What is a community?
A community is a place where people live, work and play together. Your neighbourhood, town and city are communities. There are communities all around the world!
Every community has people, homes, places to work, places to learn and places to have fun. But communities can look very different depending on where they are.
Three kinds of communities
| Kind | What it’s like | You might see… |
|---|---|---|
| Urban (city) | lots of people close together | tall buildings, apartments, buses, subways, busy streets |
| Suburban | near a city, quieter | houses with yards, schools, shopping malls, cars |
| Rural (country) | fewer people, lots of open space | farms, fields, forests, tractors, long roads |
Which kind of community do you live in?
Communities around the world
Let’s visit some communities!
Tokyo, Japan (urban)
Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world. Many people live in apartments and ride fast trains to work and school. Children often walk to school on their own in small groups. People eat rice, noodles and fish, and many use chopsticks.
A village in Kenya (rural)
In some villages in Kenya, families farm maize (corn) and beans and raise cows and goats. Children may walk a long way to school. People speak Swahili, English and local languages. Families gather for meals, music and dancing.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada (Arctic)
Iqaluit is in Canada’s far North. Winters are very long, cold and dark. Many people are Inuit and speak Inuktitut and English. Families may hunt, fish, and travel by snowmobile. Most food comes by plane or ship, so it costs a lot.
Venice, Italy (city on water)
In Venice, there are canals instead of many streets! People travel by boat, including gondolas and water buses. They eat pasta, pizza and seafood and speak Italian.
A farming town in Iowa, United States (rural)
Families grow corn and soybeans on big farms. Kids may help feed animals before school and ride a school bus. Town fairs and sports games bring people together.
How communities are different
Communities can be different because of:
- Climate: the usual weather. Hot places have light clothes and homes that stay cool. Cold places have warm clothes and well-insulated homes.
- Land: mountains, deserts, coasts, plains or islands
- Culture: the way of life, including food, language, clothing, music and holidays
- Jobs: farming, fishing, factories, offices, shops
| Hot desert community | Cold Arctic community | |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | loose, light clothes; hats for sun | parkas, mitts, warm boots |
| Homes | thick walls to stay cool | insulated homes to stay warm |
| Travel | walking, cars, camels in some places | snowmobiles, trucks, planes |
How communities are the same
Even though communities look different, people everywhere:
- need food, water, shelter and clothing
- live with families
- go to school and learn
- work to earn money
- play games and have fun
- celebrate special days
- help each other
Being a good world neighbour
Learning about communities around the world helps us understand and respect other people. We can:
- be curious and ask questions
- try foods from other cultures
- learn words in other languages
- make friends with people from different places
Try it yourself
- Is your community urban, suburban or rural? Draw a picture of it.
- Pick a community from this lesson. Compare it with yours: homes, food, weather and school.
- Find each community on a globe or world map.
- Learn to say "hello" in Japanese (konnichiwa), Swahili (jambo) or Inuktitut (ai or aingai).
Quick recap
- A community is a place where people live, work and play.
- Communities can be urban, suburban or rural.
- Climate, land, culture and jobs make communities different.
- People everywhere share the same basic needs.
- Learning about other communities helps us respect each other.