Rural settlements are the settlements where people mainly depend on primary activities such as agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, forestry and other natural resource-based occupations. In human geography, rural settlement patterns refer to the arrangement, shape and distribution of houses and other structures in villages. These patterns develop due to the interaction of physical, economic, social, cultural and historical factors. The physical environment plays an important role in determining rural settlement patterns. Relief, climate, availability of water, soil fertility and natural resources influence where people choose to live. In fertile plains with adequate water supply, villages are often large and closely settled because agricultural activities support a higher population. In mountainous and dry regions, settlements are usually smaller and scattered due to difficult terrain and limited resources. Rural settlements are mainly classified into four major patterns - nucleated, dispersed, linear and rectangular patterns. A nucleated settlement is a compact settlement where houses are built close together around a central point. This pattern is common in fertile plains and areas where people depend on agriculture. The closeness of houses provides security, encourages social interaction and allows better use of agricultural land surrounding the village. Dispersed settlements consist of houses scattered over a wide area. This pattern is generally found in regions with uneven