What is a scattered settlement?

Dispersed or scattered settlements are evenly-settled human-inhabited areas with low population density, such as a farm or a frontier home. An area containing scattered settlements is sometimes called a bocage, though this is typically applied to non-wild areas, such as pastures separated by hedgerows.

Scattered settlements are always rural and often agricultural in nature, though they may develop close to a nucleated village, also called a clustered settlement. While people who live in scattered settlements typically seek privacy and independence, isolation and a lack of safety can cause problems. It can be difficult and expensive to provide community services, such as sewage or emergency assistance, to scattered settlements.