What is a village? A village is a small settlement in the countryside that has a few shops (if it is too small to have shops it is probably called a hamlet).

Village (geographer's definition)

A village that developed at a crossing point of a small river.

People have very different ideas about what a village is. Geographers say a place is a village if it has a number of different shops. If it is smaller than this it should really be called a hamlet.

Very few people who live in small places say they live in hamlets. So, in general, people say that they live in a village if they live in any very small place.

Villages can be up to several thousands, but still do not have things like a town hall. That is what keeps them as villages.

A village in the West Midlands of England.

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