Characteristics of Rural Environments (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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