Indian Settlements – Rural patterns Which of the following regions in India is noted for a typical <em>dispersed</em> (scattered) rural settlement pattern due to physical and socio-economic factors?

Introduction / Context:
Settlement geography classifies rural settlements as compact (nucleated), semi-clustered, linear, and dispersed (scattered). The pattern reflects water availability, relief, soils, land tenure, and cultural practices.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for a region in India where scattered hamlets or isolated farmsteads are common.
• We compare four regions with contrasting environmental and historical contexts.
• We assume standard Indian geography references on rural morphology.

Concept / Approach:
Dispersed settlements are characteristic of arid and semi-arid tracts with low and variable rainfall, where households may settle near scattered water sources or fields. Eastern Rajasthan (semi-arid) exhibits such patterns due to water scarcity, pastoral activities, and land fragmentation. By contrast, the western Ganga plain tends toward nucleated villages; Kerala’s coastal plain shows linear/nucleated forms along canals and roads; the Telangana plateau often has compact villages around tanks/fields.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Define the target pattern: dispersed = scattered homesteads.Evaluate each region against rainfall, water sources, and agricultural systems.Identify eastern Rajasthan as the best-fit example.

Verification / Alternative check:
Atlases and textbooks of Indian geography repeatedly cite Rajasthan’s semi-arid belts for dispersed and hamleted patterns, especially where water points (wells/baoris) are widely spaced.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Kerala coastal plain: typically linear/nucleated along coastways and waterways.
• western Ganga plain: fertile alluvium fosters compact villages.
• Telengana plateau: many compact villages around irrigation structures.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming linear coastal settlements are “dispersed”; linear strings are still compact in form. Dispersed means spatially scattered units across the countryside.

Final Answer:
eastern Rajasthan