Village [Human Geography]
Noun. A village is a small settlement usually found in a rural setting. It is generally larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town. Some geographers specifically define a village as having between 500 and 2,500 inhabitants.

In most parts of the world, villages are settlements of people clustered around a central point, such as a church or a marketplace. This is called a nucleated settlement. Village inhabitants usually engage in primary activities such as farming, fishing and mining, which provide basic goods and services for inhabitants and for people in surrounding areas. Villages function as trading centers and, often, as units of local government. With their homes built close together, villages also increase residents’ ability to defend themselves against threats.

Countries in East Asia have especially extreme population densities in
their cities. Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, and Hong Kong reflect urban living
conditions in Eastern Asia. Life in small villages in agricultural areas
represents a dramatic contrast to city life in Eastern Asia (National Geographic Education). Check out an archival National Geographic Xpeditions lesson plan, Country or City Life?,
exploring the advantages and challenges of life in urban areas
versus rural areas. (We don’t currently have full lesson plans on the new Nat Geo Education site, but we will soon!)

Photo Credits: Johannes Christo (Your Shot), Joey Yu (Your Shot), Laura Rietveld (Your Shot), Razaq Vance (Your Shot)

–Julia for My Wonderful World