جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « منطقه آزاد ارس » در نشریات گروه « جغرافیا »

In general terms, free zone areas are considered as export gateways and development purpose, as well as the entry point for investors as a result of having some situational privileges and some special incentive laws. These areas around the world have been developed over a relatively long period of time and have been able to play a role as a tool in the service of countries' economies. These zones include different types, one of which is free commercial-industrial zones. In this research, the scientific theories supporting the creation and activity of free zones, such as international trade theories and the place of these zones in Iran's legal and development documents, have been reviewed. In the following, the history of the emergence and growth of these regions in the world and subsequently in Iran is presented and discussed. Finally, the performance of these areas has been investigated based on the results of studies and investigations, as well as the reasons for this lack of success, with an emphasis on Aras Free Zone. The method of this research is descriptive-analytical and library documents are used. The research results show that Aras Free Zone has a high potential in attracting domestic and foreign investments due to its special geographical location.

Free zones are gateways to world markets by taking advantage of the potentials and opportunities of the domestic economy in international trade. If the goal of the country's development is to develop the areas outside the big cities so that it includes all the rural areas in addition to the cities, one of the most important efforts is to pay attention to the small towns and somehow determine and evaluate their role in the development of the region. is In this research, the role of Aras Free Trade Zone in the development of medium and small cities has been evaluated. The main purpose of the research is to investigate the role of the Aras Free Zone on the development of medium and small cities around. The collection of information was done in two ways: library and field. The statistical population studied are the residents of small and medium towns around the region. The reason for choosing this community is the impact of Aras Free Zone on the lives of these residents. 150 of these people were randomly selected; Also, Cochran's formula was used to estimate the sample size. Cronbach's alpha method was used to measure the reliability of the research. Factor analysis and Spearman's test were used for the analysis. According to the results obtained from the questionnaires and the analytical test, Aras Free Zone is an effective factor in the development of small and medium cities and has caused the economic and social development of these cities. Suggestions for further development of small and medium cities have been presented. 

Free zones serve as gateways to global markets, capitalizing on the potentials and opportunities of the domestic economy in international trade. If the country's development goal encompasses the expansion beyond major urban centers to encompass all rural areas as well, it is imperative to prioritize attention to small cities and delineate their role in regional development. Over the past few decades, one of the pivotal economic policies pursued by the country's decision-makers and policymakers has been the establishment and implementation of commercial-industrial free zones. This policy has been driven by various objectives, including enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy, gradual integration into the global economy, regional development, alleviating deprivation, attracting both foreign and domestic capital, creating new employment opportunities, acquiring advanced technology, and augmenting exports. Presently, metropolitan areas in developing countries are witnessing robust growth, absorbing the majority of the country's resources, services, and capital. Nonetheless, they grapple with a myriad of urban challenges such as housing shortages, escalating unemployment rates, marginalization, transportation issues, and deficiencies in other urban services, compounded by environmental degradation. Conversely, other areas within these countries, such as medium-sized cities, small towns, and rural regions, have lagged behind in development, experiencing stagnation and impediments to progress. Global experiences underscore the importance of addressing the problems of major cities and achieving spatial population distribution balance and regional development, with a strong emphasis on supporting small cities.The establishment of commercial-industrial free zones lags behind in many countries' measures and development plans for underdeveloped areas. Each new economic endeavor carries significant potential for the host region's development. Successful economic activities generate added value and profitability, serving as incentives to attract further investment, thereby increasing job opportunities for local residents. Hence, it is crucial to prioritize attention to small cities and assess their role in regional development. This research evaluates the role of the Aras Free Trade Zone in fostering the development of medium and small cities. The primary objective is to examine the impact of the Aras Free Zone on the development of the surrounding medium and small cities, namely the central part, Jolfa city, Hadi Shahr, and Siehroud part.

The research methodology follows a descriptive-analytical approach with practical objectives. Data collection involves documentary methods and field studies to explore the role of the Aras Free Trade Zone in the development of medium and small cities, utilizing interviews and questionnaires. Data analysis is based on existing data and survey results from residents of small and medium cities surrounding the region, chosen due to the impact of the Aras Free Zone on their lives. The statistical population consists of residents of small and medium cities in the vicinity, with 150 individuals randomly selected using Cochran's formula to estimate the sample size. Cronbach's alpha coefficient is utilized to ensure the reliability of the research, particularly useful for measuring the internal consistency of Likert-type scales. A pre-test with 10% of the sample population was conducted to validate the questionnaire, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated using SPSS software, confirming the questionnaire's validity with a coefficient exceeding 0.80. Data analysis employs the factor analysis model and Spearman correlation coefficient in SPSS software.

The establishment of successful free zones has the potential to attract capital from cities of any size and dimension, leading to optimal management practices, mitigating cultural, social, and service-related issues, fostering peace and comfort, implementing justice, and boosting morale through participation. However, small and medium cities encounter their own set of challenges. Without appropriate plans and strategies to address urban management issues at national, regional, and local levels, these problems persist. Neglecting the development of small cities and lower-tier urban areas while focusing solely on high-level plans and investments exacerbates disparities, leading to imbalanced population distribution nationally and regionally. This imbalance poses a significant challenge for governments, as achieving balanced spatial development is crucial for national economic and social progress. Urban centers, characterized by their strength and prosperity, tend to repel labor and population, attracting more resources and opportunities, while peripheral areas, including small cities and rural regions, often struggle with poverty and underdevelopment. Addressing these disparities is essential for fostering sustainable and inclusive growth.

The results reveal that out of the 34 indices utilized in this study, 12 factors were identified, all possessing high eigenvalues, collectively explaining 68.7% of the variance. The first factor, with an eigenvalue of 3.911, elucidates 11.5% of the variance and exerts the most significant influence among the 12 factors, primarily within the economic domain. The second factor, comprising four indices, has an eigenvalue of 3.172, explaining 9.3% of the variance, ranking second. The third factor encompasses three loaded indices with an eigenvalue of 2.645, accounting for 7.8% of the variance. The fourth factor, composed of four indices, has an eigenvalue of 2.272 and explains 6.6% of the variance. Factors five through twelve have eigenvalues of 1.118, 0.971, 0.449, 0.223, 0.873, 0.394, 0.240, and 0.141, respectively, indicating lower variances. Based on the results, various components such as employment generation, income increase, economic development of small and medium regions, social development of small and medium regions, rapid provision of infrastructure, increase in domestic production and handicrafts, improvement in green spaces and tourist destinations, increased income from transport services, improved public services in surrounding areas, and rapid service delivery to small and medium regions around the Aras Free Trade Zone were identified. The findings demonstrate an increased dependency of small and surrounding areas on the Aras Free Zone.Furthermore, the correlation coefficient test employing Spearman's correlation coefficient between the development of the Aras Free Zone and the development of small and medium cities revealed a significant and positive relationship, indicating that an increase in one leads to a corresponding increase in the other. Therefore, the development of the Aras Free Zone has significantly contributed to the economic and social growth of small and medium cities, including the central district, Jolfa city, Hadi Shahr, and Siehroud part. Additionally, it has led to reduced migration from these cities to other areas, attributable to employment opportunities and economic growth and development in small and medium cities.

A free zone is a certain territory that is often located inside or adjacent to a port, where free trade is allowed to other parts of the world, and goods can be imported or exported from this zone without paying customs duties and taxes. . Free trade zones play a very important role in the economic development of countries in the world. Every new economic activity will have a great impact on the development of the host. Successful economic activity leads to the creation of added value and profitability, an incentive and incentive to attract more investors in the region, which means an increase Job opportunities are filled by local people. With the creation of new job opportunities, the welfare level in the region will be improved. Due to the importance of this issue, this research analyzes the economic development of Aras Free Trade Zone. The main purpose of the research is the development rate of the cities of Aras Free Zone and the ranking of each. The present research is in the category of applied research and in terms of method, it is in the framework of descriptive-analytical method. Data collection was done in two ways: library and field. The statistical population under study is the residents and employees of the municipal offices of the cities around the region. The reason for choosing this community is the impact of the Aras Free Zone on the lives of these residents and the awareness of the elites and employees. 50 of these people were randomly selected; Also, Cochran's formula was used to estimate the sample size. Cronbach's alpha method was used to measure the reliability of the research. TOPSIS technique and cluster analysis method have been used to investigate the research. The obtained results show that in terms of economic development indicators, Jolfa city ranks first, Hadishehr ranks second, central sector and Siehroud rank 3rd and 4th respectively.

The tourism economy serves as the most effective stimulus for countries grappling with an inefficient economy, often caused by overreliance on a single product or limited income sources. Tourism development stands out as a key strategy for fostering economic and social transformation in regions worldwide, consistently attracting the attention of researchers and planners. Iran’s free and special economic zones offer a wide array of tourism opportunities. One such example is the Aras Free Zone in East Azarbaijan province, which, owing to its temperate climate and diverse tourist attractions, attracts a substantial number of tourists and travelers each year. The statistical population for this research comprised 75 residents of the surrounding areas, as well as city officials and experts. The research data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test and Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The results revealed that the following factors (in descending order) have the highest ranks: road and communication infrastructure, access to water, access to residences and guest houses, gas infrastructure, access to sports facilities, access to food and nutrition services, access to suitable communication facilities, setting up exhibitions, access to suitable facilities for leisure, transportation suitable for land and intra-city transportation, and appropriate information and advertising.

Due to its unique location and importance, Aras Free Zone has several aspects, including the natural environment, population, higher education, added value in various sectors, investments, and customs. Based on these capacities, it serves as the center and beating heart of Azerbaijan. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the geo-economics of the South Caucasus region in terms of tourism using the SWOT model. This descriptive-survey research has an applied nature and is cross-sectional in terms of time. The statistical population consists of experts and specialists in tourism and political geography related to the issues of the Aras Free Zone and the South Caucasus. Fifty individuals were selected in a targeted manner for this study. The SWOT method was used for analysis during the year 1400. Results showed that one of the weaknesses of the study is the strained political relations between Iran and Azerbaijan in the region. On the other hand, the communication role of the South Caucasus region between Iran and various European countries is a significant geo-economic advantage, making it a critical communication and transit bridge between Iran and Europe. The possibility of establishing a communication route between the eastern and western seas presents both a threat factor and an opportunity for its communication role between Iran and various European countries. Keywords: Aras Free Zone, South Caucasus, Geo-economic Situation, SWOT Model.

Today, free zones are one of the tools of governments to realize the extroverted strategy in the paradigm of globalization, based on the political economy of space and one of the main focal points of the presence of investors. Since the formation of free zones and in this in Aras Free Zone, land is the most important factor among other factors of production and trade. And what is needed after several decades of the formation of free zones is to change the approach to planning in these areas will eventually lead to healing the problems of these areas.Meanwhile, in the present study, with a futuristic approach to identify the most important factors and examine the extent and how these factors affect each other and the future status of spatial development of the approved area of Aras Free Zone, including Julfa city and approved areas subject to legal materials. Free, pays.In fact, it provides the basis for developing scenarios in the next stages, as well as formulating strategies, planning and policy-making to achieve the desired scenarios. This article explores and recognizes these propellants using Delphi methods and cross-section analysis and Mick Mac software.This research is descriptiveexplanatory in terms of method and applied in terms of application of results .Finally, after examining the extent and how these factors affect each other and the future situation of this free zone, it was determined by direct and indir.Eleven key factors in this study :International sanctions, development of agricultural and greenhouse plains, development of industry, exports, land prices, urban and rural development, diplomatic relations with Caucasus countries, regional competition with other free zones, tourism infrastructure, trade boom, facilitation Imports were selected. These factors that play the most role in the future spatial development of the Aras Free Zone.

Today, commercial and industrial free zones in Iran are one of the government's tools to realize the extrovert strategy in the globalization paradigm, on the basis of the political economy of space, and are considered to be one of the main focus areas for the presence of investors From the beginning of the formation of free land areas, it is the most important factor among other production and trade factors. And what needs to change after several decades have passed since the formation of free zones is to change the approach in planning in these areas to heal the problems of these areas. In this article, with a foresight approach, after identifying the most important factors for the formulation of scenarios, formulation of strategies, planning and policy making to achieve the desired scenarios have been provided. The research method is based on new methods of future research, explanatory, and documentary and environmental survey methods are used to collect information. For this purpose, in the first stage, with the method of environmental scanning, 51 variables in the environment of Mic Mac software in the form of 4 groups of factors The factor affecting the future state of spatial development of Ares Azad Zone was identified.
And finally, how these factors affect each other and the future status of these settlements were determined by direct and indirect methods and 13 key factors were selected. Finally, Scenario Wizard software was used to extract scenarios. And by removing weak scenarios and scenarios with high inconsistency, finally seven suitable scenarios were recognized among them, the first and fifth scenarios have more points to be evaluated.

The transportation sector in Iran produces about a quarter of the total carbon dioxide in the country, which is a significant share. Transportation in the cities of Jolfa and Jananlo, located in the Aras Free Zone, as medium size cities, plays a significant role in the production of carbon dioxide. This study aimed to identify the variables influencing the carbon reduction of Jolfa and Jananlo cities.

This study was carried out using the descriptive-analytical method in 2022 using structural analysis using the MICMAC method. Effective indicators on carbon reduction were prepared by studying the research background and interviewing the expert panel. 30 experts in sustainable urban development were selected using purposeful sampling and interviewed. The indicators were extracted using text coding and were provided to the expert panel to measure priority. Data reliability was confirmed in MICMAC software. Data were analyzed using extracting influential variables and their relationship using MICMAC software.

The key variables included electronic transportation, smart transportation, and the use of renewable energy. Intermediate variables included fuel cost, transportation infrastructure, management decisions, the mix of uses, urban compaction, transportation management, substitution, use of renewable energy, appropriate accessibility, public transportation culture, non-motorized transportation, and travel time reduction.

Macro-management policies, improvement of urban infrastructure in various fields, including urban transportation, application of electronic transportation technologies, and improvement of inner and outer city road networks, respectively, have the highest effectiveness in creating low carbon city in Jolfa and Jananlo cities.

Nowadays, weakness of economical, social, political and management structures cause to eminence of many challenges in cities and different regions and this case is main and effective stimulant in lack of accessibility to sustainable development. So, using modern surveys to recognize many challenges and their future trending and guideline of strategic planning to reach sustainability and sustainable development is inevitable necessity. The aim of current study is investigation of ARAS Free region future trending challenges along reaching to sustainable development and presenting guidelines to it’s position improvement and future situation. Methodology is applied and applicable form with future trending and cross – sections effects analysis technique was used to data analysis with MICMAC Software. Current study data and information were gathered by using elites and urban managers Delphi’s method. Results showed that future challenges for ARAS Free region sustainable development were under severe effect of management weakness and lack of certain plan to develop, lack of using management modern patterns such as governance and knowledge-based management; financial-monetary weakness and existence of legal restrictions with framework case in industry par by regarding high and extensive area in issued region and suitable of lands for agriculture. Also, evaluation of mentioned region stability/instability based on investigated challenges showed that; challenges are instable and strategic planning, real and innovative development according to future trending paradigm, role redefinition and ARAS Free region position in national and international arenas will recognize with roles/actions enhancing by regarding sustainable development.

Economic development, as one of the key pillars for development in developing countries, must be pursued with firm determination. There are many components within the lands of countries to achieve economic development One of these components, considering some ports and cities, is the free zone in order to facilitate lucrative trade for the country, border region and province concerned, and nationally and regionally in general. And even set some free zones around the world for economic development. Although there are seven free zones in Iran, the level of economic development within the country remains inadequate. Aras Free Zone is one of those areas in the northwest of the country that can play an important role in developing economic relations as a bridge linking the Caucasus and Eastern Europe. The purpose of this article is to analyze the impact of Aras Free Zone on economic development of the country. To achieve this goal, the paper is a descriptive-analytical research using library resources and websites. The results show that the Aras Free Zone at local and national scale has had a better impact on Iran's economic development than the regional scale.

Regional development is a multifaceted approach to the impact of internal and external systems on different spatial levels and their interaction and response in the region that this ultimately provides the internal and external balance of the region and its development. Due to the importance of the issue of regional development, the present study seeks to identify the factors that influence the development of Aras Free Zone in different dimensions. The research method is applied in the present study with descriptive-analytical in nature. The statistical population of the study also includes managers, officials, urban experts and academic elites of Aras Free Zone (about 1400 people) and the sample size is estimated to be 344 based on the modified Cochran model. Also, to analyze the research data was used partial least squares model in Warp-PLS software. The results show that among the propellants studied, the most affected are proponents of institutional-managerial (IMC), economic (E), institutional synergy (IS) and supporting organizational management (SOM) that the coefficients extracted based on the structural model of the research were respectively with values 0.65, 0.61, 0.55 and 0.48. Among the sub-variables, the most influential factors were related to the components of attracting domestic and international investments based on appropriate marketing and advertising and the relevance of predicting and not defining all future issues respectively with values of 0.64 and 0.63. Also the results of the Stone-Geyser test, calculated for regional development propulsion equal to 0.141, show that the model has the necessary predictive capacity.

Aras Free Zone is one of the seven free trade-industrial zones in the north of the country, which can play an important role in development at the national and local levels, especially for the cities of the north and northwest of the country. This free zone is adjacent to the South Caucasus region, which has a geo-economic situation; Hence, it can take advantage of this opportunity. This issue has led to the study of this issue in this study. This paper is a qualitative and descriptive-analytic one with the aim of analyzing the impact of Regional Development of Aras Free Zone on the Geo-economic position of the South Caucasus region by gathering information from library sources and websites. The main question in this article is whether the Aras Free Zone is affected by the geo-economic situation of the South Caucasus region? In answer to the question, it is hypothesized that the Aras Free Zone is influenced by the geoeconomic position of the South Caucasus region. The results show that the Aras Free Zone is affected by the changes taking place in the Geo-economics position of the South Caucasus region. Due to the geo-economic role of the South Caucasus region, the developments in this region cannot be ignored in the Aras Free Zone, and due to the influence of geographical areas on each other, the Aras Free Zone will inevitably be affected by the developments in this region.

Formation of free trade zones with an effective economic mechanism, in addition to the development of tourist activities, has undergone major changes in the region's economic activities. Considering the importance of the subject, the main objective of this research is to evaluate the effects of the Aras Free Zone on the development of tourism activities and in line with that of the region's economy. The method of research in this study is a theoretical-practical and with descriptive-analytical nature. Data gathering was done by documentary-field survey method and was used to analyze the information by structural analysis method using Amos software. The statistical population of the research is officials, managers and urban elites. 200 people have been selected using snowball method as sample size. The results of the research indicate that the formation of the Aras Free Zone has had a positive impact on the development of tourism activities through attracting capital and creating infrastructure and recreational facilities. Also, the development of tourism activities in the Aras Free Zone has had a positive impact on the economy of the region, with the greatest impact on job creation, attracting domestic and foreign capital, increasing tax revenues from the economic activities related to tourism, increasing foreign exchange earnings, respectively the coefficients were 0.74, 0.71, 0.63 and 0.57. On the other hand, the development of tourism activities in the region has not been able to have a significant impact on reducing inequality of income and increasing the welfare of households.

Considering that tourism development is subject to feasibility under the preconditions, this research seeks to identify the influential factors on the development of tourism in the Aras free zone. The research method in this study is applied with a descriptive-analytical nature. The statistical population of the study consisted of managers, officials, urban experts and academic elites of Aras free zone, and the sample size is estimated to be 340 people based on the modified Cochran model. To analyze the research data, the least squares model was used in Warp-PLS software. The results of the research show that among the proponents of the study, the most influential are economic (EC), Management (MA). Marketing and Advertising (MAA) and Education (ED). The coefficients were extracted according to the structural model of the research for each of them: 0.67, 0.59, 0.51 and 0.48 respectively. On the other hand, the effect of these proponents on the two dimensions of tourism development, namely, economic and physical (EP), and political, social and cultural (PSC), has been measured. The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between the drivers and components of tourism development at the 95% confidence level has it.

  Aras Free Zone with economic activities in different areas, like other free zones, though rooted in classical and neoclassical theories, and Adam Smith's free trade theory, in particular, plays a decisive role in establishing it, but ignoring the principles governing the structure , Its function and its spatial evolution, is a kind of fall in the same abyss of absoluteism in the form of maximizing the profit and utility of individuals. From the perspective of this study, the root of functional failure in the free zone is the spatial patterns of its economic activity. One of the major areas of activity in the free zones is the trade and commerce sector, which has considerable scope in the Aras Free Zone. This paper intends to discover the functional-spatial imperfections and the logic of its formation in the commercial spaces of the Aras Free Zone, in order to provide an appropriate implementation of the objectives for the region.

This study is an exploratory research in nature and catagorised iv fundamental-applied research type. The discovery of the mechanisms and logic governing the social content of the spaces was based on qualitative methods and, in particular, conducting field observations and in-depth and semi-structured interviews with the stakeholders. commercial spaces in this study also included more spaces that were firstly allocated to land levels, secondly, with the exemptions and privileges of the region, and, thirdly, indicative spaces related to the realization of the goals of the Free Zone be. In this study, the content-oriented analysis method was used to analyze the information and interviews conducted. The sampling method used for this method was snowball sampling method and the sample size was determined using theoretical saturation method. 20 experts from free zones and 48 trade and business activists were selected and interviewed.

The investigations showed that Aras Free Zone has allocated vast spaces to small businesses to achieve their transcendental goals; but the performance of these spaces is associated with major failings such as managerial weakness, unhealthy economy, lack of outsourcing and unsustainable economy, and is far from the ideal model based on the goals and foundations of free zones. Generally, the domain of small business in the Free Aras area is important in several ways. First, the lack of production conditions due to the macroeconomic policies of the state and the existence of renting and speculation in this field in order to gain more profit on the one hand and the adoption of early policies and measures in line with the periodic revenues due to the weakness of the management of the Aras Free Zone, on the other hand, The capital has been largely driven into this sector, thus providing the basis for its false growth. Second, according to the claims of the officials and experts of the Aras Free Zone, the business of microeconomy has been thriving for the purpose of developing tourism tourism, with the aim of attracting tourists to the region and the economic prosperity of the region, which is quite a look inwardly and in line with the mainland. There are conflicting goals with the outsourcing of the free zone. Third, the prosperity of other areas of the Free Arar Free Zone relies heavily on the entry of goods and its supply in these commercial spaces, which in some way reproduce the relations of the dependent capitalist economy, such as the intensification of consumerism and the formation of an unhealthy economy. In total, the currency is withdrawn from the country.

The results of this paper show that the function and spaces of trade and commerce in Aras Free Zone are associated with major failings such as management weakness, unhealthy economy, non-extroversion and unstable economy. The formation of an unhealthy economic environment, such as the sale and purchase of licenses, smuggling of goods and etc in this area, with the subsequent changes in the management and personal effects, as well as the intensification of the bureaucratic system for more revenue, all indicate the use the toolkit of the spaces in this area and instability of the region's economy is due to its spatial functions. From this perspective and with the current process, rather than a free space to leave the country dependent on the economy, it is the opposite of learning and practicing the characteristics of such an economy.

This study was performed to investigate the influence of different types of tourism in Aras Free Zone (AFZ). The tool of this research is questioner that data were collected by simple random sampling from 70 tourists and it have been analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. The results indicate that there is the correlation between ecotourism and historical tourism. In the other words, an increase in historical tourism increases the ecotourism and vice versa. For increase, historical tourism must increase satisfaction of historical attractions of "Chopan churches", "Caravanserai of KhwajaNazar". For increase, the ecotourism must increase satisfaction of the natural attractions of the "Aras", "Mill Ruins", Villages Ashtbyn", "Plain Gordian" and "Plain Aynalo". The increase of satisfaction of tourists of village "Ashtbyn", satisfaction of tourists from "Holy Muhammad Agha" increases. The only factor affecting the on trade tourism is the satisfaction of variety of goods or in other words to increase the satisfaction of trade tourism must increase the variety of goods. Therefore, restoration of historic and religious buildings and development projects, business tourism, natural and historical and policies encouraging exports and imports in Aras Free Zone is proposed

Assessment and performance management is one of the essential topics in strategic management of human resource. And it is a functional tool for increasing the proficiency of citizens and employees of an organization and improving the performance of cities. Good governance as a basic prerequisite for well-functioning of markets, creating attractive conditions for investment, and allocating sustainable physical investments to improve organizational efficiency and performance of cities is of particular importance. This research was done by using a descriptive analysis, a T-test, and ANOVA. The results show that there is a meaning full relationship between citizen participation and good urban governance model in Aras Free Zone. Confidently, this relationship between citizen participant and good urban governance criteria is 99%. This result suggests that if we establish the bases of good governance in Aras Free Zone, it will firstly provide necessary grounds of participation of citizens, secondly it will increase the amount of citizen satisfaction, and finally it will prevent capital flight of the region.

Aras Free Trade and Industrial Zone, attributed as one of the six viatal gateways for Iran's local and national economy to seek co-linkeage with global economy, is an output action of various systems in various spatial scales. In other words, this trade and industrial unit as a geographical structure, has its evolutionary trend commanded by systems that organize it intrinsically (in local scale) and extrinsically (under the impacts of other spatial scales) though it is differentiated in the form of one of the structural-functional component of space and its site is defined and determined in space. It appears that the construcuration of Aras Free Trade and Industrial Zone in the space of dependency is overshadowed by the functionality of other power centers located in the spaces of engagement that acts in wider geographical scales. In fact, based on what was previously mentioned, the current research carried out in descriptive-analytical research method seeks to explain the spatial scales influential in the geographical structure and system of Aras Free Trade Zone for which a conceptual-theoretical framework of three-layered global, national and local scales, suggested in World Systems Theory by Peter Taylor in coalition with various spaces of dependency and spaces of engagement, were applied to analyze the status quo. Therefore, according to the findings of this research,the spatial scales influential in the evolutionary trend of Aras Free Trade Zone apparently is more varied than levels of triple geographical scales suggested in World Systems Theory. Indeed, besides threats and opportunities of capitalistic global economy in the widest scale, i.e. global scale, the ideology of nation-state in national scale, i.e., the macro-views of Iranian statecraft men and the impacts of the space of dependency in local scale, i.e., the site and location of Aras Free Zone in Jolfa, the action of two regional (sub-national) scales in North-Western Iran and geopolitical and geo-economical advantages and fixed of Southern Caucasia in regional (supranational) scale are also influential as well as effective in the spatial organization of Aras Free Trade - Industrial Zone.

Aras Free Trade and Industrial Zone, known as one of the six vital gateways for Iran's domestic economy to link with global economy, is an output action of various systems in the various spatial scales. In other words, this trade and industrial unit as an economic and spatial structure has commanded by systems which organize it, intrinsically and extrinsically, and seems that the construction of Aras Free Trade Zone extrinsically is the output of specific interactions with the surrounding regions, especially the South Caucasus. Therefore, for this free trade and industrial zone the South Caucasus is one of the most important areas of influence and operation in the transit and trade relations. In particular, this free trade and industrial zone has very high potentials for strengthening cooperation with this region, because of its specific location in the vicinity of the South Caucasus. The research methodology adopted here is descriptive- analytic. Data gathering procedure is based on library findings and official data. Data analysis will be done using qualitative and quantitative analysis methods, and conclusion will be done using the two methods. The geo-economic importance of the South Caucasus in economic development of Aras Free Zone refers to the strategic location of this region as a communicational axis. This position has a special strategic potential to link together Aras Free Zone and peripheral cultural- economic dynamics. Another issue related to the geo-economical importance of the South Caucasus in order to economic development of Aras Free Zone refers to geo-economic position of South Caucasus.South Caucasus, despite experiencing a period of economic instability after independence, because of quite specific geographical-political situation especially ethnic-territorial conflicts, has great economic potentials especially in the energy sector (Azerbaijan), energy transfer and dependence on energy resources, rich agricultural potential, rich potential for deepening tourism relations, industrial facilities (although old but restored) including petrochemical, chemical, machine building, The gradual eliminating the state-based economy, strengthening the economic activity of the private sector, joining to the free market economy, participating in international agreements of energy, becoming as the new center of foreign investment, economic recovery in the context of the international financial supports and support of European states, international competition in economy - trade market of the South Caucasus, South Caucasus’s new economic prestige in the financial markets, particularly the international energy markets, the clear economic outlook for the South Caucasus in case of withdrawal of geographic-economic isolation by deepening domestic and international economic integrations with the peripheral and abroad, neighboring spaces role as the most important communicational channel of the world economy with this region and geo-economic complementary in the trade ties are the advantages of this region which can easily be used in order to economic development of Aras trade-industrial zone. The research scope was to explain the geo-economic importance of the South Caucasus in promotion of economic development of Aras free Zone. Creation of Aras free Zone as a commercial and industrial structure is formed and developed significantly in the mutual interaction with the surrounding spaces, features, capabilities and spatial - economic potentials of the surrounding spaces and even the special nature of spatial interactions in surrounding spaces. So, the South Caucasus is the most strategic space around Aras Free Zone that its importance can be explained in the construction and economic development of Aras free Zone, clearly.Therefore, according to the results of this research, strengthening these collaborations can be considered as a good opportunity to improve the economy of Aras Free Trade and Industrial Zone, because of the following advantages: strategic location of the South Caucasus to link to the international trade markets, the opportunity of use of good potentials of the dynamic emerging economies of the South Caucasus.

The present study aimed to investigate the capabilities of Aras free zone، sports tourism and provide effective solutions to its development. Study is descriptive-analytical based on field work. 70 teachers، administrators، sport and tourism experts in Aras Free Zone were selected as the sample from and 56 people answered questions. Measurement tool was a Likert scale researcher made questionnaire with 60 questions in which four factors of، strengths، weaknesses، opportunities and threats were studied. Validity was approved by several Professors in the field of tourism and sports tourism and the reliability of the questionnaire was obtained using Cronbach''s alpha (a =0. 78). For data analysis، inferential statistics including one variable t-test to compare the means was used and Friedman test was used to rank the strengths، weaknesses، opportunities and threats In addition in developing strategies SOWT was used. The results of the research indicate that from the perspective of the participants، beaches of the Aras River are the most important strength and a lack of public awareness of the benefits of sport and tourism in the region، is the most important disadvantage. Also Development of the shores of the Aras River was one of the most important strategies of sport tourism development and a lack of sponsors in the holding of sports events in the region was the main threat in the field of sports tourism. The results suggest that sports tourism in Aras free zone from the perspective of strategic position in the internal and external matrix is conservative.