- For a list of references which "The Village" could refer to, see The Village
A village is a human residential settlement commonly found in rural areas. It is usually larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town or city. Villages have been the normal unit of community living in most areas of the world throughout its history, up until the Industrial revolution and the ongoing process of urbanization. In many U.S. states, a village is a type of municipal government (see below).
Traditional villages
Although many types and organizational patterns of village life have existed, the typical village was small, consisting of perhaps 5 to 30 families. Homes were situated together for sociability and defense, and land surrounding the living quarters was farmed.
India
"The Soul of India lives in its villages", declared M. K. Gandhi in the beginning of 20th century. According to the Indian Census of 2001, 74% of Indians live in villages. In north India, village is referred by gram or gaon, and in south India by gramam. Villages in India varies hugely if its population is considered. 236,004 Indian villages have a population less than 500. At the same time, 3,976 villages have a population of 10,000+. Each village may have its own temple or mosque or church depending on the faith of the people. It is interesting that in many villages more than one religious worship place co-exist and people of the village celebrate all the festivals of all the religions there. [citation needed]
Russia
In Russia, a village is a type of a rural settlement. In Russian, it is most commonly called derevnya (деревня) or selo (село). Historically, the formal indication of status was religious: a city (gorod) would have a cathedral, a selo would have a church, while derevnya would not have either. Most Russian villages have populations of less than 200 people. Rural populations are currently rapidly decreasing due to urbanization. Most rural residents are involved in agricultural work, and it is very common for villagers to produce their own food; however, it is not uncommon when village residents work in nearby cities and towns in other industries. Russian villages are sometimes being transformed into dacha settlements and seasonal residences, as urban residents purchase village houses. [citation needed]
England
In England the main historical distinction between a hamlet and a village is that the latter will have a church, and will therefore usually have been the worship centre of a parish. The population of such a settlement could range from a few hundred people to around five thousand. A village was traditionally distinguished from a town in that:
- A village should not have a regular agricultural market, although today such markets are uncommon even in settlements which clearly are towns.
- A village does not have a town hall and mayor.
- There should also be a clear green belt or open fields surrounding its parish borders.
- The village should not be under the administrative control of an adjacent town or city.
Due to the vagueness of these definitions, there is some question as to which is the largest village in England. [citation needed]
United States
Incorporated villages
In twenty U.S. states, the term "village" refers to a specific form of incorporated municipal government, similar to a city but with less authority and geographic scope. However, this is a generality; in many states, there are villages that are an order of magnitude larger than the smallest cities in the state. The distinction is not necessarily based on population, but on the relative powers granted to the different types of municipalities and correspondingly, different obligations to provide specific services to residents.
In some states such as New York, Wisconsin, or Michigan, a village is an incorporated municipality, usually, but not always, within a single town or civil township. Residents pay taxes to the village and town or township and may vote in elections for both as well. In some cases, the village may be coterminous with the town or township. There are also many villages which span the boundaries of more than one town or township, and some villages may even straddle county borders.
There is no limit to the population of a village in New York; Hempstead, the largest village in the state, has 55,000 residents, making it more populous than some of the state's cities. However, villages in the state may not exceed five square miles (13 km²) in area.
In the state of Wisconsin a village is always legally separate from the township(s) that it has been incorporated from. The largest village is Menomonee Falls, which has over 32,000 residents.
Michigan and Illinois also have no set population limit for villages and there are many villages that are larger than cities in those states.
Villages in Ohio are almost always legally separate from any townships that they may have been incorporated from (there are exceptions, such as Chagrin Falls, where the township includes the entirety of the village). They have no area limitations, but must reincorporate as cities if they grow to over 5,000 in population. Villages have the same home-rule rights as cities with fewer of the responsibilities. Unlike cities, they have the option of being either a "statutory village" and running their governments according to state law (with a six-member council serving four-year terms and a mayor who votes only to break ties) or being a "charter village" and writing a charter to run their government as they see fit. [citation needed]
Unincorporated villages
In many states, the term "village" is used to refer to a relatively small unincorporated community, similar to a hamlet in New York state. This informal usage may be found even in states that have villages as an incorporated municipality, although such usage might be considered incorrect and confusing.
See also
External links
Village types: