Geography and Human Relationships

Geography and Human Relationships

An analysis of the status of regional imbalances and proposed zoning in West Azarbaijan Province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Ph.D. Student in Spatial Planning, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
2 M.Sc. in Spatial Planning, Department of Geography, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
10.22034/gahr.2025.528143.2500
Abstract
The main objective of this study is to analyze the status of regional disparities and the proposed regionalization in West Azarbaijan Province. The research methodology is descriptive-analytical and serves the purpose of application. Data collection was conducted through library research. The study area includes the counties of West Azerbaijan Province in the year 1400 (Iranian calendar). To examine the infrastructural aspects of the counties, 22 indicators were used. The data analysis was performed quantitatively using SPSS, EXCEL, and GIS software. The collected data were analyzed through various methods, including the coefficient of variation and development mean for assessing development levels, the VIKOR model for ranking counties, K-Means clustering for grouping the indicators, Kriging interpolation for spatial development analysis of the counties based on infrastructural indicators, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) for examining the spatial correlation between the independent variable of development and dependent variables such as population, area, and approved allocation of assets.The findings indicate that among the reasons for developmental disparities in West Azarbaijan Province, considering the selected indicators, is the fact that Urmia, as the provincial capital and growth pole, concentrates services, facilities, and infrastructure. Given its population concentration, which accounts for over 32% of the province’s total population, and the ongoing development of capitalist relationships along with the attraction of private and public sector investments and investor interest, this level of resource allocation is expected not only in infrastructural sectors but across all aspects of development. Consequently, Urmia stands out with a significant disparity, ranking first in terms of resource endowment compared to other counties in the province.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 04 June 2025

  • Receive Date 03 June 2025
  • Accept Date 04 June 2025