Factors mostly helped in the development of ancient towns in India:

(i)Religion

(ii) Culture

Linear pattern.

Problems of rural settlements in the developing countries:

(i) Rural settlements in the developing countries are large in number and poorly equipped with infrastructure.

(ii) Supply of water to rural settlements in developing countries is not adequate. People in villages, particularly in mountainous and arid areas have to walk long distances to fetch drinking water.

(iii) The general absence of toilet and garbage disposal facilities cause health related problems.

(iv) The design and use of building materials of houses vary from one ecological region to another. The houses made up of mud, wood and thatch, remain susceptible to damage during heavy rains and floods, and require proper maintenance every year.

(v) Unmetalled roads and lack of modern communication network creates a unique problem.

Characteristics of sub-urbanisation :

(i) People move away from congested urban areas to cleaner areas outside the city in search of better quality of living.

(ii) Everyday thousands of people commute from their homes in the suburbs to their workplaces in the city .