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Physical Features That Affect Settlements - Coggle Diagram
Physical Features That Affect Settlements
CLIMATE :partly_sunny:
state of light, temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, etc...
affects not only quality of living but local agriculture as well - it would be hard to cultivate and harvest healthy crops regularly in a place with a very humid, hot climate
a moderate climate that varies year-round is ideal, extreme weather conditions are often avoided (e.g. deserts or cold areas)
it all depends on why and where you are settling
it's easier to live in a place with an extreme climate if you're used to it - it is not very easy to adapt to something so harsh compared to what you know. it is possible, but challenging
consider building a settlement on a hill where it's dark and stormy 24/7; doesn't sound very safe to me when lightning tends to strike the highest point :thunder_cloud_and_rain:
LAND :evergreen_tree:
arable land
an area with fertile soil in a moderate climate, with a consistent water supply, that can be used to grow crops
places with arable land, like river valleys with flat or gently rolling plains, is very good for farming because of the fertile soil that is rich in nutrients
mountains, hills & plateaus
defense - building on high ground provides a great lookout point and space to scope out things like potential wildlife and other safe locations within the area
settlements placed on slopes receive more sunlight and are protected from cold northerly winds
privacy for people looking to settle somewhere quieter
year-round activities and opportunities to explore - hiking, biking, snowboarding, sledding, fishing..
flat land
easy to build on - any sort of blueprints, ex. residential, commercial, industrial, forestry...
wider range of accessibility options for people with limited mobility
makes farming efficient (easier to contain things on a clean slate rather than a rolling hill)
mostly just arable land reduced to the term of flat land - basically arable land but without all of it's underlying perks
fertile soil for crops, farming, agriculture in the community
forests for timber and housing - building materials and appropriate means for shelter
LOCATION :pushpin:
availability of building materials, water supply, quality of soil, climate of the region, opportunities for shelter and defense..
location is really all the physical factors that determine the location of a settlement - early settlers often looked for flat land, local raw materials, and a local water supply for drinking, washing cooking and transport
consider the region the settlement is being built in, what is the area around them like, outside of the settlement? what's the population like?
how does the climate complement the land? is it rainy and stormy with your settlement perched by a hill, or is it often sunny and smooth sailing with rolling hills all around?
is it worth it to sacrifice a good chunk of land for a place that has more resources instead?
what is the land around me like? does it have an abundance of water that i do not? is it close enough to visit regularly, and does it make living in a place with a smaller water supply worth it if i make the trip down there frequently?
essentially everything tied together
RESOURCES :hammer_and_pick:
water supply, rivers, lakes and streams, sunlight, wood and forestry, food (acquired by wildlife)...
is there any wildlife to kickstart a plan for food?
are there any natural resources like oil, coal, metals, stone and sand?
there are many different components to consider when thinking about building a settlement, one of which being the resources available in the area - is there a local water supply nearby for drinking, washing, cooking and transport?
is there any forestry in the area to gather wood from in order to build shelter with or start a fire?
think about how one resource meets another - without any water supply, there's no fish, and without fish, there's already a deplete in a potential supply for food (also consider a loss of potential means for transport, boating)
