An Investigation into Unequal Housing Indices in Rural Areas of West Azarbaijan

Document Type : علمی

Authors

• Nosrat Moradi ¹
• Yosouf Ghanbari ¹
• Elham Veisi ²
• Isa Bahari ¹
• Edris Yousofzadeh ³

¹ University of Isfahan

² University of Shahid Chamran

³ Isfahan University

10.22067/jrrp.v4i2.36421

Abstract

Purpose: The present study is aimed at analyzing imbalances and enjoyment levels of West Azarbayjan townships in terms of enjoyment of rural housing indices.
Methodology: Required data of 38 indices that used in the present research, were gathered from general population survey of Iran's Statistics Center in 2011. Said indices were grouped in four categories as infrastructure and welfare, structure safety, facilities and services of health. Then these indices were analyzed using TOPSIS model. Finally, the rural areas of West Azarbayjan province classified based on cluster analysis, and enjoyment levels of them displayed on the map using ArcGIS software.
Findings: The results showed that the highest inequality and least enjoyment of townships belong to rural housing health indices and the least inequality to structure safety. The result of combined indices showed that more than half of the West Azarbayjan province townships are in good conditions in enjoyment of rural housing indices and the rest townships are located in middle and less than middle status. Comparison of the results in separated groups and combined indices showed that there is inequalities and imbalances in separated groups than combined indices. Whiles this inequality in combined indices is much less and there is homogeneity among townships in terms of enjoyment in rural housing indices.
Research limitation: Accessibility to more accurate and more detailed informations and also defects related to a special model for measuring situation of rural housing indices can be one of the most important limitations in the present study.
Practical implications: In order to make regional equalities and move forwards to sustainable development, it is necessary that the housing development policies focus on the rural less populated and isolated areas. Otherwise, the rural housing problem can lead to more inequalities and rural exoduses.
Original/value: Identification of inequalities and imbalances in the context of geographical regions is one of the most important tools for planning. Analyzing and determining of areas enjoyment levels in terms of facilities and services cause to identify their strengths, weaknesses, potential and limitations in geographical spaces. This research is a descriptive-analytic and causal one.

Keywords

• Enjoyment levels
• West Azarbayjan Province
• index
• Rural Housing
• TOPSIS model
• cluster analysis model

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