Which term is used to describe the initial settlement of a new area?

The term that describes the initial settlement of a new area is "colonization." Colonization involves the establishment of control over a foreign territory by a group of settlers from another region, which typically includes the establishment of settlements and the cultural, economic, and political domination of the indigenous people or the land itself.

When a new region is colonized, it often involves not just the physical presence of new inhabitants but also significant changes to the existing social and economic structures of the area. This term is historically significant and is frequently associated with large movements of people who aimed to create new homes and communities in previously uninhabited or sparsely populated areas.

The other terms listed refer to different processes. Immigration pertains to the movement of people into a country or region where they are not native, without necessarily implying the establishment of a new settlement. Expansion generally refers to the increase of territory or influence, often related to an existing population or state rather than the initial act of settling a new area. Integration means the process of combining or incorporating different groups into a cohesive unit, which occurs after settlements are made or populations have moved, rather than at the point of initial settlement.