What is a settlement typically defined as?

A settlement is typically defined as a small community or village where people establish a residence and engage in everyday activities such as living, working, and socializing. This concept encompasses various types of dwellings, from individual homes to clusters of buildings supporting a population. Settlements can vary in size and function, but the defining characteristic is their role as a place where people come together to form a community.

In contrast, a large metropolitan area often refers to an expansive urban region that can include multiple such smaller settlements along with significant infrastructure and population. A capital city typically serves as the administrative center of a government but doesn’t always encapsulate the broader concept of a settlement by itself. An urban center is similar to a metropolitan area, highlighting areas with high population density and numerous services, which can also differ in scale from what is defined as a settlement. Thus, recognizing the nature of a settlement as fundamentally a small community aligns with the definition provided.