Characteristics of Rural Environments (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

Components of a Rural Environment

• There are many different types of rural areas

• They all have the following components:

  • Landscape

  • Climate

  • Settlement

  • Population

  • Land use

  • Employment

  • Accessibility

  • Management (development or conservation)

• The character of each rural area will be the result of a combination of the different components

Landscape, Climate & Land Use

Landscape

• Rural landscapes are varied and include what can be seen but also the soil

• The type of landscape will influence the land use:

  • Deep fertile soils increase the likelihood that the area will be used for farming 

  • Mountains and lakes may increase the attraction of the area for tourists

  • Rocky areas may make construction difficult

Climate

• Climate includes the precipitation and temperature

• The climate can influence the land use 

• Where rural areas have an extreme climate population densities are likely to be very low

Land Use

• Farming (agriculture) dominates the world's rural landscapes

• Other land uses include mining, forestry and tourism

Population, Settlement & Employment

Population

• Population densities are usually low

• Some rural areas where there is particularly fertile soil may have high population densities

• Rural populations are often ageing due to the migration of the younger population for jobs

Settlement

• Small villages and hamlets

• Individual farms dispersed over a wide area

Employment

• Mainly in primary economic activities - farming, mining or forestry

• Increasing employment in tourism

• In developed countries working from home is increasing in rural areas

• Lack of opportunities

• Low paid 

• Often seasonal

Accessibility & Management

Accessibility

• Rural areas in mountainous, arid, forested and cold areas are often inaccessible 

• Roads, where they exist, are poorer quality

• Some areas may only be accessed via air or sea

• The closer rural areas are to urban areas the better the accessibility

Management

• Management may include:

  • Development of the area including houses, industry, leisure 

  • Conservation which involves protecting the rural environment and communities