Dispersed rural settlements refer to a type of settlement pattern in which houses and buildings are spread out over a wide area of countryside, with considerable distance between them.
Related terms
Clustered rural settlements: Clustered rural settlements are the opposite of dispersed ones, where houses and buildings are located close together in small groups or clusters.
Nucleated settlement pattern: Nucleated settlement patterns refer to populations that live closely packed together around a central point or nucleus, such as a village or town.
Linear settlement pattern: Linear settlement patterns occur when houses and buildings are arranged in a straight line along a road, river, or other transportation route.