Dispersed settlement

A scattered settlement or Einzelhofsiedlung is an unclosed settlement, which consists of widely scattered farms and hamlets without actual center.

Scattered settlements can arise by spontaneous, individual settlement or through planned colonization. Usually planned colonization led to regular settlement patterns, individually and spontaneously populated scattered settlements, however, are usually irregular.

Central Europe

Widespread we find the form of settlement in the Alps and adjacent lowlands around the more closed places, as did the room the Bohemian Massif. Old, irregular scattered settlements are about the predominant form of settlement in large parts of Westphalia. Also, the cities of the Ruhr exist in their pure rural parts of old dispersed settlements and hamlets interspersed with new housing developments and industrial facilities.

Made entirely of scattered settlement existing communities were in Alemannic language area as Bäuert, referred to as the Low German peasantry.

Young scattered settlements from the 18th to the 20th century caused by the cultivation of peatlands (Northern Germany, Danube valley, Spreewald ) and land reclamation from the Dutch and German North Sea coast. Formed during the separation scattered settlements in the Oder bear the name Loose ( about Güstebieser Loose or Zäckericker Loose )