Site And Situation现场情况.pptVIP

Site And Situation Site The Site of a settlement describes the physical nature of where it is located. Factors such as water supply, building materials, quality of soil, climate, shelter and defence were all considered when settlements were first established. For instance the site of Sydney, in Australia, initially took advantage of the excellent natural harbour and surrounding fertile farmland. Paris Paris was established at a point where an island allowed an easier passage across the river Seine as well as providing defence, fishing, transport, and drinking water. There are a huge number of factors that have to be considered when trying to locate a new settlement. These can be grouped into four broad headings: climatic, economic, physical and traditional. Aspect Aspect relates to the direction in which the land faces. In the Northern Hemisphere the best slopes to locate on are those that face south, as they will receive the most sunshine, and therefore be best for agriculture. This can be seen clearly in many of the valleys of the Alps, where settlements have located on the south-facing slopes. Shelter Shelter is also very important, particularly from the cold northerly winds and prevailing southwesterly winds in the UK. A good example of settlements being sheltered by their natural surroundings are the many spring-line settlements found along the base of the chalk escarpments of the North and South Downs. These settlements would also have benefited from the good water source and fertile farmland nearby. Water Supply A supply of water was probably the single most important factor in deciding where a settlement might be located. Not only do rivers provide a source of clean drinking water, they also provided a food source through fishing, and a transport route. Most of the worlds largest cities are located on rivers, especially the point at which they reach the sea, as this was often the first point that explorers landed. Dry Point Sites Water is vital to a