Second criterium: The statistical town term

By means of the statistical town term rural settlements are to be distinguished from towns. In addition on the statistical congress 1860 in London the declaration/agreement was made that all municipalities apply also over 2.000 inhabitants from now on as towns. This provision is basically still today valid, but is this classification due to substantial growth of the population of world, as well as regional and national differences only limits usable, to classify if not even as old-fashioned.

While e.g. in Iceland settlements are called of 20 humans towns, the term town applies only with a total population of 50.000 in Japan. In Israel settlements are declared as a town up from a polulation of 20.000. This is an enormous span.

Because of containing only numbers of inhabitants, not any statements about municipal functions or acquisition structure, this statistical town term is only very limited usable, in order to distinguish a rural settlement from a town. If it concerns thus the town term in geography, sociological and economic criteria should be considered additionally.