Analyzing the Spatial-Physical Growth Pattern in Chabahar City Based on Smart Growth Approach

The significant increase in the spatial expansion of the cities in the majority of countries around the world has caused numerous complications and problems. While rapid population growth is the main cause behind the spatial expansion of cities, the irrational growth of cities has a significant impact on the rapid expansion of cities. One of the strategies to combat the scattered growth of cities is smart growth. Realizing this objective requires using appropriate and state of the art methods and instruments. Spatial statistical analyses in GIS are among methods developed during recent decades. The main objective of the current study is to analyze the growth pattern of Chabahar City. The study utilizes a descriptive-analytical approach based on quantitative analysis methods which use models developed for measuring the shape of the city. The most important ones of these models include entropy, Shannon, Gary and Moran. The results of the study show that the urbanization trends for this cityfrom 1956 to 2011 are characterized by low concentration levels, unbalanced distribution of population and employment over the city, scattered spread and disconnected and detached expansion in remote areas which are far from the city center, and generallya growth pattern characterized by an unchecked horizontal spread.