The effect of country divisions on the regional-urban inequality in Northern Khorasan

In the last few decades, minimizing spaces has been implemented by current government not only to facilitate planning of development but also to have more control on local-regional spaces. To achieve this goal, performing the strategy of country divisions has been included in government agenda. Present study aims at investigating and analyzing the government’s approach in country divisions as well as the effects on the regional-urban inequality in Northern Khorasan province. Therefore, not only quantitative models and statistical software but also analytic-descriptive method has been used to determinate the relationship between country divisions and regional-urban inequality in Northern Khorasan province. The criteria (including social, economic, hygienic and physical) were prioritized based on the level of importance. Then, several measurable indicators have been selected and tested. The findings indicate an inequality among cities, especially the significant gap that exists between Bojnourd and other cities of the regions. Using change variance (CV) model and marking Z of the cities in the region, it is determined that the Bojnourd city itself is placed in first rank according to 6 criterions out of 10 selected criterions. Moreover, there is a clear gap between Bojnourd with Z value equals to 8. 57. Second city of the region is Shirvan, with amount of Z equals to 3. 54. Thus, the findings reveal that the most significant influence of country divisions on the regional-urban space in Northern Khorasan was in 2004. These effects have been more obvious on the primary urban phenomenon. The research has been carried out using rank-size model showing that Bojnourd with its official-political function has strengthened its centrality and experienced the structural changes more tangible than other cities in the province.