ABSTRACT
This chapter presents views on some key issues in settlement classification, justifying the emphasis on classifying places rather than people and reiterating the case for a fundamental change in ways of doing. The central thrust is towards greater flexibility so as to cope with the ever-changing nature of settlement systems and to cater for the increasing diversity of user needs. The chapter argues that the best way of achieving the flexibility is through the use of the smallest possible building-block areas. The greater flexibility and choice afforded by the approach raises the issue of what are the most appropriate ways of depicting the settlement system and its component parts. The chapter focuses on wide range of settlement concepts which provide the basis for defining the spatial entities to which the building-block data will be aggregated. It addresses the question of how the changes might be operationalized, notably by taking advantage of developments in geographical information systems and in remote sensing.
