An understanding of South African settlement typology would be incomplete without a
consideration of their geographic location and distribution. Settlements are defined by their
relative location within and adjacent to urban cores as well as their economic divisions: whether
located in the core of cities; on their fringe or periphery, or at some distance from cities. In
addition to their spatial location, settlements can also be differentiated as planned and
unplanned, formal and informal, and comprising a range of housing types.