Most of the countries generally use which criterion to define urban areas?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Population size
Population size is the criterion most countries use; a settlement above a set number of people is called urban (5,000 in India, 2,500 in the U.S.A.).
Note: This question is taken from the pre-rationalised NCERT book. The latest edition (2026-27) does not have this part. An extract of the pre-rationalised NCERT book is given below for the benefit of students.
Pre-rationalised NCERT: “Classification of Urban Settlements … The definition of urban areas varies from one country to another. Some of the common basis of classification are size of population, occupational structure and administrative setup.” “Population Size It is an important criteria used by most countries to define urban areas. The lower limit of the population size for a settlement to be designated as urban is 1,500 in Colombia, 2,000 in Argentina and Portugal, 2,500 in U.S.A. and Thailand, 5,000 in India and 30,000 in Japan.” |