Concept
An Umland refers to the environs of a city, town, or village
that is part of the main community through common economic and cultural
activities. It is closely linked economically with a nearby town or city.
Umland is an area linked socially and economically to an urban settlement.
Literally it means ‘around area’. It is also called ‘sphere of influence’. This
term is generally applied for inland towns that deals in all directions.
This term was used in geographical perspective for the first time by Ander Allix, French geographer in 1914 to express his concept of economic domain meaning thereby the areas immediately an interior city.
Definition
“Umland is that surrounding area of any towns which has
cultural relation with that town.”
-Griffith Taylor
“This term is mainly applied for inland towns that deals in
all directions but unfortunately this term has also been applied to the
immediate environs of a town as well as to a larger area served by it.”
-Johnson, 1972
“The area in which the city is culturally, economically and
politically interrelated.”
-R.L. Singh
It is the transition zone between a city or town and a rural
area which comprises of the characteristics of both. Umland of an urban centre
change their shape and area overtime and quite reasonably planners and
geographers seek to redraw Umland boundaries from time to time. The extent of
Umland is usually proportional to the intensity of functions in and around an
urban centre.
The actual extent of Umland depends upon the order and freeway facilities available and development of an urban centre. Every urban centre has a region of influence which is not generally demarcated by a line. There is an influence zone for each and every commodity depending upon various factor taken into consideration. So as the extent of city increases, the multiplicity of functions increases.
Fig.1. Districts around Delhi |
Umland is also called as with different names such as city-
- Region
- Urban field
- Hinter land
- Zone of influence
- Urban catchment area
- Sphere of influence
- Tributary area
- Nodal region
- Trade area
Factors affecting the extent and size of Umland are as following:
- Distance
- Transport facilities
- Socio-economic condition of the country side
- Area of Surplus and deficit
- Nature of Commodity
- Flow of Goods
- Flow of Money etc.
Some Classification of Umland
1. Dr. Ujagar Singh in 1961
He had taken 5 indexes for delimitation of Umland of
Allahabad city and along with this he also showed the administrative
boundaries.
- Vegetable
- Milk and Paneer
- Inter college
- Food supply
- Business area
He had divided Umland in 2 parts-
- Primary Umland (comes daily)
- Secondary Umland (2 parts)
- Secondary inner (comes weakly)
- Secondary outer (comes monthly)
2. Dr.
Manjur Adam in 1965
He describes the Umland of Hyderabad and Syeandarabad. According to him, hinterland is that area which is jointed with town from cultural, economic and social.
Base of his Theory-
- Those function direct contact with town (food, supply transport)
- Central functions (Wholesale business, newspaper & universe).
He said that along with the increase in distance the
influence area decreases.
- The area of dominance
- The area of prominence
- The area of association.
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