Humanizing the desert environment – A micro-level analysis of rural settlements

The study of settlement is of the essence to human geography because the appearance and structure of settlement in any particular region reflects man’s relationship with the environment, grown up over a long period of time. By studying the housing characteristics, size and types of settlement we can see something of the history of man’s explorations and humanizing with the environment. Settlement reflects not only man’s response to his environment but also the religious and social traditions of his society. In geography; settlement studies hold a significance place because settlements are viewed as a basic expression of relationship between man and environment. Settlements are specific features in different regional perspective. This study identifies the dimensions of rural settlements in Jaisalmer district in reference to the rural settlement size, form, regional association, their types and distribution. The objective of the present study is to analysis the micro-level appraisal of spatial dimensions of rural settlement and highlights the spatial organization of the rural settlement with reference to physiographic regions of the district.