Rural towns and their role in the stability of surrounding settlements (case study: Tawheed City)
Subject Areas : Sustainable urban development
Saeed Maleki
1
,
hoshang moradi
2
*
,
Farajidarabkhani Farajidarabkhani
3
1 - Professor of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz
2 - Phd studend geography and urban planning university shahid chamrah of Ahvaz
3 - Assistant professor of geography and urban planning of Payamnoor university of tehran
Keywords: small cities, sustainability, sphere of influence, Tawheed city.,
Abstract :
Rural towns are one of the most successful examples of settlements that have a significant impact on the elimination of regional imbalances and regional inequalities. The purpose of the current research is to investigate and evaluate the role of the small city of Tawheed in the sustainable development of regional settlements, In terms of practical-theoretical purpose, this research is descriptive-analytical in terms of nature and method, and documentary, library, and survey studies have been used. The statistical population of the research has been determined and estimated to be (374) people. To select statistical samples using a simple random sampling method and to analyze data using one-sample T-test and Friedman test with SPSS software and population density analysis (Kernel density) was used using ARC GIS software. The results of the analysis of statistical tests to investigate the effect and role of the small town of Tawheed in the dimensions of the stability of the settlements in the sphere of influence showed that the management dimension has the highest score with (3.34) and the socio-cultural indicators with (2.61) have the lowest score. The findings of the research show a direct and meaningful relationship between the dimensions of development. Finally, the results of the T-Tech test showed that the four studied components with a significance level of less than 0.05 affect the strengthening of Tawheed city in the direction of strengthening regional development. Based on the spatial analysis (population density) carried out, there is a significant relationship between geographical factors such as distance and proximity and the degree of relationship with the city. That is, the villages that are located at a closer distance from the city have a greater relationship with the city, as a result, the population is more concentrated in them and their stability is more, and the opposite is also true. It should be said that small cities, especially surrounding settlements, leave mostly positive and sometimes negative effects on the surrounding areas in various dimensions, which have been discussed in this research.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Small towns, as central locations, are most associated with the surrounding rural settlements. in iran, despite the importance of these cities, small cities are the last priority in national and regional plans. thes cities can play the expected roles in the process of sustainable development of a good area within a balanced urban network and based on a hierarchical system. Accordingly, in the process of rural development planning, the strengthening and growth of small towns cannot be ignored. one of the most important efforts is to turn attention to small towns and, in a way, to determine and evaluate them in regional development. the city of towhid, as the center of the city of holilan, is located in the northeast of tawhid province, and in 2005, it was transformed from a village into a city and the municipality of tawhid was established there. According to the general Census of population and housing in 2016, it has a population of 3728 people. Due to the topographic situation, this city is mostly impassable, narrow and spatial heterogeneity, severe weakness of communication infrastructure including road and telecommunication network, dispersion of villages and a great distance to the center of ilam province is always faced with unique underdevelopment.
Methodology
The overall purpose of this study is to investigate and assess the role of tawhid small town in the sustainable development of regional settlements and type of applied research and its method is descriptive-analytical in which survey and documentary methods have been used. the statistical population of this research is the city of tawhid and the settlements of its sphere of influence have been selected as the sample population of the research. Using Cochran's formula, the sample size is equal to (N = 374) and is estimated. the validity of the research variables was obtained by experts and its reliability was obtained by Cronbach's alpha method. t-tests were used to analyze the effective factors in the respondents' perspectives, and Friedman test was used to analyze, measure and rank the effects.
Results and discussion
It should be noted that small towns, especially in relation to peripheral settlements, have different mainly positive and sometimes negative effects in different dimensions on the peripheral areas. Factors such as increasing the cost of living of citizens of the city and surrounding areas, increasing the price and value of property, meeting the welfare needs of settlements in the sphere of influence, changing the land use of the center and surrounding areas, it has led to a lack of income and sustainable employment. the results show a positive and significant relationship between the role of tawhid small town in the sustainability of regional settlements. As with a level of significance of 0.000 and 99% confidence; respectively and on average in environmental-physical (3.29), economic (2.82) socio-cultural (2.61), managerial (3.34) indicators have a positive and significant effect on the stability of regional settlements. In general, it can be concluded that all rural areas around the city of tawhid are completely dependent on this city to meet their needs, in other words, the most obvious function of the city of tawhid in relation to the settlements of its area of influence is to meet their welfare needs. Therefore, it is necessary for its development to be in the context of proper planning and principled management in order for the sustainable development of a region to have a spatial appearance in it.
Conclusion
The city of towhid, as the smallest city and the center of the most deprived newly established city of holilan, has a very high potential for achieving sustainable development of an area affected by its geographical location, as well as being located on the transit route from northwest to south. Accordingly, in this study, the role of tawhid city as a small city in the sustainable development of peripheral settlements has been investigated. Considering the results that were done in three areas: economic, social-cultural and managerial-environmental and physical, it can be said that the small town of tawhid, as an intermediary in providing services to its rural sphere of influence, as well as in providing welfare needs and improving medical services, has performed well and has been able to play its role well. of course, local and provincial planners must, with proper planning, efficient and wise management, adequate injection and proper guidance of development funds, in the short-term, medium-term and long-term plans, strengthen the positive effects of the small town of Tawhid on the development of settlements in the surrounding area, and mitigate, reduce and ultimately neutralize its negative effects and instabilities.
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