Rural

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Rural area in Dalarna, Sweden

Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China

Rural areas (also referred to as "the country", countryside) are sparsely settled places away from the influence of large cities. Such areas are distinct from more intensively settled urban and suburban areas, and also from unsettled lands such as outback or wilderness. People in rural areas live in villages, hamlets on farms and in other isolated houses.

Rurality can also be determined by the amount of people per square mile (population density). An area with a low population density can be determined as more rural than a place that has a high population density.

In modern usage, rural areas can have an agricultural character, though many rural areas are characterized by an economy based on logging, mining, petroleum and natural gas exploration, or tourism.

Lifestyles in rural areas are different from those in urban areas, mainly because limited services, especially public services are available. Governmental services like police, schools, fire stations, and libraries are generally available, but may be limited in scope, or unavailable in remote communities. Utilities like water, sewerage, street lighting, and public waste management are generally present in the larger settlements. Public transport is limited or absent, people usually use their own vehicles. But if this is impractical they may walk, bicycle, or ride an animal such a horse, donkey, or camel depending on where they live.

Rural areas in the UK typically cover wide areas and consist of greenery, shrubs, trees, fells, lakes, mountains and all aspects of wildlife, such as 'The New Forest', Hampshire.

[edit] See also

The digital divide and rural areas; Broadband in rural and mountain areas.
Folk culture
Lower class
Peasantry
Rural crafts

[edit] References

Hart, John Fraiser. The Rural Landscape, ISBN 0-8018-5717-1.

[edit] External links

Categories: Rural geography | Human habitats | Cities