Role of Small Towns in Rural Development Using Concentration Index and Location Quotient (LQ) (Case Study: Roudbar)

Subject Areas : Environmental policy and management

Manouchehr Nasiri Moghadam ¹ , Taymour Amar ² , Parviz Rezaei ³

1 - PhD student in Human Geography, Department of Geography, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran
2 - Department of Geography, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran
3 - Department of , Rasht GeographyBranch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.

Received: 2022-03-19 Accepted : 2022-05-31 Published : 2023-12-31

Keywords: Agricultural Development, Small Towns, urban function, Roudbar County,

Abstract :

Today, inequality and spatial imbalance between rural and urban areas is mainly discussed by regional planners. To give balance and reduce inequalities in rural areas, it is essential to highlight the role small towns. This paper uses a descriptive-analytical methodology using quantitative methods and models, such as location quotient (LQ) and concentration index to analyze the function of towns existing in Roudbar County. The purpose of this study is to explain the relationship between function of urban areas in providing services to rural areas, to rank the provided services and to determine the development of villages. LQ of Roudbar County is >1 for agriculture and industry and export of manufactured products, while <1 for services, indicating a dependence on other towns. Based on the concentration index, levels of villages in Lowshan, Manjil, Rostamabad and Bareh Sar are regular, while the villages in Jirandeh and Tutkabon are irregular. In addition to administrative and political relationships which result in dependence of villages to cities, people of these towns are referred to other towns of the county for economic, social and cultural relations.

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