Rural Central Places in Karachi

Abstract

Despite various criticisim on the application of Christaller‟s idea of Central places in the real world researchers still use it as a theoritical base to explain hierarchy of settlements, their functions and their service areas. Like urban places rural settlements also vary in size and functions . They are not only dwelling places but act as central places, provide goods and services to their population and also to their adjacent tributary areas. Their functional characteristics and service areas depend upon various factors like threshold population, centrality of settlements, government policies etc. The same is true to the rural areas of Karachi. It is quite interesting that inspite of this fact that a mega city is located adjacent to the rural areas of Karachi which is the ultimate source of goods and services for rural population, a hierarchy of lowest to highest order rural central places exist with varying range of goods, services and service areas.