Factors affect on Urban Sprawl in Iranian Cities (Case Study of Rasht city)

The growth of cities in recent decades have become a economic, social, physical and environmental complex issue. The growth of cities can be due to natural population growth and on the other hand from population migration. In this way the physical growth and development of cities is very important which has various social, economical and environmental implications. Urban sprawl or suburban sprawl is a multifaceted concept centered on the expansion of auto-oriented, low-density development, and without municipal rules and regulations in developing cities. This phenomenon generally leads negative problems and consequences for cities. Thus, the study of effective factors in creating urban sprawl and impact of this phenomenon in urban conditions has utmost importance. In this paper with an analytical-descriptive approach and a review of available documents, the urban sprawl phenomenon has been studied in Rasht, and its factors are analyzed. This study shows that Rasht city, like most cities of Iran along with internal growth and development has experienced urban sprawl and physical spread. Incorporation and the dramatic development of villages around the city, along with creating informal settlements around the city is a major factor in the growth of this phenomenon. The expansion of cities along with points of entry and establishment of enterprise and finding the location of various industries and repair shops around the city are phenomena that are scattered over the sprawl of city. Climate and regional economy, contemporary urbanization process, monitor and managing of location have been main factors in the formation process in Rasht.