RURAL AREA: CHARACTERISTICS, ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AND EXAMPLES - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

The rural area is a wide area of ​​land in which activities related to field work take place. In other words, it refers to the geographical area that has few inhabitants and large areas of land for livestock, fishing and agriculture.

The rural area is located far from urban settlements and at the same time they are differentiated by the type of economic activities they carry out. On the other hand, urban areas are found in cities and have a greater number of inhabitants. In the same way they are separated by customs and way of life.

Landscape of a rural area in Brittany. Source: Hervé Quéré

The inhabitants of a rural area have more contact with nature and even interact with it as a means of subsistence. The agricultural and livestock production that occurs in the fields is what supplies food to the large cities, thus generating an economic exchange.

Characteristics of the rural area

Rural areas are characterized by the following features:

- Population

One of the predominant characteristics of rural areas is the number of inhabitants it has. It is usually established that the number is equal to or less than 2,500 people, although this figure may vary according to the parameters and rules of each country.

- Surface

A characteristic feature of the rural area is the area of ​​land, which has large areas that are used for planting and keeping cattle. Such spaces are devoid of large constructions that can hinder the productive activities of the peasants.

- Economy

The economic activities of the rural area are based mainly on the practice of livestock and agriculture, in some cases on fishing. Many times the work in the field is limited by the few technological resources they have and by the general conditions in which they live.

- Human closeness

This characteristic has to do with the empathy and affinity with which the inhabitants of the rural area interact. This is because they are few in number, which in turn allows them to get to know each other and to share life and work experiences.

- Low cost of living

In rural areas, the cost of living is low due to the fact that the inhabitants do not have high consumption in terms of electricity, telephony, internet, gas, transportation or other types of services typical of the city. At the same time the inhabitants can provide their own food.

- Limited services

In rural areas, access to public services, health and education is limited, this is due to the distance that exists with urban areas and also to the lack of investment by governments. These limitations mean that the field does not reach a greater development and that its inhabitants do not have a better quality of life.

Economic activities

The economic activities of the rural area are oriented to the development of agriculture and livestock. This means that its inhabitants are dedicated to planting corn, beans, legumes, fruits, vegetables and other items that allow commercial exchange, and at the same time serve them for their livelihood.

In the case of livestock, the inhabitants of the rural area are responsible for raising animals that produce meat, milk and other derivatives with the aim of obtaining economic benefits through sales. Field workers do not always have the tools and technologies necessary for their activities, they only have the experience.

Examples

Below are some of the better known rural areas:

- Piscila, Otomí, Nahua, Matlatzinca (Mexico).

- Los Llanos Orientales, Achacachi, Kami, Caserío de San Juan (Bolivia).

- Province of Misiones, El Taladro, La Cortadera, El Retamo (Argentina).

- Atabapo, El Toruno, Las Terrazas, El Real (Venezuela).

- Pueblo Seco, Putre, Freirina, Panquehue (Chile).

- Humai, Montesierpe, Belén, Ollantaytambo (Peru).

- Cusubamba, Coca, Pambilar, Quisapincha (Ecuador).

- Lorica, Barichara, Salamina, Mompox (Colombia).

Differences with urban area

The rural area differs from the urban one by the following aspects:

- Population density

A feature that differentiates rural from urban areas is population density, that is to say that in the countryside the number of inhabitants is lower than in the cities. This is due in many cases to the so-called rural exodus, which consists of the transfer of the inhabitants to large cities in search of quality of life.

- Natural environment

In rural areas the prevailing environment is natural, this is because there are larger areas of land that are not occupied by large buildings as in urban areas. Nature offers the inhabitants of the fields a healthier life because there is less pollution.

- Economic activities

One of the most predominant differences between rural and urban areas are the economic activities carried out in each one. In the fields, the settlers dedicate themselves to carrying out tasks in the primary sector, such as agriculture and livestock. While in cities people work in industry and the commercial sector.

- Transportation

Rural areas lack public transport service, residents must find the means to move internally or go to the cities. There are many peasant regions in which the inhabitants move on horses or donkeys, they are also capable of making canoes to cross the waterways.

Sometimes, the lack of transportation and economic resources makes it difficult to move the products that the peasants harvest in rural towns. In this sense, the situation worsens the commercial growth of the rural area by not being able to take the items on time to the big cities.

- Deficit of services

The rural area does not have access to all the public, educational and health services that the urban area has.

The lack of electricity, drinking water, specialized doctors who provide the pertinent care to the sick, as well as hospitals equipped with all the implements to care for patients is common.

In the case of education, there are few schools and higher institutions, many times the students are grouped in the same classroom without differentiating ages and educational level. Those who aspire to a university preparation must move to the city.

References

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2. Rural populations. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
3. Ucha, F. (2011). Definition of rural space. (N / A): ABC definition. Recovered from: definicionabc.com.
4. Meaning of rural. (2014). (N / A): Meanings. Recovered from: significados.com.
5. Lugo, Z. (2018-2020). Rural area and urban area. (N / A): Differentiator. Recovered from: differentiator.com.