Revision:Central Place Theory

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• A Central Place is a settlement which provides one or more services for the population living around it.
• Simple basic services (e.g. grocery stores) are said to be of low order while specialized services (e.g. universities) are said to be of high order.
• Having a high order service implies there are low order services around it, but not vice versa.
• Settlements which provide low order services are said to be low order settlements.
• Settlements that provide high order services are said to be high order settlements.
• The sphere of influence is the area of under influence of the Central Place.
• The minimum population size required to profitably maintain a service is the threshold population.
• Factors affecting a fall in the threshold population are
  1. A decrease in population
  2. Change in tastes
  3. Introduction of substitutes

Conclusions That Can be Made About Central Places

• The larger the settlements, the fewer their number
• The larger a settlement, the farther away a similar size settlement is
• The Range increases as the population increases
• The larger the settlement, the higher the order of its services. Deviations to this rule are:
• Tourist resorts that have a small population but large number of functions.
• Dormitory towns that have a large population but a small number of functions

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