Functional Analysis of Economical Role of Small Towns on Rural Development Case study: Zahedshahr in Fasa Shibkouh district

Today, given the over crowded cities and their consequences, and the high costs of new town constructions in Iran, their incomplete success, and supporting satellite cities which in turn, leads to centralization and more pressure on the metropolises in long term (Sarabi & Eskandarisani, 2007: 166). Creation of small towns is a good way for decentralization, countrywide development, and supporting a regular rural-urban network (Izadi, 2001: 147). Small rural towns play an influential role in reducing rural-urban immigration and provide balanced distribution of population, facilities, and capitals, by creating off-farm jobs and providing required services (Rokn aldin Eftekhari & Izadi, 2002, 53). Today this approach is being discussed as Urban Function in Rural Development (UFRD) that links the creation of small towns in functional link with rural areas (Sarafi, 2000: 130). By paying attention to small towns, cities problems such as housing shortage, unemployment, traffic, etc can be solvable, which is caused by lack of attention to their function, to some extent will diminish (Jowkar, 2007: 3). Zahedshahr as a small town in Fars province with a 20-year history of urbanization and having natural, human, economical and social trait is suffering from partial underdevelopment and deprivation. Though after 17 years of its conversion to the capital of Shirkouh district some extent of expansion in facilities, business, transport and services has been made. Traditional parts are in transition and coexistence with new functions, relatively low movements of rural economy and region and lack of attention to its internal capacities, largely has limited Zahedshahr’s rural area possibilities of positive changes. Recognizing urban and rural area’s potentials (agricultural, livestock, tourism, etc.) and providing written programs can improve the current situation. Observing existing problems in Shirkouh district, in this study, an effort has been made to present development practical guidelines in this district, using BeaujoGarnier models, location quotient, and Izard model.