Settlements can be ranked in order - a hierarchy. The order within the hierarchy is decided by population, area, and range and number of services.
The larger the settlement, the more services it will have.
Goods and services can be classified into two groups:
Convenience goods are low value, everyday things people buy in a local shop or supermarket. For example, milk, sweets and newspapers.
Comparison goods are high value things people buy occasionally. They are more likely to buy them in a large shopping centre. For example, clothes, phones and furniture.Â
Larger settlements and conurbations have a much larger sphere of influence than smaller ones. This means they attract people from a wider area because of the facilities they offer. Cities such as London have a global sphere of influence, whereas a small hamlet or village may only have a sphere of influence of a couple of kilometres.