city, town or village - with all
the social, material, organizational, spiritual and cultural elements that sustain it. The fabric of
human settlements consists of physical elements and services to which these elements provide
the material support. The physical components comprise the followings:
Shelter, i.e. the superstructures of different shapes, size, type and materials erected by mankind
for security, privacy and protection from the elements and for his singularity within a
community;
Infrastructure, i.e. the complex networks designed to deliver to or remove from the shelter
people, goods, energy or information;
Services cover those required by a community for the fulfilment of its functions as a social body,
such as education, health, culture, welfare, recreation and nutrition.
Therefore the concept of human settlement refers to any form of human habitation where people
live, work, and organize their socio-economic and cultural activities. It includes the physical
structures such as houses, infrastructure, roads, water supply systems, schools, markets, and
other facilities that support daily life, as well as the social and economic systems that operate
within them.
Human settlements therefore represent the spatial organization of human life. They are not
merely physical structures but complex systems that integrate population, economic activities,
governance structures, cultural practices, and environmental interactions. In planning literature, a
human settlement is often defined as:
A place or locality where people establish a community and organize their economic, social, and
cultural activities through built structures and supporting infrastructure.
OBJECTIVES OF HUMAN SETTLEMENT
The overall human settlement objective is to improve the social, economic and environmental
quality of human settlements and the living and working environments of all people, in
particular the urban and rural poor. Such improvement should be based on technical cooperation
activities, partnerships among the public, private and community sectors and participation in the
,decision making process by vulnerable groups such as women, the elderly and children, who are
our future leaders. Human development is one of the main objectives of sustainable
development. But what is the actual situation on the ground or have the living standards been
improved in Nigeria? Do people have basic amenities?
Types of Human Settlements
A Settlement may either be rural or urban; it may be linear, disperse, compacted or nucleated.
Chapter two expatiated on Human Settlement morphology. However, rural settlements tend to be
comparatively small and few people who live in them either farm their surrounding lands or
provide services to those who do the farming. Rural communities in many parts of the world, and
especially in Nigeria, have been known for their indigenous and self-reliant strategies in food
production, provision of functionally efficient and appropriate shelter, efficient planning and
management of settlement, and alleviation of ill-health, protection of forest and, fragile
ecosystem.
Human settlements range from small rural hamlets to large metropolitan cities. They are
influenced by factors such as availability of natural resources, economic opportunities, security,
transportation networks, and government policies. From a planning perspective, human
settlements are composed of three key components:
1. Physical Components These include housing, infrastructure, transportation networks,
public facilities, utilities, and land use patterns.
2. Social Components These involve population characteristics, social institutions,
community interactions, and cultural practices.
3. Economic Components These include employment opportunities, markets, industries, and
other productive activities that sustain livelihoods.
Because settlements influence environmental conditions, economic productivity, and social well-
being, their planning and management are critical for sustainable development.
2. Classification of Human Settlements Human settlements can be classified in several ways
depending on the criteria used. These classifications help planners understand settlement
patterns and design appropriate planning interventions.
A. Classification by Nature (Rural and Urban Settlements)
Rural Settlements Rural settlements are communities with relatively small populations and
where the dominant economic activities are agriculture, fishing, forestry, or mining.
Characteristics include:
Low population density
Limited infrastructure and services
Strong relationship with natural resources
Simple housing patterns
Agriculture-based economy
, Examples include villages, hamlets, and farmsteads.
Urban Settlements
Urban settlements are areas with high population concentration and where the dominant
activities are industrial, commercial, administrative, and service-oriented.
Characteristics include:
High population density
Advanced infrastructure
Complex land-use patterns
Diverse economic activities
Higher standard of social services
Examples include towns, cities, and metropolitan areas.
B. Classification by Size
Settlements can also be classified based on population size and spatial extent.
Hamlet A very small settlement consisting of a few houses or families.
Village A rural settlement larger than a hamlet but still relatively small, usually dependent on
agriculture.
Town A settlement larger than a village with moderate population and economic activities such
as trade and small industries.
City A large settlement with advanced infrastructure, diverse economic activities, and
administrative functions.
Metropolis A very large city serving as an economic, political, and cultural center for a large
region.
Megacity A metropolitan area with a population exceeding 10 million people.
C. Classification by Function
Settlements often develop based on specific functions or economic activities.
Administrative Settlements These serve as centers of government administration. Examples
include capital cities.
Commercial Settlements These settlements develop primarily around trade and commerce.
Industrial Settlements These are dominated by manufacturing and industrial activities.
Mining Settlements These settlements develop around extraction of minerals.
Educational Settlements These emerge around universities and educational institutions.
Religious Settlements These develop due to religious significance and pilgrimage activities.
D. Classification by Origin
Planned Settlements These are settlements deliberately designed and developed through formal
planning processes.
Examples include government housing estates and new towns.
Unplanned Settlements These develop spontaneously without formal planning.
They often include informal settlements or slums.
E. Classification by Pattern/ Morphology
