Geography · Ch 10 — Human Settlements
Modern Towns
Modern Towns
Modern towns are a product of the Industrial Revolution. Before that, most towns served as centres of administration, trade, or religion. With the rise of factories and railways, a new kind of town emerged — one built around industry, transport, or a specific economic function.
These towns are classified by their primary function. The textbook identifies several clear types:
- Industrial towns — centres where manufacturing is the dominant activity. Examples include Pittsburgh (steel) in the USA and Jamshedpur (steel) in India.
- Transport towns — these grow at strategic points along trade routes. They may be ports (Mumbai, Kolkata), or junctions where roads and railways meet (Agra, Allahabad).
- Commercial towns — hubs of trade, banking, and wholesale activity. Examples are Hong Kong, Singapore, and Kolkata.
- Mining towns — settlements that develop around mineral extraction. Examples are Raniganj (coal) and Jharia (coal) in India, and Johannesburg (gold) in South Africa.
- Garrison towns — military centres, often with a large cantonment. Examples include Ambala, Jalandhar, and Mhow in India.
- Educational towns — towns that grow around a major university or research institute. Examples are Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), Pilani (BITS Pilani), and Aligarh (Aligarh Muslim University) in India.
- Administrative towns — centres of government and bureaucracy. Examples are New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Canberra (Australia).
- Tourist towns — places that attract visitors for their natural beauty, history, or pilgrimage. Examples are Nainital, Mussoorie, Shimla (hill stations), and Varanasi (a pilgrimage centre). …
This black-and-white photograph is a street-level view of a modern Indian city. The image is taken from the middle of a wide, multi-lane road, looking straight ahead. A metal railing or fence runs along the central verge, separating the two directions of traffic. On the road itself, you can see a car and a few other vehicles, giving a sense of everyday movement.
On both sides of the road, the skyline is defined by multi-storeyed buildings — offices, apartments, or commercial blocks — that line the roadside. Tall street lamp posts rise at regular intervals, reinforcing the planned, urban character of the scene. There are no labels, arrows, or panels in the figure; it is a single, unannotated photograph. …