Determining the optimal spatial pattern of rural service centers by AHP method with an approach to land suitability (case study: Dehdiz District, Izeh County)

The inappropriate space distribution of rural services causes many problems، including loss of adoptness، and unfair distribution of services according to the existing capacities. In this research، the studied region is “Dehdez” zone of “Izeh” province،”Khuzestan” state. The goal of the present paper is to prpvide an optimal and ideal location finding of rural services centers in Dehdez zone، Izeh province، in the from of a flat، using available place data such as height layers، gradient، communicative roads، population density،etc. To operate the research، we have utilized Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). (i. e. two by two comparison، based on criterias weighting in geographical information system). Eventually، an appropriate space paradigm for the studied region about the rural services centers was gained. The results showed that the selected flats had ideal situations، since 22 villages with an extent of around 168/39 km2، are considered as fally appropriate rural services centers. Other flats including appropriate class with an extent of 211/64 km2، having 23 villages، relatively appropriate class with an extent of 157/74 km2، having 20 villages، inappropriate class with anextent of 416/05km2، having 38 villages، and also the fully inappropriate class of the region with an extent of 463/42 km2، and also the presence of 31 villages in it are of different amounts of importance in location finding. It is proposed that planners have a special view on making a settlement site for under populated and far-off villages in the studied scope.